Getting back to blogging about Art

It's been awhile since I have written. I have been keeping busy painting, honing my craft and showing my art. By the time I sit down to write I am at a loss for words, lol. Seriously I find it more difficult to write out my thoughts than to blurt them out. Hopefully for 2015 I can keep up on a regular basis. Did I just make a New Years resolution? Well you heard it here first!

I was recently interviewed for a featured artist piece on Inspired by Willow Wolfe and sponsored by Princeton Brush Co. so I thought I would share it here:

Preferred Medium:

Acrylics on Claybord

Favorite Tools?

My Favorite tool is whatever will give me the texture I want, crumbled up paper for bark texture, Hawthorne thorn for scratching in fur, makeup sponge for defusing background atmosphere and of course my favorite brushes. I have recently discovered the Series 6250—Umbria Synthetic brushes and I am loving them for acrylic painting. I have tried many types of brushes and I find that acrylics are tough on brushes but the Princeton Umbria brushes seem to hold up the best.

What would you call your style?

My style is naturalism. I have always looked toward nature as inspiration for my work. As an artist, I have found that when I am portraying the rich texture of a wolf’s coat or the glistening reflection in a bird’s eye, I feel at peace. As a teacher, it gives me immense pleasure to be able to guide my students so that they can emerge as artists and find their own inner solace as well.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a series of trees through the seasons. I enjoy the contrast of the White Birch against the deep blue sky in fall and I like to paint the Lonely Cypress tree against the ocean blue.

What is a favorite piece of art you created and why?

I did a series called "Life in the Serengeti" for and exhibition last year.

This African Bush Baby is one of my favorites. 

                                                                     This baby elephant was also one of the series.

                                                                                            

I also enjoy painting flowers and birds:

These paintings are all done in acrylics on Ampersand Claybord.

Who are your art heroes?

Oh the list is long but I will try to list my top 5 art heros: da Vinci because of his sketches, inventive mind and his vast body of work. Van Gogh for his color and moods that show thru in his artwork. O'Keefe for her compositions, colors and her representational work. Wyeth because of his illustrative qualities, mastery of light and shadow. Monet because of his ability to capture the ever changing light and the passing of seasons.

What qualities make your art distinctively you?

My experience and education in both Commercial Art and Fine Arts resonates in my style and in my ability to capture the fine details that make many of my pieces seem more like photographs than paintings. I am well-versed in painting botanicals and other organic forms, my recent work with wildlife is what has been getting the most exposure.

Where do you create?

I have a studio just outside my back door. It is a remodeled garage and I love it! I have lots of work surface and storage. When I am done working for the day I just turn off the lights and lock the door and I don't have to worry about messing up the house!


   

                                                                                   

                                                                       

When do you create?

I try to keep to a schedule of working in my studio from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm at least 4 days a week. I like the solitude during the day when everyone is off to work and I don't have as many interruptions or distractions.

Do you sketch or keep an idea journal?

I love sketching and most paintings start with a pencil sketch. Sometimes the sketch even becomes a finished pencil for framing. I keep all my sketches in a drawer unless I frame it. I have lots of journals with a few sketches in them but I am more prone to get a big sheet of drawing paper and go for a finished drawing. I do always travel with my sketch book just in case inspiration strikes.

What do you do when you hit a creative block?

When I run into a creative block I try to switch gears and start working on making jewelry (my other passion) or cleaning my studio, lol I will place the piece on which I am having a road block up on a shelf either in the studio or in the house and try to ignore it for awhile only glancing at it from time to time. When my mind is ready to take it on again I will put it back on the drawing board and start experimenting with different color schemes, if that was the problem (which usually is) or go back to the drawing reference in case it is about composition. Walking away from it is a safe way for me not to muck it up.

Do you have any special techniques you would like to share?

Techniques that I like are painting trees with a ripped up piece of computer paper crumpled up tightly and dab it into a little paint and stamp it onto the branch to simulate bark. Starting with the darker colors and then progress up to the lighter colors for the highlights.

