I am back...

June was a pretty busy month .
Spent a few days painting en plein aire in the goldrush town of Murphys, about a two hour drive from here.
Son John was here from Wisconsin last week. Two of our grandkids had birthdays. Carter 24! and Hannah turned 11.
Three paintings were sold including  "Fishing on the Li River".
Today I delivered my "Autumn Harvest" painting to the Harvest Cafe in Morgan Hill.
So honored to have my piece on the postcard.
Ending the month with extremely hot weather. It really wipes me out.
Here is the invitation for the show. Wish you could all come to see it.

Autumn Harvest

My painting, Autumn Harvest, was chosen by the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society for postcard front and advertising for the Members Show to be held in Morgan Hill CA
June 29-July27
This is a watercolor with some added collage

Better late than never

Cleo

Value Viewer img

Value Viewer img

This is really embarrassing. So much time has passed without a comment from me.
What have I been doing? A lot it seems.
February: I will fill you in starting here.
IPad is working and some of our Tuesday Painters Group have become quite clever with them.
My fave app is Value Viewer . I use it to check values in preparation for the actual painting and again when I think it might be nearing completeion. Easy to take a quick snapshot with I Pad and move it to the app.
Did I tell you I did a demo for Fremont Art Association on various approaches to collage? From the use of handmade and rice papers(washi) combined with watercolor to torn paper collage, no paint, using material from quality magazines which I scrounge as the only mags I buy are Art publications.
Standing room only I am told. Son, Tom, did a video which I have not seen yet . Hope to have an excerpt for U TUBE soon.
This was followed by a 3day workshop in March. Lots of fun but tiring for this old bod.
Also held a Monday Drop in class for a few weeks. Worked well. Averaged 5 students per day. Nice size group. Am taking summer off and to consider how much more teaching I will do.
Still plan to do the cruise ship gig.
Visited the De Young Museum in Feb and again in March. Jack and I went to see "The Girl With the Pearl Earring" by Vermeer. felt like I had watched it being painted after seeing the movie. Also showing were amazing etchings by Rembrandt and others as weel as paintings by Rembrandt and other Dutch artists of the time. Think many of the old master works were painted by candle light which could explain the darkness of many. After all Holland would have short daylight hours .
Of course Rembrandt brought us his well known "triangle of light".
The second visit was to the Annual "Bouquets D'Art". My first time to see this. very worthwhile.
A pre picked group of florists were assigned to do an arrangement that represented a painting in the Museum's collection. Pretty spectacular!
Also saw the "Girl" again as a friend had an extra pass. Then Carol, who was driving took us to coast. Had drinks and deep fried calamari at the Windmill . Yum. Did not know there was a restaurant there.

Am going to stop here and post some photos, then get back later. Promise!

"Charlie" to be published!

Another exciting email this morning.
My collage "Charlie" will be published by North Light books in their upcoming book "INCITE:Dreams Realized. This is  to be a book of  mixed media work so should be really interesting.
Another first for me and I am delighted.
Now to get my watercolor "Horns Aplenty" off to Arizona and send in info for this new   venture. 2013 is off and running.

Collage Portrait

After seeing and enjoying a demo by artist, Derek Gores I was excited to try his technique. here is how I did it and the end result.

On a piece of Fome core 16"x 16" I drew a simple outline of a woman's profile using a Sharpie black ink pen. I then went looking for a couple of magazines with good quality paper. Found two in our clubhouse. Then the fun and mess began. Tearing and placing various pieces of paper, then gluing it down with acrylic gloss medium continued for a couple of days. The idea is to pick paper pieces using values (lights and Darks) and variations  as your guideline and creating an image of these. Now that it is done i have put one coat of gloss varnish over all. Here it is...Enjoy!

New Exhibit

Delivered seven pieces to the Firehouse Art Center in Pleasanton CA. They will be on display until October 9, 2012 on the Memorial Wall of the Pleasanton Art League.
I am delighted that the Pleasanton Art League will be holding their Annual Membership Show during this same period. I will also have a painting in this show.
An artists reception will be held on September 15 from 1-3pm. This will offer art lovers a great selection of artwork from around the area.
My paintings are a combination of watercolor and collage as well as watercolor on YUPO in the PAL SHOW.
I find that more and more I use a mixture of media to achieve my goals. A little like the way I cook. Always adding some variety.

