Alla Prima workshop this Saturday

Upcoming workshop at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery: Painting the Still Life Lively

art-making and tools

Tools are an important, and personal, part of making art. Our attachment to them is so interesting-we all have our favourite brush, knife etc. Any time that I introduce a new tool as part of my process I will try to use it -and only it- in the initial stages of a  painting's unfolding. I want to not only push it, but I want it to guide me in order to explore new possibilities. This is emphasized in my classes but I am planning to introduce a new workshop that will focus entirely on tools in making art. stay tuned.

 November, Niagara Escarpment, oil on canvas, 20x30in, 2012, available

 Other than laying in an initial  thin under wash with a large house painting brush, the image above was rendered with one brush- a number 12 bright.

Unfortunately I was too impatient to put another coat of gesso on the canvas before starting. It's been sucking up the thin layers of paint so there will be a few areas to be touched up, but I will stay with the same brush size.

Cold wax workshop and hawthorn

* for current cold wax workshop dates and information, please visit my website.

Irish Hawthorn ... Crataegus monogyna .. Sceach Gheal

"Our native fairy tree. We have, sprinkled throughout our Irish myth and legend, many references to hawthorn and its connection with the fairy folk. 

To this very day, there are still farmers who plough a wide circle around lone hawthorn trees, avoiding all contact between tilling implement and root, for fear of offending the fairies that supposedly inhabit the tree. Now, I would be quick to dismiss all this as superstition but for the many tales of misfortune that befell farmers and contractors who took plough, digger or saw to a single hawthorn specimen.. ” James Kilkelly 

Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn 1), cold wax/oil on panel, 5x5in, 2012

Exploring the Surface: Painting with Cold Wax

There are openings for this Saturday's Workshop:

Encaustic painting is not always the most convenient way to work-especially if you have limited space or are travelling. Texture, depth, movement and fluidity can still be achieved via working with cold wax, oil paint and drawing materials. I will show you how to mix your own cold wax medium and share techniques and materials used for this versatile painting technique. Recommended for artists with some painting experience.

Saturday, June 9, 11am-3Pm

to register online via paypal or for more information please contact me.

janyatesart@gmail.com