The Black and White Art Event

These original paintings (and a few more that wouldn't load) were sold at the Spot Light Gallery's Black and White Art Event featuring members of the Mona Lisa Club, whose members are dedicated to promoting realism in art.

The turn out was overwhelming with over 350 signing the guest book for the two day event. Many thanks to the members of the Mona Lisa Club volunteers who were on hand to answer questions and give out information.

If you are interested in purchasing an original Black and White please visit www.laurawatmough.com and look under Galleries/Black and White.

The LEARNING ZONE

I am getting better at reading my "stats" about my website, and although painful, I am amazed at how we are connected to the world.
This week California citizens were the #1 visitors to my website! Closely followed by Alberta, Florida, BC and then Ontario. My only problem is that I would love for you to leave a comment on this blog! If you haven't figured it out email me at lwatmough@shaw.ca for some tips.

The one thing that I showcase on my website is the dramatic progress that Hidden Talent students make in only a few paintings. I certainly didn't reinvent the wheel, but am passing on the experience of much better artists than myself (as well as the experience that 20 years painting has given me).. It seems that there are easy and hard ways to do things like painting but the hardest thing is to get to the LEARNING stage.

One student just recently turned the corner and has opened her eyes with the intent of learning how to paint instead of having the' ego thing ' happen....you know...if this isn't good I'll look bad, what if my husband doesn't like it? What will the grandkids think? She has progressed more in the last month than in the last year. She is focused, because learning is what we humans do better than anything, and she doesn't get bent out of shape if something isn't quite right. The one thing about how I teach is that nothing is permanent...we can always fix/change it. This takes the pressure and the anxiety out of painting. It will be wonderful and you will LEARN a great deal! I think you might even live a bit longer!!!

DRAWING-now that's a learning curve! I had a great turn out last Sat. and am expecting another one this weekend. We will be learning how to place our objects and draw their envelope so to speak. I had a great drawing course from Bill Williams from California and he had suggested to practice just the envelope until you KNEW they were right. ( That may take a bit of time!)
What do you draw? From teaching so many students, I find that the fear of drawing is what holds us back from painting! I am thankful for the grid system, because it starts us on our way and prepares those of us that want to draw.

A book for the next step!!!

I have followed Alyson Stanfield for about 3 years, reading her blogs and enjoying her wisdom when it comes to the art world. She is THE marketing guru for emerging artists as well as a major information lady for all of us in the business of making art and learning the skills of marketing! I highly recommend her new book" I'd rather be in the studio"....The title says it all! A link to her book in on the right hand side panel.>>>
I will be sharing a few tips in later blogs!
Do YOU have a favorite Art book? Let me know, I would love to list them!

10 Steps to Finding your Style!

At some time or another, artists worry about their style...do they have one?, is it good?, what is it?

Art lovers KNOW that artists have a specific style, and they can usually pick out an artists work in a gallery. These are some tips to help you identify your strenghth and therefore your style!

1.Do I prefer to paint a certain subject-still life, people, animals?

2. Do I have favorite colors that I love to use in all my paintings?

3. Do I like a certain brush because of how the paint gets applied?

4. Have people recognized my art work without reading the tag?

5. Do I prefer dramatic subject or moody atmospheric ones?

6. What are my favorite combinations for light colors? for shadow colors?

7. Have I done enough paintings for my style to fully develop? Try many subjects to see what is your passion!

8. Have I visited galleries to see how other artists stay within their perceived style- do they paint a series/ their travels/ only heads?

9. Do I reserve time to paint, so holding a brush and applying paint becomes second nature-just like handwriting?

10. Is there Calligraphy in my art?-do I paint certain shapes in a unique way? Do I always include a personal element? Some artists put initials or a small flower etc. that are hidden in the painting and this becomes their unique selling point.

Nikki is 'horse crazy', and spends alot of her time riding and grooming. As a result...she paints ONLY horses...she paints what she knows, she paints her passion. Nikki is 14 years old...How wonderful to find you passion so young!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this time of year-Have you ever had this experience? I pulled into the drive through at Tim Horton's and that wonderful person (who must have ordered the whole office's lunch) paid for my coffee!It made the wait worth while and I still believe there are good people out there!

This is a great time to thanks all of you who have shown random acts of kindness-bringing rags, buying coffee, baking goodies, offering encouragment to the other students, and helping out at the school! Your kindness is greatly appreciated!

HERE IT IS:

www.incompetech.com by popular request, this is the web site you can down load your grids from!!! print them, then go have them copied onto transparencies!

Check the random acts of kindness section in the St. Albert Gazette!

Feb. ART challenge

With the recent plunge to -35 I. find myself reflecting about my recent visit to Cuba...ahhh warm sand, fruity drinks! To get into the spirit, I challenge you to a quick -paint. Here are two of the Cuba photos that I took...can you do a quick, ALA PRIMA ( done all at once) painting that captures the essence, not the detail of CUBA???

