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Creative Catalyst mixed media artist and author Lesley Riley is realizing a lifelong dream, and the best part, she's opening it up to the rest of us.
Riley has created five day workshop, October 25-29, that will bring together three amazing mixed media instructors including Riley herslef, Claudine Hellmuth, and Nina Bagley and 15 students for a workshop unlike any other.
Riley's vision was that the retreat would be small and intimate and give artists both the space and time for community and conversation.
"Students can expect to come away with a great feeling of accomplishment, direction and renewal in themselves and their art... and the art they create as evidence of their weekend exploring the theme of Me, Myself & I," says Riley.
Riley has been working on the idea for a long time, but it was on her 59th birthday that she realized it was time to take the retreat from dream to reality. For the first retreat, Riley chose two friends and artists, Hellmuth and Bagley, because they were both there at the beginning of her career.
The theme for the first Red Thread Retreat is "Me, Myself & I" and students will have three classes that are designed to create either one final piece of art work or three separate ones. In Hellmuth's class, students will learn how to make beeswax collages. Hellmuth will teach how to transfer, stamp in wax, layer collage elements, use transparencies and glaze. Nina Bagly's class will include elements of wire wrapping, eyelet setting and use of "found word" poetry. Finally in Lesley Riley's class students will work on creating the life they want to have. Riley will work students through several exercises to help them hone in on exactly what they want their future to be. Students will use image and journaling along with symbol, collage, paint and mark making.
For more information, visit the Red Thread Retreat website here. Registration is now open.
Lesley Riley has one DVD with Creative Catalyst, Exploring Fabric Collage.
Claudine Hellmuth has three DVDs with Creative Catalyst Productions including Collage Textures & Techniques, MORE Collage Textures & Techniques, and Beeswax Collage.
There are two parts of any marketing strategy: platforms and content. Your platforms include Facebook, blog, website, and newsletter. Your content is what you create for your audience. In modern marketing the idea is you create content that your ideal customer (a collector or a student for example) would finding of interest. When that person finds you through that content, she will want to stay.
Let's delve into content for Facebook art marketing. What makes Facebook different from other platforms is that it is incredibly interactive. It encourages sharing in a way that blogs and websites can't really do. Not everything you post will go viral, but if a student wants to comment and share a workshop you've just announced on your wall, he can do so easily.
When thinking about Facebook content, think about what you do and create as an artist. Make a list. You'll be surprised at how much you actually do and create right now. You are creating new work, entering shows, announcing classes and openings, and attending your favorite workshops. All of that is Facebook postable. And even better, all of it pertains to your life as an artist.
You may be thinking, "Why would anyone care what I'm doing?" And the truth is, not everyone will care, but more people will care than you think. I have a high school classmate who started her own photography business. I'm not a photographer, but I love it when she posts a new set from her portfolio. And I've told friends about her services. If there ever comes a time when I'm not interested, I can simply unsubscribe from her feed. I'm not unfriending her. Instead I'm just letting Facebook know that I don't want to receive her posts. Your followers can do the same, and it's one of the reasons Facebook is great. Each of us an individual gets to decide what we see and what we don't see.
However, if you are self conscious about expressing your burgeoning art career with people from your former life, Facebook let's you place people in categories so when you post, you can choose which group will see your post. Create a group called, "Art Life," and then if a collector friend requests you, you can put her into your Art Life group and make sure to only send that group (and not say the, "Hometown" group.)
Here are eight content ideas to help get you started. Look at your own artistic life and think about the content you might create beyond this list.
1. Workshops
If you are an art instructor, Facebook is a great place to announce new and upcoming workshops both on your wall and in your events section. You can include the information and then a link to that specific workshop on your website to learn more. A few weeks before the workshop, post a link to where people can find materials lists or answer any questions you are getting from students about the workshop. When you are at the workshop, have someone take pictures of you while you teach. With permission, take pictures of students with their work, and then take a group picture at the end. Make sure you ask permission before taking pictures of other people and of their work. Double check that they are OK with you posting the images to Facebook. Include your Facebook url on any and all class handouts and encourage students to Friend request you after they get home.
