Art supply order!

After a self-imposed hiatus of nearly two years, I splurged and ordered a BUNCH of new art supplies.

As a pastel painter, I always want to try another brand to see how I like them and if their colors will be the resplendent glories I imagine. The problem is I probably will like them and then I'll simply need EVERY color in the line. Since I began pastel painting in earnest, I dreamed of the day when I'll order the complete set of some brand of my choosing. What a day that will be!

Diane Townsend's Soft Form Landscape sets A and B were my selection this order. They are beautiful and the sticks handle well on the Pastelbord I have and the Hahnemuhle velour paper. Lovely. If there's any negative it's the selection in these sets - a LOT of muddy warm greens that I seem to have too many of in my general pastel collection. If you're looking for a go-to set to bring with you on a plein air painting outing, this would not be my set. Instead I'd bring the Sennelier plein air 80 half stick set. The colors are perfect.

At a workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson, she mentioned that she uses Cretacolor hard pastels rather than Nupastels. I figured I'd give them a shot and so far so good. The color assortment is just beautiful!

Since the pastels arrived I've been squeezing in painting time. So far so good. Love getting new supplies. What a treat it is!

Blue Boat

Lately I've overheard conversations about marsh paintings and how everyone does them. Ah, yes, they're a popular landscape subject. This past weekend I was in an art show -- of course, showing some marshes. Perhaps I was thinking of this when I started recently taking on new subjects! The past month, after taking a workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson which focused on painting water, I found myself drawn to references I had been keeping at bay for someday in the future.

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
BLUE BOAT
original pastel, 16x8"

Seems that that some day is now. This boat pastel and three others in this vein are now resting on my dining room chair rail for my critique. It's nice to sit with a piece for a spell and examine it at odd times. I'm learning so much with each study.

This piece sold right after I put it on my Kim Morin Weineck's Art Facebook Page. If you're interested in a piece, please always feel free to message or email. I'll be in touch ASAP!

Thanks for reading -kmw

Continuing Education :: My 2nd Workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson

The Foxboro Art Association hosted a workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Studio East, Walpole. 

Deb Quinn-Munson begins with an oil underpainting on
Wallis (or UART -- can't remember which) paper

Having attended last year's workshop, I was excited that Deb was invited back to lead a class focusing specifically on techniques for painting water.

Deb had great information to share about water like this quote by Don Demers: " Study the water until you understand what it looks like, then paint how it feels." It's fun to think about things like that.

Deb develops her watercolor underpainting
This was a new thing for me. I had no idea you could use watercolor
paper for a pastel painting. The heavy paper  grabs the pastel well,
even without a sanded ground. Learn something new every day!

Deb also discussed her "80/20 Guide" with us, asking us to consider this 80/20 ratio when making decisions regarding composition, shape, value, color, line, texture, and rhythm.

We have so much to think of when making good paintings. Often this is done intuitively, but Deb's insight encourages artists to slow down and consider the options for deliberate choices -- a smart thing to do, and one I certainly don't do enough.

The painting with the introduction of pastel shows lovely sparkle.

A few things Deb said have that continue to sit in my head:

*What will make someone walk across a room to see the painting? Of course you should choose the options that would do that!

*Think about elements in your painting playing specific roles. What is the lead? What is supporting the lead? Have these firmly decided and make marks/decisions that assist the roles.

Pastel painting by Deb Quinn-Munson -- what shimmer! 

As important as composition is, Deb mentioned that composition doesn't get credit for its role in good paintings. No one really says, "Wow! What composition in that painting!" The glory usually goes to color.

Workshop in full swing with everyone painting!

She encouraged us to be deliberate with our marks and to make bold, decisive paintings:
"You only get to hit it once -- maybe twice. That's it."

Here's the start to my painting. I was trying to be
deliberate and ended up a bit tortured at this stage. 

Right now my painting is leaning on my dining room chair rail so I can take it in at odd times of the day. I want to sit with it a bit more. When I'm content with it, I'll post it here on this blog.

Deb Quinn-Munson and I at the end of a great day

The day ended all too soon with creative juices flowing! Perhaps Deb will be invited yet again to instruct another aspect of pastel painting. I know I'd be signing up for it.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

An award-winning piece

My painting, Sunlit Hay, was accepted in the national juried show, For Pastels Only, sponsored by the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod. I'm honored to be a signature member of this pastel society. 

©2012 Kim Morin Weineck
SUNLIT HAY 
original pastel, 16x12" framed 

 When I arrived at the show I found this below my painting:

How exciting! My painting was awarded the Pastel Journal/Ampersand Art Supplies award. 

Do you know what this means? A bunch of wonderful pastelbords from Ampersand. I can't wait to get painting on all of them! A year's subscription to Pastel Journal was part of the award, too. It's a favorite artist publication of mine, so it's pretty perfect. 

Continuing with the good news, there is a small dot on the tag of my piece.

  

It sold!
It was such fun to have this recognition at this wonderful show featuring so many talented artists' work.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Continuing education :: pastel workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson

Last weekend I took a workshop organized by the Foxboro Art Association which featured Deb Quinn-Munson. The focus was on underpainting options for pastels and Deb demonstrated with an oil underpainting - something I had never tried and now just LOVE to do!

My new pastel box filled with all my pastels.
Can you tell I'm a landscape painter?
Look at all the blues and greens!

Deb's workshop and this jolt of warm weather was just the shot in the arm I needed to get my creative house in order. 

Here Deb Quinn-Munson is demonstrating underpainting with oils. Gorgeous effects!

For my birthday, I decided this Heilman backpack box was just the thing I needed to organize all my pastel sticks. It came in yesterday and was filled immediately. Today I can't wait to use it!

You can tell I like my pastels all organized like this.
Here they are in the dining room just so I could look at them. 

Here is the pastel I completed during the workshop. There are particular passages I thought were successful. 

My pastel from the workshop.
My first pastel (and not my last) with an oil underpainting!

Throughout the workshop, Deb offered numerous adages about painting. My favorite, by far, was this:

Color gets all the glory. Value does all the work. My artist friends will attest that it's so true. 

Thanks for reading!
~kmw