Deb Ward, GWS, OWS, PWS, WSI - WATERCOLOR/WATER MEDIA - My passion is teaching adult “beginners”. Weekly classes in my home; workshops; classes for Cincinnati Recreation Commission. My work is nationally recognized and published - see “Featured” on my sidebar. I’m a Signature Member of Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana state Watercolor Societies, Cincinnati Art Club, past-President of Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society. Contact info below under “Class Information”

Monday, March 29, 2010

CATTAILS

You can see the start of the cattails at the fluid acrylic workshop. This is on canvas and it’s not photographing very well – you can see too much canvas texture, but it’s the best I can do.
I began by taping off top of the cattail; then pouring some paint and letting it drip across the canvas, right over the reeds. In retrospect, I probably should have misketed them, since now I have to go darker to cover the water marks.
Anyway, I was happy with the water-y result in the background.
I then began painting in the cattail “puff”.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

DAISIES AND CERAMIC ORBS - 4 - FINISHED?????

Worked a bit more on the background, added shadow to bottom and right of left orb, bottom and right of right orb, reglazed yellow onto the flowers, added highlights to left orb in the gold area.
I think it’s done, am living with it a bit before signing my name.
Suggestions?
Ceramic Orbs and Daisies, 16x20, Fluid Acrylics on Ampersand Clayboard

Monday, March 22, 2010

FRAMED!

What can I say – it grew on me! – finished and framed!
Peony Fantasy , 20x30, Fluid Acrylics on illustration board

Along with Blue Pitcher and Pears on Lace , 16x20, Fluid Acrylics on watercolor board – shipped and on it’s way to Georgia!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

WIN SOME - LOSE MOST!

Recently I had entered a few national shows - got into Georgia, not the others. 
Disappointed? - a little.
Surprised? - not at all!
When I know I have a strong piece, I'll keep trying.
Having seen the art jurying process first hand, I know that it's possible my work was considered, that it came really close to getting in - but on that particular day - at that particular moment in time - with that particular judge - my painting was found lacking.
Some artists get really uptight if they don't get into the shows they enter, but - "Art" is so subjective - let's just say that I won't be papering my walls with any rejection notices!
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

BLOGS AND BLOGGERITES!

When I first heard the term “blog” it meant nothing to me. It was actually my husband who gave me an article about blogging. Well, I thought it was very “hokey”, just another crazy thing someone had dreamed up. Then I heard more people talking about “blogs” and I got a bit curious. So, as usual, I was not ahead of the pack but running like crazy to catch up to it!
When I started blogging I was afraid I wouldn’t have anything to say, so I made a list of some ideas, thinking I would have posts for a couple months. Now sometimes it seems I can’t shut up! This “social network” is a wonderful thing.
From my home in rural Indiana I can receive a critique about my painting from someone who lives across the country – or across the globe. I can give another blogger advice, or vice versa. With nothing more than a few key strokes and a click of my mouse I’m certain to find whatever I’m looking for - there is bound to be a blog about it!
We don’t have to be best friends, and in fact will probably never meet each other – although I have met a couple “bloggerites”!!! - but we can share our knowledge and thoughts with each other.
Thanks to those of you who read my posts, and a special thanks to those of you who have been so kind to respond to my posts and begin a dialogue with me.
In honor of my blogging friendships – from time to time ** - I’ll be doing some short posts to feature my blog roll members (in no particular order!) If you haven’t done so already, check out their blogs.
**  (TRANSLATION:  When I have no paintings to show because I've been busy doing other stuff that is no where near as much fun as painting but has to be done by me since I don't have a secretary, cook, housekeeper, butler or chauffeur to do it for me!!!)
 Rhonda Carpenter
I must begin with Rhonda!
Rhonda must be one of the queens of the Blog World! She blogs at Watercolors and Words almost every day and always has some tidbit of information to share. She is also not afraid to let us see her failures (few!)as well as her successes (many!) and allows us to constantly learn from her. She’s also a member of the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society  and was our recording secretary the past 3 years and helped with several of our shows the past few years. She’s got a bubbly personality and is a very upbeat and positive person! I'm proud to say I know her personally!
Gary Keimig
Gary is a wonderful landscape and western artist living in ‘Big, Wonderful Wyoming”. He gets such wonderful depth to his paintings in various mediums – oil, gouache, acrylic and watercolor. He also has been writing some very interesting posts about his area of the country, as well as his painting.
Gary is quite the adventurer and photographer too - at least he will be once again after his foot heals completely (you need to read his blog to find out what happened to him!).  
And, as if that blog isn't enough, visit his other blog Outdoor Adventures  – where he will post some great photos and talk about some of his outdoor western adventures.

