Santa Collection- Here's the whole collection!

Happy Holidays to you all!  The final 3 Santa prints are still for sale, but the first 10 are collector's items.  They are 9 x 11.5 with mats and sell for $29 (matted).  I have only a few left that have frames, and those sell for $39 (framed).  Contact me at Karen@karenknutson.com if interested.

12th Day of Christmas- Santa Series

"Santa 2004"

I was making a political statement of sorts with this painting.  I truly believe that Santa is a good thing, but I also believe that the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ.  So, this one combines the two, so as far as content, this one is a favorite of mine.  I'm going to post the last Santa in this blog too, since I'm going out of town tomorrow and most of you will be too busy to read this tomorrow too, right?  Below is my Minnesota Santa, who is a great fisherman.  May you all have a very blessed, safe, fun holiday with your family and friends! 

"Santa 2005"

11th Day of Christmas- Santa Series

"Santa 2003"

This was a full sheet watercolor!  It was painted in 2003.  I got tired of having to do the same size, year after year.  We artists don't like being told what to do, right?  Anyway, I'll never forget my framer's reaction when I brought in the prints.  He had already cut 50 mats of my usual size.  He thought he would be saving himself the last minute fury by doing them ahead.  After all, I had done the same size print for the past 10 years!  I told him to save them for next year and I would go back to the other size.  My favorite part of this Santa is the toes sticking out of the socks!

10th Day of Christmas- Santa Series

"Santa 2002"

This Santa was fun to paint, but anytime hands are involved, it's an extra push for me as an artist.  Still I loved the fact that Santa is telling us to keep the secret and be good.

9th Day of Christmas- Santa Series

"Santa 2001"

This Santa was especially dear to me because this was a friend of mine that I used to teach at the Minnetonka Senior Center.  He had such a great attitude and a twinkle in his eyes always!  I wrote Peace in the background due to the tragedy of 9-11, which happened in 2001.  Still hoping that our world can settle their differences and live peacefully.

Drawing Challenge, Day 26

Today's challenge was to draw some part of our body, so I picked my face, looking in the mirror as I did it.  I have a bad cold, so it's not the best time to be doing a self portrait, but I did it anyway.  I've been studying shadows lately, and have found Jan Kunz' book, Painting Watercolor Portraits that Glow, very helpful to remember to connect shadows.  Kathie George told us to do a contour drawing, not lifting our pencil, and that really helped to connect the shadows.  I don't think this looks anything like me, but I do like it as a portrait of someone. 
So, Today was Weigh In Day for those who joined my Healthy Eating Challenge.  How did you do? If you want to, you can report back to me privately OR you can just keep it to yourself.  I honestly ate my yogurt and coffee before remembering to weigh in, so I'll just go by the weight that I was 2 days ago, which was down 1.5 pounds from my starting weight.  I have a bad cold right now, and lately caught myself using that excuse for not exercising.  A couple of years ago, I took a Community Ed class about dieting.  The leader asked us all the reasons why we were there, and wrote them on the blackboard.  I thought to myself, "Finally, I'll get that answer to my problem!"  (My excuse was that I always gained weight on trips and with my teaching schedule picking up, that meant for a lot of roller coaster weigh ins.)  So, there were about 15 excuses, including winter weather, stress, having too much to do, cravings, etc.  The leader then erased all of the excuses and said, "No more excuses!  You either want to do this or you don't!!!!"  Wow, I never forgot that phrase!  So, what's it going to be, fearless group?  Are we done with excuses?  Do this:  Whatever your excuse was that came to mind, find an answer for it, and make this week better than last week.  I sit in front of the TV too much and tend to eat there.  So, this week, no more eating in front of the TV.  There, that excuse is history!!!  Have a great week! :)

Good News! Missouri National Watercolor Society Show entry accepted!

Just got my letter of acceptance from the Missouri National Watercolor Society 2012 Exhibition!  This painting is of a student, who took my workshop in Thunder Bay, Canada.  She was so striking, that I asked her if I could take some photos and got her permission to paint her portrait.  I didn't mean to get so detailed with the facial features.  Most of my paintings have more simple shapes to form the contour of the face.  But I did like the results, and intend to do lots more paintings of Anne (pronounced Annie).  I made my own collage papers, using deli paper and carved my own rubber stamps for the impression on the papers.  This is mainly watercolor, but also has acrylic and collage.  I learned how to do the collage papers from the Anne Bagby video.  It is one of my all time favorite art videos.  http://www.annebagby.com/