Demos, Demos and more...

Rose, 6x6" acrylic on Gessoboard  Click to bid

Demo city. I have been doing lots of demos. In January I was asked to write another book (to be published in fall 2013) and it will be comprised entirely of step-by-step painting demonstrations to illustrate various lessons. It has kept me very busy painting, but obviously, not blogging. I don't think the publisher would appreciate my posting the paintings before the book is published, so my daily blogging content is limited for this reason. 

Above is a rose demo painted during a recent workshop I taught. It was done on 6x6" panel, with a 2" brush. Students often don't see how it's possible to paint with such a large brush on such a small panel, until the actual demo. I do this as an example of an exercise that helps to loosen us up. As painters, we can tend towards tightening up over time, resulting in work that looks stiff and tired. Losing a bit of "control" can help get the painterly quality back in our work.

The workshop name is "How to Paint Fast, Loose and Bold". I will be teaching this in Cary, North Carolina, April 14 - 16.  If you want to expand your horizons further, join me in Tuscany for a full week of painting plein air July 17-24. I'm told that registrants before March 30 get a $125 discount.  Painting, wine, day trips, chocolate tasting parties... o la la!