If you are attending a workshop, take pictures of your work and with permission, the instructor's work. When you get home, Friend request the artist and then post images from the workshop in a gallery (for example, labeled, "Jacqueline Sullivan 2012 Workshop Whispering Woodlands.") Tag the artist in shots that include her. Friend request people you connected with in the workshop as well. Facebook is a wonderful way to build a group of supportive fellow artists. Very few of my close friends are artists, but I meet many wonderful artists on Facebook each week, and I am inspired by them constantly.
2. Art Show Opening
People want to know what you're up to so don't be afraid to announce when you do have an art show opening. Make sure to include all the information. If you've created a flier for the event, scan or photograph the flier and post it to your wall. Images and text combine more powerfully than just copy alone. At the event, have a friend take pictures of you and your piece or pieces. If the gallery has a Facebook page, and you've liked it, you can write its name in the post and Facebook will link your wall post to the gallery's wall as well. This is a great way to give credit where credit is due.
3. Weekly or Monthly Art Challenge
Join a weekly or monthly art challenge like Creative Catalyst's Paint Out monthly art challenge (sign up here: http://ccpvideos.com/page/paint-out) and post your images on your wall and in a gallery labeled, "Creative Catalyst Paint Out Art Challenge." Tag the pieces with Creative Catalyst Productions. Write about the goals you had for the piece.
4. Community College/Live Drawing Class/Online Class
If you are taking a class or go to a weekly drawing group, post what you're working on in a specific gallery. If you are a beginner, this is a great way to see your progress over the months. If you are a more advanced artist, write about what you were working on that night and how you feel you hit your missed your goals. That kind of writing can be very instructive to your students.
5. Feedback
Having trouble with a piece? Post it to Facebook and ask for feedback. Give guidelines for the type of feedback you'd like. For example, "I feel the color isn't balanced butI can't tell for the life of me where I went wrong. Color suggestions?"
6. Daily Painters
If you are a daily painter, Facebook is an excellent place to post your latest piece with a link back to your blog to learn more. If you aren't a daily painter, challenge yourself to do a daily piece and post it to Facebook.
7. Blog posts
If you are a blogger and write about your art and the art world, don't be afraid to plug your most recent post. Copy/paste the specific article url into a wall post and Facebook will create a link to your blog. Include a note in the wall post, for example, "Check out the value studies on my blog."
8. Creative Catalyst DVD inspired work
Challenge yourself to take one of the Creative Catalyst DVD workshops and create work from the lessons in the DVD. Post an image and some text about the experience directly to your wall, or create a blog post and post the direct link. (Don't forget to email Kelly@CCPVideos.com about it as well!)
None of these may be quite right for you, but the point is to create a content list. List what it is you do and what you create. Don't hold back. Make the list as detailed and include everything art related.
Once you have that initial list, take a step back and decide which of these reflects what you want to reflect as a professional. If you are selling your work, maybe you want to only show your best pieces. However, if you are very early in your art career and are still learning, you might be OK with posting disaster pieces. It's up to you.
Next, take that paired-down list and decide what images could go with each item. Some of these images you'll already naturally take and some of it you'll want to slowly train yourself to get. At first, it may feel awkward to ask a friend to take a picture of you with your artwork, but eventually it will become second nature, and you'll be happy you have it. And with all images including other people or work from third parties, make sure you have permission to both take and post the images.
Once you have a list, make goals for yourself as to what items and how often you'll post. Start with very manageable goals. For example, your goal might be to take 20 minutes every Monday evening to post your most recent piece and write a bit about it. Or take 30 minutes once a month to post your most recent entry into the Creative Catalyst Paint Out challenge. Both are fairly straight forward and an excellent place to start.
Remember, everyone will approach marketing a bit differently. I have my own approach, and it's what I write about here. If you're confused or scared, it's worth just starting somewhere. Start with my suggestions or start with someone else's. But then make sure you check back in with yourself to see what is and what isn't working. What works for your art buddies may or may not work for you. But don't be afraid to try. Just like with learning to paint, the more you do the more you'll learn about tools and techniques, and the quicker you'll find your own style in the world of art marketing.
