Monday, May 31, 2010

Finishing Up Where I Left Off...


Now that I'm home and coming out of a fog, I wanted to finish up where I left off which was Thursday at the workshop. By Friday, time seemed to speed up so much faster than the earlier part of the week - the day you try to shove in as much as you can, get to the places you missed. In New York City, there just isn't enough time in the day to get it all done - not even in a week.

So let me rewind ..... going back to Thursday. We had a longer studio day, planned perfectly because the clouds had moved in and we were ready to hole up and paint, especially after spending the past afternoons out in the city photographing in the sunshine.

I didn't have a planned demo that morning - what happened was one of the artists had worked on a piece Wednesday and by Thursday morning she wasn't pleased with the painting, asked me if she should wipe it and start over. That's a question we all ask ourselves at some point and it's really just a gut feeling if you should keep on or not. My gut said to keep on, and the demo was that I (reluctantly) took over and showed how you can sometimes repair what's not quite right. The photograph she used as her reference was fabulous to begin with - so I was pretty sure it was well worth a try - and I give her a lot of the credit, for that and the ground work she provided, which, with some minor changes, made for a nice painting in the end.


sold

Friday was our last day together, we still were all very eager to keep painting - here is the demo I painted that morning, an example of how to enjoy a more quick, spontaneous session, not fussing over the unneeded details of a scene.


sold

Also realizing I did not include Monday's demo, because I hadn't been able to get a good image for you to see - I waited until I got back home and got a much better shot in my own lighting, as well as the others you see above. I brought all the demos home with me, feeling sure I could touch them up if the paint smeared, varnish them and get them back to their rightful owners, safe and sound. Here is the Monday demo .....


sold


The only regrets I have, now that the workshop is over, is I didn't get the chance to photograph everyone's finished paintings - and I didn't get a group photo of all of us. Next time, I'll be sure to do that. Other than that, I think it was a great experience for all of us - my right-hand man, Vince Fazio, was extremely helpful and vital to the great flow of the week and I'm happy to know he'll be assisting in the same manner with the upcoming workshops, both in Hilton Head and New York next May.

As I was driving home Saturday, I almost wished I could do it all over again. Great group of artists, all very talented, warm and fun to paint with. Thanks to all who spent the week with me, I am grateful for the experience. This last camera shot was on the highway north of Asheville, North Carolina - a breathtaking, scenic drive - seemingly a million miles away from the frantic world that I left that morning.




12 comments:

  1. Your work just leaves me speechless. The lighting, brushwork and colors make for incredible interest. Can't wait until Hilton Head in November.

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  2. All three paintings are just fantastic! You are so good at knowing what is important to leave in a painting and what to leave out. The light and shadows are rendered beautifully, as well as the gestures of the figures. Always a treat to see what you've done!

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  3. Karin,
    Thanks again for such a fabulous workshop. I learned sooo much.

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  4. I have never been to your blog before but follow about 8 blogs closely...now and then I like to branch out and see what other mediums are doing (I am primarily watercolor and acrylic. I very much like your figures and your style of painting. I can seeing from reading your blog that you are very professional and not just a hobby painting like many of us. Yet you take the time to blog about your work and share. I realize you do not want me to put my blog address into this post but I'd enjoy having you visit mine someday too. You can just google my name. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  5. Stunning pieces, all three of them. I love the way you paint light! Could you tell me how big the canvases were please?
    This workshop sounds great! I wish I had been able to attend it!

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  6. Just the little I saw of their work through your photos, I have to agree, Karin. You had a very talented group and I am sure they had a fabulous time.

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  7. What kind of camera do you use? The photo you took from your car is amazing.

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  8. The picture of the highway was taken from my iPhone.

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  9. Karin! I'm adjusting to not having you by my side :( What an amazing week with you! WOW you have changed me forever and I thank you sooo much! I hope to head over to Hilton Head if my schedule permits. Please keep in touch and thank you for sharing so much! ♥

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  10. You said you brought the demos home, and I am curious, how do you travel with wet paintings?

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  11. Being that I drove, it's a little easier to travel with wet paintings. They were encased in cardboard - but there are carriers for panels,someone at the workshop had one - so that's an excellent solution.

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  12. No wonder they're all sold they're all fantastic, each one in it's own unique way

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