Just to make it interesting, lets try for a finish date of March 1st...remember, not alot of detail!!!Paint away!

February is a COLD Month!

I am desperately waiting for the Feb. thaw! Winter scenes are truely Canadian and I love to paint them! The challenge is to discover the color that is waiting in all that whiteness-oranges, magenta, cool teal blues!

This painting is from a trip to Terrace BC, where they get to -10 and have LOTS of snow! There are old growth forests and many rivers and streams to check out and of course paint. The original and Giclee are available. Contact me if you wish to see it in person!

While you are tucked safely inside to keep warm visit Jeff's website at http://www.jeffhayes.com/ . It is a great find-a realist painter who does a glorious job of painting everyday object....a reminder that all things are fair game when it comes to putting paint on canvas! A Painting-a -day is a very popular theme for painters. We get alot of paintings done and they are small and affordable for our collectors!

Speaking of small....The Mona Lisa Club will present a Black and White Art Event in April, Sat 12 and Sun 13 from 1:00-4:00. There will be a gallery filled with $100 8x10 painting, all black and white with a touch of color. This is a remarkable opportunity to buy originals that will go anywhere in your home. This will also introduce you to our methods of painting-we do a monochromatic underpainting, sometimes in black and white, then layer color overtop. You can have a sneak peek at www.laurawatmough.com under galleries/black and white.

Currently I have a pear still life on the go, as well as a large Iris painting that is in the gallery, ready for me to do more underpainting.....come by and see the progress! When you get cabin fever...the gallery is open and the coffee is on!

Art ideas for the New Year

The New Year is an exciting time for artists. Once your artists eyes have opened there are so many many things to capture and express on canvas!! If you have only done a few paintings or are ready to approach a gallery, the New Year is a blank canvas ready for our imagination.

I set goals within the first three weeks of Jan. and find much to my surprise,, many of them just happen to get done by the end of the year. I have three major areas that I work on, if I have too many I get bogged down. I am all for a balanced life a long as it is mostly art!!!

1. What paintings/juried exhibitions/events do I want to do.
2. What do I have to do to make this happen
3. What resources are needed-time frame, materials, marketing

The top two events for Hidden Talent are the Trade Fair held late March and our Mona Lisa Black and White held mid-April. I am also planning more glazing workshops for late spring.
Now is the time to look for images for next years Christmas cards. I tend to ignore this until I absolutely have to get one done. I am almost out of cards, so the pressure is on.....
What are your goals? Are they important to spell out? Do your New Years Resolutions usually happen? Leave a comment...maybe by just putting it down you can make it happen!

Art is CHOCOLATE for the Brain

Keep your brain fit and young with artistic pursuits!
Dr. Gene Cohen have studied our mature brain and found our brains are firing and working great when painting and doing other creative pursuits. The quick passing of time, the intense concentration and of course the fun, provide the ultimate workout for the grey matter.

Our regular painting workouts sprout new dendrites and seeking out new challenges is what keeps us sharp. This helps to prevent dementia!!!
Our brain develops a hunger for artistic activities as we age and these activities influence more connections between our two brain hemispheres or 'moving to all wheel drive'. Using our brain in a more synchronized way (using both sides of the brain at the same time) is like chocolate for the brain.
Great aging is linked to making art and we are in our 'creative age'. This researched landed the good doctor on the cover of Time Magazine. Well done!
When you have your chocolate, it boosts the immune system and ends up keeping the body healthy as well!
Just another great reason to come to class...see you there!

www.cbc.ca/thecurrent WEDNESDAY Nov.21 section 2

2007 Year End Thoughts

I would like to thank all the devoted and enthusiastic students that make up Hidden Talent Fine Art School.
It is such a joy to see your enthusiasm for painting, that bright smile when something 'clicks' and that wonderment as you stretch yourself further than you thought possible. The joy of learning, regardless if you paint for fun or for a gallery is the true reason to pick up a brush!
Thanks to you, the students, the reputation of our School is fantastic-friendly, supportive, encouraging. Thanks to all of you that make the atmosphere of the studio what it is and that brought snacks, tips and humour to our well regarded school. I appreciate all of you that have recommended the school to others. The joy of painting is greater when shared!

2008 will bring many events- We have our annual Trade Show the end of March, a great opportubity to showcase our talented students. The Black and White show will be held in April , and by request a GLAZING class in the spring.

The Emerging Artist Group is off to a great start. We are now up to 7 members and with unlimited lessons expect to see a huge jump in skill levels and inventory!

Do you have a special request? a good idea? some tips for me? just blog them to me! I'll get to them ASAP!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...I hope Santa fills your stocking with art supplies!
Laura

On Laura's Easle

I have a special blog on my art work at http://www.artbylaura.blogspot.com/ Have a peek at my finished 8x10...I just couldn't keep the color away from my black and white.

And MORE Black and White

Bonita has an exciting landscape from her holidays ready for the Black and White Show.