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During watercolorist Judy Greenberg's 30 years teaching art, she has painted almost every subject. Greenberg isn't afraid to try new styles and see how her paintings evolve. Working in dominantly warms or cools (she chooses one for each painting) she finds inspiration in nature and the travels of her and her husband.
How did you become a watercolor artist? Have you always considered yourself an artist, or did it take time to be comfortable with that label? Have you always painted watercolor?
I have considered myself an artist ever since I can remember, doing match book contests and painting with John Nagy on the TV with a magnified screen. Whatever medium that was handy, from clay to paint to crayons, I was into it. I was an Art major in college and then taught art in the public schools. It wasn’t until my own children were in school that I took watercolor classes and was totally hooked.
You paint across subject matter. How do you decide what to paint on a given day? Do you work in series?
I have been teaching for 30 years, and I have explored every possible subject matter with my students. Sometimes I stay up nights coming up with lessons .jpg)
like light and shadow, reflections, fog, backlighting , design patterns, patterning, as well as different approaches to paint so that I may challenge them and at the same time challenge myself. As a teacher, I feel I have an obligation to research and explore all possibilities, like gels, resists, different applications, creative ideas. Therefore, my own work takes on many subjects.
Having lived and worked in California for 24 years, much of my work for the longest time was related to the wine country, where I was artist in residence for several wineries. I strongly believe working in series gives me the opportunity to explore and understand different approaches. My husband and I travel a good deal and I often paint from my experiences. I painted a series of glaciers after an Alaskan trip because they had the color depth and patterns that I needed to capture.
One long series was called my “junkyard series”. After a visit to a junkyard in Berkeley, Ca, while waiting for my husband, I photographed a hundred shots of broken windows, stacks of discarded tiles and sinks, etc. From these, I began many underpaintings that later turned into award-winning paintings.
Have you always painted in your current style? How long did it take you to develop a style that you felt was unique?
My work is still changing, evolving. The more I know, the more judgemental I am about my own work and the more new products I have to try. In the old .jpg)
days I was a purist. After studying with every artist I admired, among them Nick Reale, Robert E. Wood, Marilyn Hughey Phyllis, Christopher Schink, Kathryn Liu, Al Brouillette, I realized there was a big painting world out there with no restrictions as long as the design was flawless. My heart is with the abstract. What makes my style unique, I think, is my ability to find the abstract beneath every realistic subject. I am in love with the challenge of multiple layers, depth and weaving. Now I use gels, stamps, mixed media, stenciling and texture to achieve what I want. I’ve learned there is no right or wrong way as long as the finished product works. Most importantly, I’m still learning.
How do you approach a piece? Do you work with thumbnails or studies? How does your approach different between an abstract and a piece with figures? What is it that you think is important to capture or convey in a piece?
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Although many of my workshops are outdoors, they are far from plein air. My idea is to paint on a porch with a roof and hundreds of photos. I use 4x6” tracing paper to organize my drawings, taking parts of several photos that I’ve taken and overlapping them on paper to organize the shapes. Then when I am satisfied with the shapes I do a value study as well. Much of my work starts with nature, like bark, algae, plant material. Even turkey carcasses and intertwined rope have been the beginning of many paintings. Sometimes I introduce a figure over an existing abstract. Once the foundation is in place, the rest is easy. It is my goal to paint the whole painting at once. If a subject is evident, it will be influenced by its surroundings. There is nothing worse than painting an isolated subject and then putting in a background as an afterthought. I’m always looking for a mood and movement.
You write about art for publications such as Palette Magazine. How did you get into writing, and what has writing taught you about your work?
I have always liked to write, another form of art. Many of my paintings have poetry to go along. Being a teacher, I feel compelled to reiterate whatever I can to make my students understand, verbally and in writing, the basics of design. It also helps me to organize my thoughts more clearly. Titles are a special addition to a piece, done with much thought.
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Many of your pieces seem to be quite warm or quite cool. What is your approach to color? What draws you to work in one area of the color wheel? Have you always worked this way?
