Happy New Year!!!

Well, we're here in sunny Florida and right now I can hear fireworks going off all around us. There are many celebrations all around town tonite. We'll be staying in and ringing in the new year with some SLEEP! (Much needed sleep after our drive down!!)

I wanted to say thank you to all of you who came and painted with me this year. I wish I could put into words what a joy it is to teach these classes! Thank you all! I've attached a couple of photos from my last class of the year (Thank you Debi for taking them!!).

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I'm still around!!!!

Wow! How the time has been passing! I'm still kicking and just finished my last class of the here here in KY at Hobby Lobby. I had one of the students take some photos for me and I'll post them as soon as I get them from her. In the meantime, here's a couple more from a previous class. (Yes, that's me in the dorky lab coat. If I don't wear it, I'm covered in paint when I get home!!)

Everyone, I just want to say thank you for a great year in Kentucky and I'm looking forward to painting with some Florida folks next. My students make all of this worthwhile and you really mean the world to me. Happy Painting!!

Next class...

Here's the painting for the next class on November 19th. My lovely assistant...(otherwise known as my lovely daughter) will still be on her honeymoon, so hopefully things will go smoothly! I've still got a few openings, so just let me know if you want to sign up.

Also, great class on Saturday! Bummer that I didn't take any photos (again), but I may have had a few students who did. I'll see if I can get copies to post here. That was a different kind of mountain scene but you guys did awesome! Happy painting!

Work in Progress

Well, I know I haven't posted in a while...so busy! I wanted to thank everyone for another great class last week. I forgot to take photos again...was having too much fun I guess!! Anyway, thought I would post one of my paintings with some work in progress shots. I love this little teacup. It's so fancy!! LOL!

Happy Painting everyone!

Dramatic Seascape Class...

Great job everyone this week with Dramatic Sky Seascapes. Cecil B. Demille would be proud!!! Those skies were amazing! Thanks again and looking forward to the class on October 22nd!!!

Gesso...

I had a student ask me a very good question via email the other day. She said she went to clean the gesso off her brushes and the thinner didn't really clean it off. So, thought I would address this. When cleaning your brushes that you use to gesso, or prime your canvas, clean them with a brush cleaner or softsoap and water. If you're using acrylic gesso, you would clean those brushes just like you would acrylic or watercolor paint. I also recommend putting a bit of conditioner on your brush after cleaning. When you're using your Bob Ross brushes (with oil paint), clean them with clean thinner. There is a Bob Ross brush cleaner (see the photo) and I mostly only use it for the script liner brush...after I clean it with thinner. It's got a conditioner built into it. The problem with cleaning the brushes we use in class with water, is they can sort of "spread" out. It would be ok to clean the filbert and fan brushes with soap and water, but be sure to condition them afterwards. The 1 inch landscape and 2 inch blenders should really be cleaned with CLEAN thinner. As always, let me know if you have any questions! Happy Painting!!

Next painting for October 8th...

Rough week. I lost a dear friend and the funeral was this weekend. The highlight of my weekend was Saturday's class. I of course forgot to take photos! I had a great time and as usual you guys did some wonderful paintings.

Here's the painting for October the 8th. I love these simple seascapes with lots of color! Morning class is booked, but I've still got a couple openings in the afternoon class. As always I take a wait list, because I do get cancellations. I'm excited to work on this with everyone! Happy painting!

Here's the afternoon class from Sept 10th....

Congratulations again everyone!!! Wonderful work!

I'm so proud!!!!

You guys are awesome! What a great class Saturday! Here are some photos of the 10am class. I'll post photos from the 3pm class later this week. It looks like these were taken when we were about halfway done. Way to go everyone!!!

Saturday will be here in no time!!!

Well, here's the painting for this Saturday! Can't wait to see everyone and I hope you guys had a great Labor Day weekend!!

My working palette...

One thing I always try to tell students is to try to arrange your paints the same way each time you work. This is my (current) working palette. I always keep the blues up at the top, but I put ultramarine next to burnt umber before I head to the reds/pinks. Mainly because that's my favorite way to make gray. I then round the corner of greens, then yellows and white is always to the far right with radiant blue right above it. Why this way? Mainly because that's the way I've always done it. When I go to mix or use a color, it's right there. Being consistent saves time. Happy Painting!!!

Way to go everyone!

Well, we had a bunch of newbies and some of my regular veteran painters this class and everyone did a wonderful job! As I have said before, I'm not a fan of the Bob Ross Barns..(Bob I'm sure you're rolling over in your grave!!), however, I feel like everyone learned something about converting what we see into simpler shapes so you can paint your own buildings. Fantastic job and Happy Painting!!!

Barn Class...

Well, after those beautiful seascapes last class, it will be nice to relax a little and do this simple barn. Both classes are filled but as always, let me know if you want to be on the cancellation list. I feel so "country" when I paint this scene! (Though, I'm pretty "country" anyway! LOL!) Happy Painting!!!

A few more students at work from July 23rd...

Next class is this Saturday! Can't wait to work on that seascape with everyone!!!

Recuperating!

This photo is from the second (3pm) class on Saturday the 23rd. You guys did amazing...but you wore me out! I was exhausted when I got home as I'm sure many of you were. Closest to us in the photo is young Makayla and this was her first mountain painting. Isn't she doing amazing work?! Congrats to all who attended and next class is August 6th. Whew! That should give me just enough time to recover!! Happy painting!

