Day 6 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Trapeze Act"      7" x 10"
Watercolor and Collage     $75

I had a GREAT day today!  Went to Casperson Beach with the Venice Plein Air Club and actually pretended like I knew what I was doing.  I was so nervous to paint with all the pros from this area.  The funny thing was that everyone who I met, immediately stated that they don't know how to paint on location and usually don't like what they do.  I thought to myself, "Who knew?  We are all alike with the same fears and the same feelings of inadequacy."  Anyway, I truly loved the experience.  I did a value sketch first in my small notebook, just to warm up and to figure out my "light Pathway", that I always preach about in my workshops.  It was a beautiful day, 75 degrees, sunny with great long shadows.  I found a shady spot, and painted a quarter sheet watercolor painting of the scene.  It isn't done yet, but so far, I kind of like it.  Anyway, when I got home in the afternoon, I was excited about painting my 30 Day Challenge painting, and this was the outcome.  If you look closely, you will see hearts all over the place.  I did NOT paint them.  They just showed up.  My late friend, Connie Cuthbertson used to collect heart rocks, and now that she is passed on, I know when hearts show up in my painting, it means that she is with me.  I really believe that.  Anyway, after I completed this painting, I thought it resembled a trapeze act, thus the title. 

Day 5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Tangled Life Story"    7" x 10"
Watercolor and collage     $75

I've been having troubles with my computer, so I apologize for this late posted of Day 5.  This painting was fun to do, because I was learning during the process. My goal was to try new colors and see what happens when certain colors are place right next to other colors.  I have a new love of raw sienna, but only when I use 3 layers to get the richness of the color.  I love the vibration of color against the lime green.  Adding a neutral grey color was also effective to calm certain areas.  And then the Pop of the salmon color was just what this painting needed.  I have never been one to do graphs of color studies.  I like to do a miniature painting and try the colors there! So far, I'm really enjoying this 30 Day Challenge.  I've got some goals for myself for future paintings.  Maybe even some people in these abstract starts!  :)

Day 4 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Hidden Butterflies"     7" x 10"
Watercolor and Collage     $95

Somewhere in the middle of this painting, I decided to add images of butterflies.  My objective was to make this painting abstract first and then if the viewer happened to find the butterflies that was great, but that wasn't what I want the viewer to see first.  I told you that my colors would most likely change after I had been in Florida a few days and it really has!  Our view of a golf course with all the greens and a small pond outside our house is totally influencing my color choices. 

Day 3 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Recollecions"    7" x 10"
Watercolor and Collage     $75

I am a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright and my goal when I started this was to get more geometrical angles in this painting.  I collaged with old pattern pieces, which I used back in the day when I sewed most of my clothing.  You didn't know that about me, did you?  Colors used in this painting were scarlet lake, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna, new gamboge, and Holbein cobalt turquoise.  It always amazes me how these turn out.  I just let the painting guide me as I go along. Many of you have requested progressive photos.  Here are the steps to this painting:

Step One, Dry brush with watercolor

Step 2:  Add Collage

Day 2 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Flags Waving"       Image:  7" x 10"
Original Watercolor and Collage     $75

This is a companion painting for yesterday's painting, "Bridge over Troubled Waters".  I used Cobalt turquoise, raw sienna, burnt sienna, and quinacridone gold for both paintings.  Limited pallette is one way to avoid color troubles.  We are now in Florida, enjoying our escape from winter weather, so I expect my colors to change dramatically.   Full disclosure: These first 2 paintings, I had done ahead, knowing that I would be traveling for 4 days to get down here.  :)

30 Paintings in 30 Days-2018!

"Bridge over Troubled Waters"

Image:  7" x 10.5"       $75

Original watercolor and Collage

I'm so excited to again participate in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!  Click on this link to check out all of the other participants in this challenge.   https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30.html This year, my theme is to paint abstract collage paintings.  I predict that these will eventually have something recognizable in them, but to start with, I'd like to keep them totally abstract.  These colors were requested by my friend, Jennifer Stone.  And since I just returned from the Sedona area,  I was easily inspired to paint in these colors.  Look closely and you will see the collage in this piece too.  I thought it resembled a river with a bridge over it, so that's where the title came from.  All of my paintings in this 30 day challenge are available for the reduced price of $75 each.  Heads up:  tomorrow's painting is a companion piece for this one.  I usually paint 2 of these at once.  It's a win/win.  2 paintings that go together AND it helps with the timing, so no blow dryer is needed.  :)

Happy New Year!