So, you noticed I’m stuck in the red zone. I like warm colors. I do, however, have a color of the month that I try. When I paint, I believe a painting should be dominantly warm or cool. Otherwise, an even mix will create mud or confusion. Lately, I have been working more with opaques and neutrals. I am trying to slap my hand when I go into Schminke transparent orange, but I can’t bring myself to remove it from my palette.
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How do you divide your time? What does a given day look like? Do you create focused schedules or do you see where the day takes you?
In a perfect world I would be painting every day. Now I paint mostly in the evenings. That’s when it’s quiet. Time goes by very quickly, and it is often after midnight when I first look at my watch. Unfortunately my day has too many hours on the computer, marketing my workshops, preparing, and organizing. Having just completed a term as president of the Georgia Watercolor Society, I now feel that I have much more time to paint. I seem to do best when I make goals for myself, like a solo exhibit.
You teach across the country. What advice do you give to students who want to push from beginning to intermediate or from intermediate to advanced? How do artists make those jumps between skill levels?
Most painters learn how to paint something to make it look real. When you understand why you paint what you do, you have accomplished a lot.
Approach your painting differently than you’ve ever done before.
Be prepared to paint beyond reporting what you see, but how it makes you feel. Paint every day if possible. Choose a master painter that you admire, like Picasso or Monet and paint one painting in his style. You will learn something. Study only with an artist whose work excites you. Approach your painting in a different way; paint over an underpainting, use large brushes, pour color. Change the viewpoint to a birds-eye view or enlarge a subject. Use a long,narrow format. Challenge yourself by doing multiple layers. Go out of your comfort zone and choose a subject meaningful to “you”
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You have been an art educator for over 25 years. Why is art important? What does art teach people beyond the tools and techniques of art?
An artist learns to see things differently, to appreciate the color, shapes, and beauty of the world around him or her. Above all, this knowledge becomes an integral part of self-expression. Art is the reflection of the soul, with personality and sincerity.
To learn more about Judy Greenberg and her art, visit her website.
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You may remember the name Sarkis Antikajian from an interview we did with the artist a few months ago at this blog. We're huge fans of this artists' work, and are excited that he's agreed to do some guest blogging for us here at the blog. Take it away Sarkis! .jpg)
While photorealism has a profound presence in representational art, is admired by the vast majority, and receives high acclaim in many juried shows, representational painting to me has its appeal only when a personal interpretation of the subject, rather than a detailed copy, is achieved.
Personal interpretation of a subject in painting has varied connotations for artists.The artist may achieve this by using invented color harmony that is more desirable than what is in the subject, introducing elements that do not exist in the subject but retain the intrinsic color, reducing the subject to geometric patterns, or drawing inspiration from the subject while opting for a new pattern and color harmony that have little correlation to the subject.
The hardest thing to do in interpreting rather than copying is to retain the character of a subject but portray a fresh and exciting personal expression. It is my choice of representational painting. It invites a certain exaggeration in color and form and retains that which defines the character of the subject.This is not easy to accomplish for any of us, beginners as well as the advanced, and it's not always achievable for we are attuned to the obvious and have difficulty veering from what we see that we are accustomed to and comfortable with.
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Alla Prima (meaning the completion of the painting in one session) is my favorite procedure and oil invariably is the medium of choice. In this method, when successful, the artist can come out with a fresh looking painting, vibrant nuance in color, and one that possesses a certain painterly quality unique to the oil medium. Alla Prima painting requires a keen focus and a decisive application of paint with every brush stroke. Short of that, the painting may lose its luster and one may quickly end up with a tired-looking grayed painting.
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To learn more about Sarkis Antikajian or to subscribe to his fantastic newsletter, visit his website.
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We here at Creative Catalyst Productions can't think of a better combination than mixed media artist Claudine Hellmuth and Fiskars. Fiskars chose Hellmuth along with 45 other artists to be featured as part of Fiskar's 45 Years of Orange Hand Handled Scissors Celebration.