Blue Ribbon...

This was my entry in the fair this year. I got a blue ribbon! (Wehoo!) To encourage more of my students to enter paintings at the local fair next year, I'm thinking about having a bit of a competition. Maybe something like you get a free or discounted class if you can beat me. There was not nearly enough competition this year and I would like to boost it up a bit. How cool would that be if one of my students beat me! I'm just mulling it around for now. Happy Painting!

Great class this past Saturday.....

Wonderful job everyone...and of course I didn't take photos again! I get to talking so much at the end of both classes I end up forgetting. We had some wonderful waterfalls leave the building that day and you should be very proud!!!

This is a photo of the next painting for July 23rd. It's a 16 x 20 inch size, so you'll need a bigger frame than normal if you've signed up.

Thanks everyone again for a great class and Happy Painting!!!

Preparing for Saturday...

Saturday is just around the corner and both classes are full!! If you're on the wait list and I have an opening, be looking for a call or email usually on Thursday or Friday. I've already started getting canvas prepped and can't wait to get painting with you!!

A few of you have been asking me to do one of the Bob Ross Barns. Well, here's my first attempt at this one, which may turn into a class. I'm not a huge fan of the Bob Ross Buildings as many of you know, but I want you guys to be able to paint these if you so wish. This barn looks more like the ones we have around here which is why I chose it. I need to work a few "bugs" out yet, but no too bad for the first attempt. Happy Painting everyone!!!

Mail Art!

Well, I just got some mail art via snail mail this week. Thank you Dave! That map envelope was very cool! Previously I had received one from Felicity but I didn't get to post it...so here it is! Love those balloon stamps too! How cool! I just mailed some out, so be on the lookout, those of you who do mail art with me! Happy Painting!
If you would like to check out Dave and Felicity's blog, here are the links:
Dave: www.clearerreflections.blogspot.com
Felicity: www.felicitylingle.blogspot.com

Happy Tuesday!!

Well, we had another great class on Saturday and once again, I didn't remember to get my camera out until most of you were gone! So Sorry! After 23 students, I was beat the next day! Crazy! Everyone fantastic job! The first photo I guess someone decided to take while I was helping Susan mix some paint and I see Christine admiring (or evaluating more likely!) her work. All I have to say about this one is....does my hair really look like that!!!! LOL! Ok, I got rained on that morning, so I guess it could have been worse! The next photo is part of the "Melton family painters" as I like to call them. The third is Judy and Donna, some newbies to my classes, though, you certainly can't tell it! Happy painting everyone!!! I'll be recuperating this week!

Class is just around the corner....

Everyone, just a reminder this Saturdays class is full in both sessions. Don't forget to get there a bit early so we can get started on time. I'm so excited to paint this seascape with you!!! Happy Painting!!!!

June 4th Paintings in class...

Ok, I know I should post this many photos all at once, but I finally remembered to bring my camera and take a few snapshots so I'm posting some that I took. I'm sure I'm missing some folks, but I can only get blogger to allow me 5 per post. Everyone, you did fantastic!! Why some of these are in focus and some are not, I'll never know. I'm sure it's me, not the camera! Happy Painting!!!

Showing off a student's painting...

I just have to show off Nancy's wonderful painting! In my class we all do the same painting, something from one of the Bob Ross books. However, the intention is that you will be able to use what you've learned to do some of your own work. This is an example of that. One of the students in my class, Nancy, did this painting of an area down around Crittenden Ky. Isn't it fantastic!!! Great job Nancy!!! I just had to show it off!!

Painting for June 4th

Saturday we had a fantastic class! Students, you did a great job!!! Here's the painting for June 4th. If I get time, I'll try to paint one with a cabin in it for anyone interested in adding the Bob Ross Cabin. After surviving the last two crazy weeks, it will be good to finally get back in the swing of things! Happy Painting!

Painting for May 21st...

Well folks, we're getting back in the saddle so to speak! Here's the painting for May 21st and it's full of many of the Bob Ross "goodies". I have a few openings left so don't forget to contact me if you want to sign up. Happy Painting!!!

Reflective Surfaces..

I know I don't talk a lot about reflective surfaces, mainly because we don't do anything that complicated in my Bob Ross classes. However I thought I would mention a couple of my little tips for getting them on the canvas. First, don't be intimidated! Just paint/draw what you see. On something that is highly reflective, you see it, colors and all. If you notice in progress photos, I blocked in the pear and the lemon right on the coffee pot even though they are not a dimensional part of the painting. Second, keep it simple. Students always want to immediately jump into complicated paintings right away. I use fruit because it adds a nice splash of color, and the coffee pot, has a nice smooth surface. Nothing too complex. Third, try using only one light source. Putting the light on the side of your still life, can add some drama and cast some really nice shadows. Painting can often times be about "seeing" in both still life and landscape work. Happy Painting!!

Mail Art!!!

It's so cool to get "random arts of kindness" in the mail don't you think? Dave, I am ready for spring and love that you have those custom stamps! Misty, great tree sketch! Thank you both!

To check out their blogs you can go to:

http://pen-thief.blogspot.com for Misty and For Dave: http://clearerreflections.blogspot.com

Happy Painting everyone!!