September Reception

 Rocky Shore on the St. Lawrence      16″x20″    Watercolor  on paper  by Katie Turner

 

The Central New York Art Guild has a show at the Baldwinsville Library for the month of September 2017.  There are many paintings and sculpture pieces from the CNY Art Guild members on view.   The painting pictured above is one of the several watercolors I have on display.  I was inspired by the rough rocks along the shore of the St. Lawrence river and the delicate flowers that grow in such a challenging location.

The reception will be Monday, September 11, 2017   Time: 6:00 – 7:30pm with light refreshments.

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Watercolor Show Reception

“First Harvest” Watercolor on Yupo by Katie Turner 16″x20″

The Central New York Watercolor Society has its second Signature Show of 2017 at the Kirkland Art Center Gallery.  The Show reception is this Sunday, August 27th from 3:00-5:00 for those who are located in Central New York area.  It’s a lovely area to visit, with delightful coffee and cheese shop and boutiques.

The Exhibition runs until September 22nd, 2017.  The Kirkland Art Gallery hours: 9-4:30 Tuesday-Friday and by appointment.  Click here for more information on KAC: KAC Link

The CNYWS show will exhibit 41 pieces of watercolor and I’ve posted one of my watercolors that will be on display at the Show.  A second piece titled “Wisteria” will also be on display.  Hope to see you there.

Katie

Show Closing

“Flower Dance #2” watercolor on terraskin by Katie Turner

 

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 29th, 2017 will be the final day art lovers can view the Point of Contact Gallery Summer Art Show.  

Three of my watercolors are included in this show (one is pictured above).  For those who are near Syracuse, New York, you may wish to stop by the show and check out all the great artworks.  There are many different artists with a variety of styles.

40 Below’s Public Arts Task Force (PATF) and Point of Contact Gallery collaborated to hold this 3rd annual summer art show.  Free parking is available in the Syracuse University lot on the corner of West Street and Fayette Street.  

Point of Contact Gallery located at 350 W. Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202.  

Works will be on display the final day July 29 from 12-5 p.m.

For more information call the gallery at (315) 443-2169 or email pointofcontactgallery@gmail.com or http://www.puntopoint.org

Paint Chip Challenge

Low Moon 20″x 16″ watercolor on paper by Katie Turner

Sassy Lilac #4003-9B

There are two weeks left to view the CNY Art Guild Liverpool Library Show.  “Paint Chip Challenge” will hang until the end of July 2017.  For hours and location click here: www.lpl.org

This challenge was an interesting project and it was fun to see what each artist came up with.  The color was given to me by the show organizer.  It is not a color I would have chosen.  I primarily work with transparent watercolors. This particular color required me to use Chinese white to make it opaque.   After painting several different paintings using this color, I settled on entering the picture above into the show.  It was done on watercolor paper using wet into wet techniques and a palette knife to scratch in some of the texture.

Having parameters can make painting more of a challenge but some rules also fuel creativity.  I enjoyed this challenge and would definitely participate in another one.  I highly recommend a challenge like this for healthy art exercise.

Traveling Watercolor Kits

 

When I prepare my travel art bag, I’m always struggling with the desire to bring every art supply from my studio.  By trial and error I’ve figured out what my bare necessities are.  The picture above shows my two favorite traveling watercolor kits.  The white one is made by Sakura Color Products Corporation and it’s called a “Koi Watercolors Pocket Field Sketch Box”.  It has a removable mixing tray, 24 colors, a nice space for brushes or pens and it even has a pop-out thumb hole on the bottom making it very easy to hold.  My second traveling watercolor set is by Lukas and originally came with tubes of watercolor paint.  Those tubes of paint have been used and now I use the plastic tray to squeeze my own favorite colors into.  Underneath the tray there is room for more brushes or a few paper towels or a small tube of paint.  I have a small blue handle brush on the side of the plastic tray, as you can see in the photo.  The lid makes a great spot for mixing colors.

My favorite sketchbooks have heavier watercolor paper inside but sometimes I just use regular light weight sketchbooks to paint or sketch.  It’s nice if the sketchbook has a heavy cover and a rubber-band to hold it closed.  It will be less likely to fall apart from wear and tear if it’s bound.  I usually throw a pencil and pen into my bag for sketching and a Sakura Aqua-brush.  I also use Pentel Arts brand Aquash water brushes.  The water brushes have a refillable water chamber which makes it possible for me to pull out the brush and immediately start painting.

Making art every day is important for me and bringing supplies along makes it possible.  Travel doesn’t mean I have to give up painting – I can just bring the studio with me.   Painting while traveling is a great way to remember the event and it always makes me smile.

 

Pentagon Art Exhibit

U.S. Soldiers on Patrol in Iraq

Creating and viewing art can have a great impact on soldiers who have suffered PTSD and traumatic brain injury.  Terri Moon Cronk of DoD News wrote an article about Wounded Warriors’ Therapeutic Art.  Link: http://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/2017/04/13/pentagon-exhibit-showcases-wounded-warriors-therapeutic-art/  Not only is creating art great for the wounded warriors, it’s also a great way of educating the public.  A new exhibit opened on April 12, 2017 at the Pentagon which features 40 pieces of artwork created by service members.  The exhibit will be up for a year and you can view some of the art here: http://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/carecoordination/masp/pentagonexhibit/

What a great impact art can have on others.  I hope to see a lot more of these events in the future.

Pierre Bonnard’s Little Studio

Quiet Walk (2017) Watercolor on Terraskin by Katie Turner

Whether an artist has a large or small studio, he or she must find it comfortable enough to create.  I don’t think it matters very much if the space is tiny, messy, shared or cavernous, empty and lonely.  What does matter is if it works for you as a creator.  Some artists need more light or better organization but if that can’t be changed immediately, can creating still happen?  I say, “Of course!”

I read about Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) the French painter and printmaker, one of the later Post-Impressionists and Les Nabis painters.  He was famous for his use of color and interesting use of perspective.  He was not a mystic but drew his art from his memory.

Bonnard had a small cramped studio in which he pinned his canvases to the wall and painted on them unstretched.  He chose this unconventional way, stating that it gave him options to alter the size. He also would paint various combinations of colors by painting them directly onto the plaster walls of the room.  He built extra cupboards for storage and kept his home relatively sparse.

After all, it’s great if you have the perfect space but even if you don’t right now, set aside the excuse, be inspired by Bonnard and get busy with creating.

To read more about Bonnard click here: Wikipedia Pierre Bonnard UK Art Discover artists: Pierre Bonnard

To see more of my artwork click here: www.KTArtStudio.com

 

Dining Room in the Country (1913) Oil on canvas by Pierre Bonnard.

“Draw your pleasure, paint your pleasure, and express your pleasure strongly.”

~ Pierre Bonnard