See Hellmuth's interview and to learn more abou the celebration here.
Congratulatons Claudine Hellmuth!
Claudine Hellmuth has three collage and mixed media DVD workshops with Creative Catalyst Productions including Collage Textures & Techniques, MORE Collage Textures & Techniques, and Beeswax Collage.
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Note: Facebook is a huge topic for art marketing so I'm going to divide it into two articles. In the first article we'll talk about Facebook basics – what it is, and how to set up an account. In next week's article, I'll focus on creating content for art marketing through Facebook.
When I talk with artists about Facebook, two concerns come up almost immediately: time and privacy. This entire series has been about the tools you as an artist have for marketing your art. You'll naturally gravitate toward some more than others. As part of your art marketing strategy, you'll want to establish how much time you have to commit to art marketing. From that time pie, slice out how much you'll spend on each of your art marketing tools. I recommend you save a slice for Facebook.
When you're starting out on Facebook, expect to spend your time getting acquainted with the platform’s tools and practices. Facebook is a community with an established culture. It may feel scary to step into that culture. Think of it like showing up to a party where you only know a couple of people. You may want to walk up to a conversation and listen to what they're talking about and the way they’re talking before you chime in. Facebook’s culture works the same way. Sign up for an account, ask some people to be friends, and start getting a feel for the space and for how people communicate. Once you feel comfortable, try posting something.
On the privacy issue, each time we put information out on the web for art marketing it is accessible to both friends and strangers. Facebook is always changing its privacy rules, and it’s smart to stay up to date with those changes. A good rule of thumb is to never post any information you wouldn't post on a grocery store bulletin board. Never post important numbers or passwords. If you use common sense when you’re sharing information, there’s no need to fret about privacy.
Facebook is no more public than your blog or website. It's just more interactive. The great thing about getting on Facebook now is that you can control who sees what you post. If I want to post a message on my Facebook account, I can restrict which groups of people will see it. That feature provides much more privacy than a website or public blog.
When you sign up for Facebook, you are signing up to create a profile. Once you have a profile, you have a hyper interactive bulletin board at your disposal. This bulletin board is known as your wall. You can share photos, write notes to your friends, and even hang your favorite music posters to let people know what you like to listen to. Each person can post as much or as little as she wants. Sharing things can be a bit addictive, so remember how much of your pie you've allocated to Facebook, and manage your time accordingly.
If you're joining Facebook with the pure intent of marketing your art, you'll want to think through two options for your account. By signing up for Facebook, you get a Profile. But if you're using Facebook to market your art, you can either use your profile or create a page, which gives you a business identity on Facebook, as your main vehicle for marketing.
A profile is generally based on a person. If you use your profile to market your art, you’ll be interacting on Facebook as an individual. I, Kelly Powers, have a Profile. When I go out and comment on artist Barbara Nechis' profile wall, which I can do because Nechis has friended me, I comment as Kelly Powers. My name and profile picture appear on Barbara’s wall when I write to her. I can look at the galleries she has on her site. I can see the messages she's posted. When I’m using my profile, I can go out and interact with other profiles and with pages.
A page allows you to interact on Facebook as a business rather than an individual. A page is more static than a profile, and it centers on a brand. That brand may be a book, a movie, or even you and your art. A page allows you to create an official brand or business presence on Facebook, but pages restrict your ability to interact with other people. Creative Catalyst Productions has a Facebook page (Facebook.com/CCPVideos), and I use it to interact with Facebook users on behalf of the company. My profile has admin access to the Creative Catalyst Productions page, so I can interact with people on that page, but I must interact using the page, so my posts appear as Creative Catalyst, not as Kelly Powers. And I can only interact as Creative Catalyst Productions on the Creative Catalyst Facebook Page. I can't go over to Barbara Nechis' Facebook wall and comment as Creative Catalyst Productions. If I want to comment on Barbara Nechis' wall, I must comment as Kelly Powers.
