Professional Development:

I haven't attended any classes or workshops since graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2008.  There have been a number of such things offered in and around Kansas City in that time, but I have little interest in painting en plein aire, or still life, or alla prima...and most, if not all, of the recent locally-offered workshops which most, if not all, of local workshops seem to cater to these genres.  

So, when I saw a friend's post yesterday on FaceBook that a second two-day figure painting workshop had been added (since the first workshop sold out in one day), I didn't hesitate to sign up.

I'm really looking forward to this; I think it's going to help tremendously with the work I really hope to do, soon: larger, figurative (including multi-figure paintings) from (primarily) imagination.

Anyway, I'm done with shows for a while, and plan to finish the four or five pieces I'm working on now, then start working on some new drawings, in preparation for attending this workshop in September:

http://www.tinagarrett.com/shop/2-day-figure-painting-workshop-with-romel-de-la-torre

I had a nice three-day weekend, and I spent quite a bit of time in the studio.  I am working on a new painting in the "Invented Faces" series, and I finished the small spider painting (even though it was exhibited in the show on the Eleventh, I didn't feel like it was quite "finished", so I kept at it.  I wanted it to be "right")

I mixed up another batch of Gamblin's "Traditional Gesso" Saturday night, and tonight I (finally) applied a couple coats to a couple of panels (after the initial three coats of Liquitex "gesso" (acrylic-based materials aren't really "gesso", but they are a sealer and primer--which gesso is, as well--so the term stuck.).

--the photo shows the double-boiler with the "Traditional Gesso" mixture...

Im going to try something with these next few panels; the panels I've made up to now, I've been able to achieve a very smooth surface, but the "Traditional Gesso" is incredibly absorbent; in some cases, the first layers of oil paints applied to the surface have dried as fast as acrylics!

Not all all what I want.

So, to these next three panels, I'm going to apply a thin coat of linseed oil, hoping that it will be absorbed, and saturate the layer of gesso, hopefully blocking the oil paint from being as readily absorbed.

I guess I'll find out when the painting commences on these panels in a few weeks; I still have to make the drawings for these paintings, before it can actually start painting.

But, it feels good to have some new panels prepared and ready to go...

My next show!

Well, my friend Sherri Acosta was invited to show some of her work at a local pub, and asked me to join her.  So, we will both be exhibiting our work, one night only, at:

Friday 11 April

5 to 9 PM

At:
Conroy's Public House
5285 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, Kansas

Any of you in the area, please drop by!

Conroy's is a great place, with awesome food, and an expansive selection of drinks!