Monday, March 15, 2010

CERAMIC ORBS AND DAISIES 3 - AND OTHER STUFF!

Seems that lately I haven’t had much time for myself to paint, or read, or anything! I’m going to try to rectify that, because I feel emotionally drained. Guess I’ve just over extended myself a little with the groups I belong to, and need to cut back.
I taught a class on Saturday at the local library – we only have 3 hours to get a completed painting – I felt sooooooo rushed, since we had to be out of the room early - and then I had to get my computer updated in the afternoon.
Sunday was laundry, light cleaning, catch up day since today I had to spend the morning at the Art Guild - we have to volunteer for 2 hours a month, so I took 4 hours today and then will be caught up for 2 months. (See what I mean about cutting back!)
I brought along my orbs painting to work on, and here is the progress I made.
Now here’s my self-critique: The background is too gray-ish, but I’m OK with the lace in front. Perhaps more blue or even brownish would be better than that dark gray. I also think the flowers need to be “yellowed” more – maybe a light glaze of quin. gold will do the trick.  Also need more shadow on bottom and side of left orb.   (Suggestions welcome).
After my stint in the gallery, it was on to pick up a side of beef we had purchased - we buy a half cow butchered which fills our freezer for several months!
So, let’s see, today I went from St. Leon through Dover, Guilford, Greendale, Lawrenceburg, Aurora, Elrod, Versailles, Osgood, Napoleon, Greensburg, Batesville, Morris, Penntown, Lawrenceville and back to St. Leon – for a total of 108 miles – and was out of the house from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. (Granted, some of these little “burgs” are a blink and a second, but still, you can see I did a bit of travelin’!)
And it’s only Monday!!!!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

CERAMIC ORBS WITH DAISIES - FLUID ACRYLIC WORKSHOP AT CINCINNATI ART CLUB


Slow but steady! I have added the blue lines to the orb on the right and the gold and brown lines to the orb on the left. The blue lines are flat painted, but the gold lines are raised on the actual orb and my goal is to make them look that way on the painting. I’ve also added a bit of color to the lace cloth.
And, as you can see, I decided to call t his "Ceramic Orbs With Daisies."

Saturday, March 6, 2010

CONTINUATION OF PAINTING - FLUID ACRYLIC WORKSHOP AT CINCINNATI ART CLUB

Been busy this week with some meetings, and lots of errands and am finally getting around to another post - so you won't have to look at that ugly mug any more!!!
Here is a continuation of one of the "starts" from last weeks' Fluid Acrylic workshop at the Cincinnati Art Club.
No name for this one yet, but you can see it small in the mirror as it began last weekend (below).
Here it is now.  I have worked more on the flowers and the balls and am - dare I say it - LOVING the white and blue ball.  If you know me, you know that I very rarely say this about a painting.  Of course, things could go south quickly, as we all know, but for now I'm very, very happy with it.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

FLUID ACRYLICS WORKSHOP - CINCINNATI ART CLUB

Finally, we were able to have the fluid acrylics workshop! You may recall that it had been scheduled for first weekend in February but we got snowed out with one of many snow storms. So, with snow in the forecast AGAIN, the workshop facilitator and I had been back and forth on the phone Friday coordinating all possibilities for the weekend.
On Saturday I woke up to my husband telling me that it had snowed during the night. (Insert your own expletive here!!!) But, turned out it was just a “light dusting” so, after one more call to check the weather report in Cincinnati, off I went – loaded for bear!!! (And, just for more winter fun – I awoke Sunday to ice on the roads here in the country – which, fortunately, turned into “just wet” the further I drove into the city. As the forecasters would say – “we dodged a bullet”).
The two days went quickly for me, and I had a ball! I already knew 2 of the participants, and others in the group knew each other, so we all quickly became a congenial group. We laughed, we learned, we ate Panera Bread bagels with cream cheese - and we even did some painting!
There were both oil and watercolor painters in the group and they were all very curious about the fluid acrylics. By Sunday afternoon they had learned several techniques to incorporate into their paintings.
All in all, a very pleasant way to spend a weekend – art, food, fun and friends!
If you are interested in an unbiased opinion (!!!) about the workshop, Gaylynn  has put up one post on her blog about the workshop and will no doubt post more when she gets her computer up and running.
These two photos were taken into the mirror and you can see the demo paintings. These are some good starts that I’ll be finishing up and posting.
Below is none other than “yours truly”. Wow, there is a reason I hate to have my photo taken! For some reason my hair refused to cooperate either day – isn’t that always the way! I’m blaming it on the weather!
Here are the fine folks who braved the elements to come and learn.