Professional artists are living, breathing beings who operate small businesses, so choosing between a profile and a page for art marketing is not a clear-cut decision. Think about which would be best for you. I recommend that artists use their profiles as vehicles for their art marketing. Pages really limit how much you can interact with other profiles. If an artist wants to interact with someone who likes his page, he will still have to interact with that person through his profile. For this reason, I suggest keeping all your Facebook media in one place and forgoing a page.
Facebook isn't for everyone, but you should give it serious consideration before you decide it isn't for you. There are no rules that say you have to spend 100 hours a week posting to Facebook. There are no rules saying you have to give out private information or important security data. As a tool for art marketing, Facebook is exactly what you make of it. And it can be a pretty incredible tool. It's one of the rare opportunities you have for interacting with fans, buyers, and friends from all over the world. It's a place where you can inspire and be inspired by other artists and students from places you'd never be able to know otherwise. That is a pretty amazing resource.
Next week I will continue the Facebook discussion and talk about what kind of content you'll want to post on Facebook.
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Oil painter Kathy Cooper has been painting her entire life. What started as a passion for watercolor turned into a passion for oil. College taught her the importance of composition and design. Cooper worked in illustrating, marketing, and publishing until she had twins and realized she wanted to turn back to the fine art world. Her studies took many forms but it was through finding mentors that she admired and respected did her art really begin to flourish.
You paint from life. What do you think you get by painting from life as opposed to painting from a photograph?
A photograph limits information available to the human eye such as value and color range and form. Working from life will present the artist with the maximum amount of information. The artist must then choose what they want to relay in their painting, what is important and what is not. It can be quite a challenge when painting outdoors or florals as the lighting changes quickly and flowers move and then eventually wilt. One must learn to identify what information they need quickly. It is a skill to learn.
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What are you trying to do when you set up a scene for your florals? What aspects of setting up a scene are important? How long do you spend with a scene before beginning to paint?
I’m drawn to color, form, and different textures of subjects. I have a studio of dishes with gold trim, antique items and different metals such as copper and pewter. I start with the flowers, set them in an interesting presentation and search my studio for an item which will compliment the arrangement. Composition is most important to me when I arrange a still life. I like a “lead-in” and a strong area of interest. The softness of the flowers contrast the sharp edges of gold trim and highlights of glass. I’ve hit it right in fifteen minutes before, but I’ve also been known to fiddle with a set-up for an hour to get it just right. It all has to do with the way the eye travels with the subject for me.
You loved art as a child but worked many years in illustration, marketing and publishing. How did you make that transition back into the fine art world?
I’ve always painted. I had just not been in the business of fine art until I had twins. I was ready to make the switch at a time in my life when I was raising three little ones. I really just focused on my painting skills and researching the business of fine art (which is much different than graphic design) while being an at-home Mom. Getting involved with local art societies and then teaching locally was a good beginning. I then began showing regionally and eventually nationally.
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How long did it take for you to be comfortable calling yourself an artist? Do you think it's important for artists to identify as such?
I’ve always known it was my passion, there was no point I had to become comfortable with the idea. I think it’s more important for artists to realize painting is a learned skill lead by passion. I see students who have never painted before begin with an interest and once they see their accomplishments, they develop such a passion for painting. Their identity as an artist probably has more to do with their confidence than anything.
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What role have mentors played in your art career? How have you chosen who to study with and how have they affected your growth as an artist?
Studying with professional artists I respect and admire is my key. Two years in Craig Srebnik Atelier began my journey into the fine art field. Studying instructional books and Videos by the best of the best such as Richard Schmid and David Laffel has effected my work greatly. I still refer to their books often. Taking workshops by Master Impressionists such as Carolyn Anderson, Clayton J. Beck III, Scott L. Christensen, Kim English, Nancy Guzik, Calvin Liang, and C.W. Mundy is a continuous learning experience for me. I really enjoy seeing through their eyes, what inspires them and what their approach is. Collectively, information from all these masters helps me define the work I want. It keeps me on my toes.
How do you divide your time? How much time do you spend working on a piece? What does your average day look like?