Looking for art in all the wrong places?

Try a back alley scene once the snow comes or an arrangement of Christmas ornaments. Remember that the ordinary things in your life make great art- plate of cookies or a basket full of sock, that Hawaiian Hula girl on your dashboard!

The wonder of art is to make the ordinary- extra ordinary!

Even more Black and Whites

Eric from the Young Rembrandts painted a striking butterfly to add to our collection for DaVinci's Birthday party. And so quickly...Eric, get your Mom to buy a few more canvases for Christmas and bring us some more!

A reminder...all the Black and White paintings will be shown in the Spot Light Gallery in April and will be for sale at the amazing price of $100 each.....

More Black and Whites

Look no further for inspiration! Ruth spent last weekend doing three watercolor entries into our Black and White Show. The flowers are fantastic and very rich...you don't even realize they are black and white. The big question is how did she get her background so dark? Ruth has also found an inexpensive frame to use in the show. Please ask me about it if you plan to do watercolors. We would like to keep the framework consistant.

All black and white paintings will be on sale for $100 at our opening in April.

Student Sucesses!

Congratulations! Marylou Olsen sold this painting at the St. Albert Painter's Guild art show to the City of St. Albert.

Congratulations! Melissa L'h was awarded a certificate, cash prize and ribbons from the Peace Hills International Aboriginal Art Contest! Melissa currently takes the 6-9 yr. old classes at Hidden Talent. Her painting is the Bear Spirit at the top.

Art Material Demo

Thanks Kim from Paint Spot - we learned so much about paint, brushes and varnishing! Lots of great door prizes and handouts! Visit Kim at her store on Whyte Ave. or High Street ( just off of 124st ).

Would you like to hang your art at her store??...she will have openings in Feb. and there will be a sign up sheet at the School.

An interesting comment-one of the watercolor students thought she wouldn't get to much out of our gallery talks during coffee break since most of us paint in oils. She was surprised at how much she has learned about composition and how it is effecting her choices for her next painting. During our breaks I am explaining Visual Fundamentals or as the English say a 'Foundation' course..

Want to know what the other students are up to???Be sure to visit http://www.laurawatmough.com/ for the latest student pictures and MORE balck and whites.

Is there anyone you know who might be interested in joining our school? Now is the time to have them register, before the Further Ed Brochure comes out in Dec.

Show and Tell

Who's painting at HTFAS? I have taken pictures of students working on their current masterpieces and invite you to send your 'Fan Club' to www.laurawatmough.com. If you know of anyone interested in starting art the Old Master's way, this is an easy way for them to find out what we are doing. Interested 'scared stiff and stick man drawers' are invited to drop in on a class.
There will be special drop in classes the first two weeks of December! Details to follow.

My New Toys

Every artist wants the ultimate carry all! We seem to collect alot of brushes, paints, tools and gizmos. With Christmas coming this might be the little hint you wish to pass on.

I managed to find this great storage box, complete with wheels at Costco for under $25. it has 47 pockets, at least and is very handy not only for travelling, but for organizing my reference photos, receipts, brushes, etc.

Do you have a favorite 'art toy'? Share your discovery and email me the details. I will post it for you!

Art Show Season

Thanks to all of you that attended the Urban Roots Show with the West Wind Artists. What a variety of art...we had over 80 pieces from contemporary to Realism. It certainly is a funky place to show at. We had a photo and a nice article in the St. Albert Gazette featuring the seven of us. It is open 12:00-4:00 most days.

October and November are filled with art show openings to attend. I enjoyed the Gallery Walk in Edmonton early this afternoon and visited with Cindy and Jim at Out of the Fire Studio on 124st st and Jasper Ave. I have a few pieces there (the rest are at Urban Roots and the Wood Gundy Show) and went to see how the turn out was....fantastic! If you didn't make it there this weekend be sure to drop by. Not only do they have great art, they also have beautiful glass pieces that would be perfect for Christmas giving.

We continue to get new artist joining us at Hidden Talent! Welcome to all of you and I know you will enjoy the atmosphere and great company that we have in the studio! The Winter 2008 Schedule is now ready and if you would like to reserve your place, please let me know. If you know of anyone interested in taking art lessons, please pass this info on and we can accommodate them before the Jan. rush!

Black and White Show Update

What a bunch of clever artists! We had cherries, portraits, shoes, animals, balloons, florals and a fountain! Many of us are inspired to do a few more minis after seeing how spectacular theses turned out!

We decided to postpone our Black and White show until April ( DaVinci's birthday) in order for new students to be able to participate and for the artists already participating to do more and larger (16x20) paintings. It will take a good number of small paintings to fill Spot Light Gallery. We want to make a big Splash, not a drip when we open the show. The same rules apply for the 16x20's.

When your paintings are done, bring them in to be photographed and put on the web site. You cans see some inspiring examples at http://www.laurawatmough.com/ under Galleries-Black and White