Happy Holidays

Thank you to all who follow my artistic adventures and for your comments, emails and positive encouragement throughout the year. Warmest Winter Wishes to you and yours. 

Workshop announcement

So this fella just showed up on the paper...it practically painted itself! I love when that happens...it felt good to get the Watercolor pigments flowing again and on my favorite Fabriano paper...this was a block of 140 lb Cold Press. I'll be teaching a three day workshop at the fabulous Landgrove Inn next July...save the date, buy yourself a present, come paint...we will do three subjects, portraits, petals and poultry! Are you in? 

Familiar territory

It's been a long time since I've posted a floral watercolor...so here is one I did during my demo last weekend at Frog Hollow State Craft Center...they are fully stocked for the season with paintings, prints and cards. It was good to get back to familiar materials again..Fabriano paper block, squirrel floppy brushes and lots of quality pigments and H2O! 

2018 in Roosters

A bright and fanciful calendar for 2018 with Roosters on it....two of the images are mine (including the cover!). How fun and I'm super excited about this product plus it's Hallmark! I personally haven't stumbled across them in a store yet...but here is an online link to get one...should you wish to!

P.S. I'm doing a demo at Frog Hollow this Saturday...11-3 stop by and say hi!

Hanging art...

Hello Monday in November....this piece was done at a workshop this weekend experimenting with abstract acrylics on gessoed watercolor paper...large! 36"x36". Fun to drip, spray, splatter, rub, scrape, brush, pour, scumble, draw etc...etc..I might be entering my abstract phase...oh wait..I've already entered that room...now I'm moving in furniture! (and hanging art on the walls!) :) 

Do it daily

I can't believe there are only two months left of my paint a rooster/chicken a day project... When I started I didn't know if I'd be able to sustain...both interest and subject matter....but come to find out...when you put in the time and look back at results it is so satisfying to see what can amass. To date 10 completed sketchbooks of all shapes, sizes and papers and quite the variety of images! I highly recommend this type of practice!

Show

This is a recently completed commission on its way to its new home! Almost a full sheet of watercolor paper...it was great to work that big again...I also wanted to let you know that I have work on display at a show in Northfield Mass...the show ends November 12. So if you find yourself driving around in the area...stop by the Deerfield Valley Art Association(link)...I have original paintings, prints and cards for your perusal. Happy Autumn!

Pumpkin Spice...

I'm finally posting a watercolor of a scene from my sketchbook...once Fall hit so did all the pumpkin spice items...so this is my take on that once a year flavor invasion...My one-a-day year of the rooster/chicken painting-palooza continues...I'm over the 280 mark and have 9 full sketchbooks to show for it! Two and a half months to go... For those of you who have Instagram...you can follow my art adventures there as well....@abwatercolors 

...watercolors soon....ish...

I know the title of my blog is ab...watercolors...but this acrylic thing has got a hold on me...they are water mixable and clean up with water...but that is about all they have in common. I'll get my trusty sables and Fabriano paper out again soon...but for now these bright colors and ability to just paint over something and completely change it has got me under its spell....bear with me....

Small Oil painting

Today I am posting a little 6"x6" oil on panel painting that is framed with a black border in a black wood frame (overall measurement 8"x8")...see pictures for details. This striding rooster is titled "Sun Seeker" and he is available for $150.00 including S/H in the US. I'm doing more with oils and acrylics this summer...expanding my art horizons...keeping me on my toes! Send me an email if you are interested in having this guy in your collection. Abwatercolors (at) gmail (dot) com. Happy Labor Day weekend! 

Acrylics again

My acrylic chicken series continues. I've been painting on deep canvas using acrylics and various other mixed media to get these feathered friends' portraits captured. For those of you who don't know, I have an etsy store and I'm listing some of these and my other small abstract acrylics plus prints for sale....check it out. Trying to add things to my store more frequently. Click the word etsy above for the link...