I like large painting blocks of time, therefore, I usually choose certain days of the week for painting and certain days for promotion and records. There is no typical time for a painting. I paint until I have achieved my goal. The time for each painting is always different. It could be thirty minutes for a miniature or a full week for a larger work. I do usually “finish” the painting, and then live with it in my studio for awhile. I almost always go back to it to improve it here and there. Time tends to bring my attention to areas I could improve upon.
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What does your process look like? Does it change much between still life and landscapes? Do you do studies or jump straight into the paint?
Studies are always helpful, especially for landscapes. I will bring plein air works into the studio and paint larger works from them. I don’t typically do studies on florals in my studio. Probably since I like the values and colors I capture from life and really don’t like repainting them from a study. I think my process is typically the same, but some paintings are more refined than others. My thought process is always the same, composition, values, form, color and edges.
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You teach painting. Where do you see your students struggle in plein air? What advice would you give someone who is learning to paint landscapes and wants to paint plein air?
I love introducing plein air painting to students. They get so excited from the experience and it becomes another painting passion. I think the most typical struggle beginning plein air is choosing what to paint. There is so much information and so many options that it’s hard for them to choose. Once they paint outdoors often, they become more comfortable with choosing one or two of the many views. Capturing the light quickly may be another common struggle, especially for artists who are very detail oriented.
Speaking of your classes, what do your workshops focus on, and what is it that you want your students to walk away with?
I teach the fundamentals of art, composition, value, color, form and edges. If students walk away with realizing the importance of the idea, purpose and structure of the painting, I’ve done my job well. So many artists are in search of techniques when what they really need is to learn the fundamentals and to be confident enough to sneak up on the details, to learn to see value and color and to soften those edges. I believe this is why so many students have commented that they have learned more from me in one class than many with others. I love to see such fabulous progress from my students. It’s very rewarding.
To learn more about Kathy Cooper visit her website. While you're there check out her workshops page to learn about a three day plein air workshop in August and on-going classes September through June.
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As soon as one starts to paint, everyone hears that developing your own style is important. Paintings can be recognized as belonging to a certain artist from across the room because of their style. Galleries want artists that have a style that is evolved and can be repeated and the artist wants to be able to paint in a method that is both individual, distinguishable, and mature.
Now I'll give away the easy answer. Developing a style is as simple as picking up a brush and starting to paint. Everything that you do will affect how you paint including with whom you paint, with what type of paint you use, where you paint, your choice of subject, with whom you study and your personality. Your style is as individual as you are and will be modified as you move through your art career. You can't help but develop your own "mark making."
I have been accused of changing styles faster than I change my wardrobe and I actually agree. (I’ve been wearing the same jeans for the last 14 years, the same skirt for 20 and I can remember putting my well loved 20+ year old boots outside of someone’s door to an astonished comment) ... but I digress.
I don’t think that one develops a style consciously. It happens naturally with work. This also means that style will change over time. There will be threads that will continue throughout, but our experience changes and this will slowly creep into our work.
Throughout my art career, I have been attracted to bold colors, certain type of brush marks, patterns and my own sense of design. It hasn't mattered what subject matter or paint medium I have explored.
Quite suddenly and unexpectedly in 2006, I changed medium from watercolor to acrylic, so decided that I would experiment with a completely foreign subject matter … non objective abstract. I had a showing of these paintings in the local hospital and some time afterward a woman came up to me and said she had known immediately that these were my paintings! I was astonished. “How did you know?” I asked. She replied, “Your color choices are the same and it just felt like your work.”
Your style unfolds with each painting you do. What excited you about the painting you just finished will affect the one that you work on next. You will try and repeat this excitement in the next painting until something else intrigues you.
So the easy way to develop style is to find the time to paint, put in the hours, relax and let the style emerge. Don't worry about it.
I thought you might be interested in some of my style changes through imagery. I have not noted all of the changes as I wanted to keep this email somewhat brief! I've taken an older work and compared it to a newer one to highlight that the "style" is emerging, but also evident throughout.
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To learn more about Carolee Clark, check out her fantastic art blog and her guest blog article on what she does with paintings that don't sell here on the Creative Catalyst Productions blog.
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Selected Scenes From Our Catalog
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