Collage Workshop

Held over the weekend we had 12 participants. Everyone worked very hard to learn about design ,values and shapes with collage papers. Here is a pic of the "industry"

After the Creative Weekend

Had a great weekend at Kathleens. Saw old friends and met new ones. This is the third Creative Weekend she has sponsored . A wonderful retreat  that I do look forward to attending.
Worked on a collage (as several others were) that I started quite a while ago. The first step was to mend a torn corner with paper and collage the total page to bring it together.
Then turned to pastel for a day and did this small scene from Venice. This is a small piece 5"x7" on Pastelbord by Ampersand, a new surface for me. It has a moderately textured surface.
This weekend i will be teaching a collage workshop  at the Fremont Art Assn Gallery.

looking forwrad to a fun weekend.

Fall Update

I t  feels like summer but is November already. Soon to end i hear.
My sister Barbara is slowly recovering from a recent stroke. Pray she continues to improve.
I am heading to Kathleen' s Creative Weekend at her home in Sanger CA.
I am prepping for a collage workshop on Nov 13 and 14 which I will teach at the Fremont Art Association Gallery in old town Niles (north Fremont.
See my album of collage pieces.
Two of my paintings are in the mini showcase of plain air paintings at the same gallery. lake Elizabeth is a watercolor and View of the Lake is a small pastel.
In case you havent heard. "Well, Cock-A-Doodle Doo" took 1st place in Poultry Division at Circle Gallery in Madera, CA. and is showing there. This painting didnt make the cut at the County Fair. If at first yu dont succeed try harder. In the Spring it will be showing with other prize winners at Fresno State University.
WATCH for more info on my workshop in France next summer. Giverny to  the Dordogne.
You can go to info@rousset-perigord.org or contact me for more info.

New and old

The top image is called Downstream, a watercolor pointillist style.

"A Rocky Experience" was done, I thought , a couple years ago. After looking at it awhile I made some changes. Happier with it now.

Two more finished pieces

I have had this stack of paintings for several weeks and am determined to get them finished by September.
"Moonlit Melons" is a watercolor done in a pointalist manner. I think I could keep going on it for the rest of my life but will stop now.
"For Sale" is another watercolor /collage of an old building I spotted in the Dordogne area of France in 2008.

Hope you like them.

Vallejo Adobe

This is an old adobe building in Pleasanton, CA on Old Foothill RD. It is on the historic register.

Done in watercolor on site and collage added later in studio.

French Relic

Another with collage added to parts of a watercolor. This was an old building I saw while travelling in the south of France in 2008

Brommer Workshop

Spent 5 days at Gerald Brommer workshop in Pleasanton. Watercolor and collage.
Here are two of my  first day's small abstracts.
I need to do a little work on the rest before i post them.
One is cruciform design and other is a bridge.

Above is my favorite .

Impressions and Icons of Umbria

Working hard to put this event in motion, so pass the word along.
In July Kathleen Mattox and I will teach for 2 weeks in a delightful part of Italy..Umbria!!
Many of the towns we will visit are small(pop.) under 500. The people are charming and there is a new view around every corner.
This is a terrific value with all ground transportation, tuition, accommodation and most meals included.
Non painters will love it too and photo opportunities abound. Then there is the food, wine , markets and unique shops.
Go to laromita.org for more details.

a New Year has arrived

I have removed my slideshow for some editing. It is just a temporary absence.
Meantime in the middle of entertaining and fighting a virus I have completed and framed "Paradise Found', an abstracted watercolor started almost a year ago at the Rosicrucians Garden in San Jose. This is a full sheet watercolor, 22"x30' and will be in the Hidden Treasures / Local Talent show at Olive Hyde Gallery with its companion  piece, "Eastern Influence".
Also now in a frame is "Blue Iris" . What a difference a mat and frame makes! Really pulls it together. It is a very pleasing collage piece and will also be in the show at Olive Hyde Gallery. The award winning collage "Ancient Arches" and another collage "Rough Waters" will be there too.
Come enjoy the artwork and refreshments.
Reception coming up on January 8th 7pm-9pm.