Acrylic adventure

I participated in the Great Vermont Plein air festival this weekend in Waitsfield. We had beautiful weather and lovely sites to paint...and instead of my usual watercolors I painted with acrylics and tried to abstract and interpret the landscape a bit differently. This was my painting on the last day in the afternoon...and it now resides at the home of a new collector! 14"X11"  "Summer Salsa"

"Mastering" the portrait

The beginnings of a portrait...we usually see photos of this Master with a hat on..but I used this one for my painting of Claude Monet. I am teaching this week at the Vermont Art Event in Burlington sponsored by Holbein. We will tackle portraits on one of the days. Our subject...famous artists! I guess Mr. Monet qualifies! 

Book and Plein Air

Yay! Look what came in the mail the other day! Page 124! Thanks Northlight Books & F&W Media... If any of you are out and about roaming the Vermont countryside on this upcoming Saturday the 15th...I am participating in the Gruppe Gallery Plein air event in Jericho...I'll be set up with close to 70 other artists trying to capture the Vermont scenery...I'll be using acrylics...yeah, I know...different...show of work to open the next day on Sunday 2-4 pm.

Happy Fourth!

My red, white and blue-ster! Patriotic feathered friend...enjoy your day, everyone! 

Portrait session

This piece was done during a portrait session yesterday...there is a local group that meets once or twice a week to paint from the model...I've been lacking in my participation of late, but want to step up my commitment to join in...I need the practice! Plus the camaraderie is great fun as well!

Fodder

Just us three chickens around the water basin...nothing to see here!...this reference photo came about quite by chance...driving by a farm later in the day and I spotted a few feathered friends scurrying back to their roost...well...it's a quick push on the brakes...find the farmer and ask permission to "shoot" his chickens! Et voila! Fodder for future paintings...how do you all gather up your reference material?

Abstract acrylics, anyone?

I've found a new interest...exploring acrylics! Yup...I've thrown that medium into the mix as well as watermixable oils and of course I can't abandon my watercolors....so my studio has been turned upside down and there are tubes, jars, bottles, canvas, paper, palettes, brushes, mediums etc...everywhere! The hard part each day is deciding which type of product will get to come out and play...🎨

Summer classes

"I hate flowers - I paint them because they are cheaper than models and they don't move."

           - Georgia O'Keeffe

...well I don't hate flowers and certainly paint them...and you can join in the fun this summer at the Vermont Art Event (Burlington), where I will be teaching several classes...paint different animals, paint a portrait of a master(like above), mixing greens & floral paintings and of course...roosters! Contact HK Holbein for more information.

Monday 7/24:  Beauty and the Beast.  8:30-11:30 am 

Thursday 7/27:  Be Master-ful 4:30-7:30 pm

Friday 7/28:  Floral Foundation 8:30-11:30 am

Friday 7/28:  2017 Year of the Rooster 12:30-3:30 pm

Double image

Two for the price of one...a landscape within a rooster silhouette....I will explore more of this type of imagery...well...with half a year plus to go with my rooster a day project...I will need these kinds of ideas. Painted in a new to me sketchbook by Pentalic...different paper surface, but not altogether too difficult to work with.  This was the starting painting for sketchbook #5! 

Exploring color

Yet another reason not to throw out old magazines...like I need an excuse! All the color swatches were cut from a magazine and assembled in a color wheel formation with a silhouetted rooster cut from a single page with complementary orange accents glued on top...continuing my rooster a day in my sketchbook...who said they all had to be painted?

Magazine article

Well color me tickled pink! My painting is printed on the pages of the latest Watercolor artist magazine..."Little Jester" will be in the upcoming book Splash 18: Value | Light + Dark! Due out this summer...

Triplets

My paint/draw/collage/etc..a rooster/chicken/hen a day quest continues...I'm on my fourth sketchbook and this daily practice is giving me a chance to explore new surfaces and layouts...right now I am trying the Stillman and Birn Beta softcover sketchbook. New surface, new results, new information... All good!