   

"The Flirt"  

    As I write this, it is 9:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve.  Yes, I'm at home and glad I am.  This has never been one of my favorite holidays.  We usually go to a movie, eat out, and come home by 9:00 p.m.  Then, it's a roll of the dice whether we make it till midnight to welcome the New Year in.  :)  Anyway, I thought I would tell you my New Year's resolution.  I have only One, but it's a big one!  They say that if you write out your plan, that it's more likely to happen. 
     I want more BALANCE in my life.  I tend to go full throttle on any one thing and then everything else falls by the way side.  So, in 2018, I pledge to try to have more balance.  That will mean that I have to think ahead and plan!  We'll see if this resolution lasts more than a month, like other years.  I wish all of you the Best New Year ahead! 
    By the way, this picture, "The Flirt" is an example of the subject for a 2 Day workshop in Sedona, AZ.  This Funky Lady workshop will be on January 17 and 18th of 2018.  I'm also teaching "Wire Drawing", one of my favorite things EVER during this workshop.  To sign up, contact Nancy Boulais at nancyboulais@msn.com

Little Abbeys- Great Warm ups!

"Hope"    Original watercolor and Collage
5" x 7" Image,   $45 plus shipping

Whenever I'm feeling scared to face that white sheet of paper, I turn to a variety of warm up exercises.  One of those is painting "little abbeys".  This is a nickname that I gave to little abstracts many years ago.  The process is that you start with only 3 colors and paint a cruciform design.  Then you add that collage papers for pops of color and textures that are hard to paint.  I use napkins, gelli print papers, newspapers, and magazines for the collage papers.  I use acrylic matte medium to adhere them to the underpainting.  I'm teaching this process in Watertown, SD on October 18 and 19, 2018.  Contact Jennifer Stone at  jstone@wat.midco.net to sign up!
These paintings teach you some very good painting habits and I use these for studies for larger paintings too.  They really get my imagination going!  This one is called "Hope".  I used Spring colors to signify regrowth, and bright yellow for a happy color! 

Slaying the Dragon

"The Sound of Silence"   $2500, framed
Original watercolor, collage, and acrylic
Image size:  22 x 30"  Framed:  30 x 38"

This painting took me 4 days to complete.  I whined all the way through it! 'as I tell my students who whine,  "Would you like a little cheese to go with that whine?"   It was truly a lesson in perseverance.   There were so many times when I wanted to quit and make it into a journal cover, something I do with my rejects.  But this voice kept telling me that my best paintings are the ones that involve a struggle.  When this happens to you, here's my advice:  

1.  Ask yourself why you are painting this.  Be sure to get that message across to the viewers.

2.  Keep telling yourself to have fun!  Learn from your mistakes and go forward a wiser person.

3.  Draw a value sketch if your design is faltering.

4.  Remember my 3 words:  Repetition, Variation, and Dominance.

5.  Take photos of your painting in progress.  You will see values lots better in the tiny screen.

Now, that I'm finished, I'm so glad that I continued the good fight and truly did slay that dragon!!! This painting is for my solo exhibition in Miles City, MT at the Waterworks Museum on Oct. 15 - Nov. 10th.  My opening reception is on the 15th at 1:00.  Everyone is invited to attend! 

Paintings with the same value patterns

"Wheels of Imagination, #2"   6" x 6" image
11" x 11" framed,   $145 framed

Sorry it's been so long since I have blogged.  It's been a busy teaching schedule and it's hard to keep up with everything!  Check out my website for future workshops!
Squint and you will see my simple light pathway in the little abstract painting above.  I am preparing for a solo exhibition at the WaterWorks Art Museum in Miles City, MT, and my plan is to have several groupings of paintings, both abstract and traditional that have the same original design and the same color scheme.  My show runs from October 15 - November 10th.  I will also be teaching a workshop in Miles City from October 16 - 18, 2017.  Contact DeNice Curry at (406) 234-0635 or email:  ccartc@midrivers.com if interested.  You can check out my website, www.karenknutson.com for the details of the workshop.
My students all know how passionate I am about creating a light pathway for every painting.  Below is a floral that I used the same light value pattern.  Can you see it?  I can't recommend this strongly enough for creating a good design in your paintings.

"Never too Late for Lilies"  11" x 14" image,
16" x 20" framed,   $345 framed