ANEAW announcement

This painting just got accepted in to the Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors at View Arts in Old Forge New York! Yay!  The show runs August 5-October 8, 2017. This sunglasses clad gentleman is titled " Sunny Disposition". 

"Barnyard Bliss"

This painting is one of many (not all by me...) at a group show in Berlin VT at the Central Vermont Medical Center...titled "Spring Four-ward".  There are four Signature VT Watercolor Society members on display, Lisa Beach, Gary Eckhart, Robert O'Brien and myself.  It looks great...if I say so myself :) It's up until June 2... Check it out and if you do...let me know what you think! The painting above is "Barnyard Bliss" and measures 14" x 10" (image) framed 20" x 16".

Workshop fun

Our local hub of the Vermont Watercolor Society sponsored a one day journaling workshop with Jean Mackay...this is one of the pages I did in my sketchbook.  She brought various props and things for painting inspiration, along with her wonderful journals that we could peruse. A great way to spend a drippy, dreary, chilly Saturday!

Not spring yet...

Snow is falling and Spring is on hold...but my brushes coax forth a bit of color and hope for some greenery and blossoms to come...upcoming group show at CVMC in Berlin, VT with Lisa Beach, Gary Eckhart, Robert O'Brien and myself....it'll be up on April 1st...

One week 100 people

I participated in an online challenge that was draw, paint, sketch, doodle, whatever, 100 people in one week...actually 5 days....here are a few of my sketchbook pages....Doing a challenge like this holds you accountable (well only to yourself), but allows you to set a fairly attainable goal with a tangible outcome at the end of the week...all in all things were learned and a sketchbook was filled!

Summer art event

I will be teaching classes again this July for the Vermont Art Event. (Burlington, VT) And by now you know this is the year of the rooster...so of course one of my offerings is a paint a fiery rooster class...I'll link info as soon as I have it available..here and on my website.

Two subject workshop

Tiptoe through the tulips...only 2 spaces left (I think as of yesterday) to join in the fun this Saturday at my workshop in Jeffersonville...it will feel like spring as the temps are supposed to reach 60 degrees! February is going out like a lamb... What will March bring? Click the link to check out the workshop info. We'll also tackle as our subject a rooster...it's a two-fer...

Sunny encounter

This guy was walking away from me on a sunny day two years ago...but not before I had a chance to snap a few pictures of him...I try to have my camera with me for chance encounters just like this one at a roadside farm stand. Buying cantaloupe and cucumbers got a whole lot more interesting when a flock of feathered friends came clucking about. Plus with our long Vermont winters...I knew I'd have a reference to draw inspiration from for a painting!  Join me in Jeffersonville in two weeks (25th) for a one day workshop painting these guys and some tulips! Click the link here for info.

Fancy Wheel

I haven't posted in a while...so here is my take on a fancy feathered color wheel...always testing colors and checking to make sure they play well together...very important in the watercolor game...or you will end up in the mud pit...

Upcoming workshop

I will be teaching a one day workshop titled "Tiptoe through the Tulips in the Year of the Rooster" at the Bryan Gallery in Jeffersonville, VT on Saturday February 25 from 9-3.  We will tackle both subjects...one in the morning and the other after lunch...hope you can join in the fun... Here is the link for registration and information.    Bryan gallery workshops

"Cock-eyed"

I am trying to paint, draw or create a rooster a day this year...it being the year of and all...so here is another effort from last week...This one is done in my sketchbook and measures about 7 inches square.  Projects like this give a purpose and a motivation and help keep the brushes loaded...at least for me that works...what creative prompts work for you?

2017 year of the Rooster

This is the Chinese New Year of the Rooster....well lucky me....I'm going to try to paint lots and lots of these feathered friends this year...all shapes and sizes. I wonder what the US Postal Service will issue for a stamp...the year of the Dragon and Rabbit were beautiful stamps...art for your envelopes!