Do you teach? What and why?

I teach acrylic painting in my studio here in Michigan and I also travel to different locations. I teach botanicals or birds mostly. As a teacher, it gives me immense pleasure to be able to guide my students so that they can emerge as artists and find their own inspiration. I have been teaching on location at our local Community Mental Health with disabled adults. This has been very rewarding for me and they are so appreciative. 

This is a class I taught off site of my studio

What do you listen to when you create?

I go to http://8tracks.com and find playlist without words mostly but then I also have a few marked favorite that are 70's music and also the Beatles. I don't like to be sidetracked by the lyrics as I am easily distracted. I also enjoy cello music and classical. When I find a song I like I save it to my playlist called "Background Music" then I can just play that list without searching for other songs. Other times I just enjoy the sounds of nature outside my studio and don't turn on any music.

What other things do you like to do creatively?

I enjoy cooking and entertaining, crocheting, photography and jewelry making. I like to travel to historic lighthouses and hear their stories, photograph them and just soak up the sounds and history that surrounds them.

Tell us about any commercial art endeavors:

I received a grant from the Art Council of Greater Lansing in 2013 and it allowed me to create a body of work for our local zoo. I painted 10 of their animals along with teaching painting classes on site. One of the paintings I did was of their lion "Dakota". My lion was chosen to be on a 47' x 17' billboard. It currently is on display in the Lansing area.

CREATIVE CREATURE ENCOUNTER.........

is a go at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan!  It is official - I got the grant I applied for back in January.   Thanks to the Arts Council of Greater Lansing for believing in me and my project.  There were 2 categories of grants; emerging artist and established artist.  I actually fall into a category of re-emerging artist but that wasn't a choice so after looking over my resume, publications and awards the director decided I would fit in the established artist category.

The day the letter came telling me of my award my grandson became ill and was rushed to the hospital.  It is with a heavy and broken heart that I tell of his passing.  I read the letter in his hospital room and one hour later he took his last breath!  I will continue on, for and because of Ethan, but this is going to be very hard as I have lost the love of my life!  Ethan would have loved to be at the zoo with me and all the kids around us.  His room was full of animals - stuffed and painted.

As I said before my project will be an Artist in Residence at the Potter Park Zoo.  I will be demonstrating acrylic painting techniques to the public during "Tourist in your own town" day on June 1st.  Then again on July 19th and August 17th.  I hope to encourage young and old (and those in between) to pick up a brush and apply paint to a canvas.  I will be providing paint, brushes and small canvases with help from the grant.  Just picking up a brush and applying paint to a canvas is a big step for some.  I will enjoy sharing the awesome feeling I get everytime I pick up my brushes to paint. It can be relaxing and/or therapeutic,  it can be an escape or an embrace.  You can tell stories with your art or just paint something because it is pretty or interesting.  I hope to help many take the first step to picking up a brush and putting paint on a canvas.  I hope it will be the beginning of many journeys for me and them!

              Made possible by:

TROPICAL BLUES

TROPICAL BLUES

Well a midst the construction of my work stations I have been trying to paint in a little corner of my studio.  I decided to recreate a painting that I had intended to keep for myself but in the heat of the moment I sold it.  Many things influence my paintings so it is almost impossible to re-create one exactly as before.  This week the weather was changing everyday along with my moods.  I heard birds outside my window at the beginning of the week just to find out we were going to have another "snow storm of the century" by midweek!  Well what we got was a "wintry mess" but not as much snow as promised.  This along with my caring for my grandson took it's toll on my moods.  I thought if I painted a tropical painting it would lift my mood. What started out as a light airy painting soon turned dark.  I struggled not to grey down my tropical colors. I like the contrasts with the vibrant oranges and yellow greens against the dark background but it is not as fresh as I had planned it to be.  I have learned to step away from my paintings when I get overwhelmed and I did that many times with this one.  At one point it had too much bright green (yes I said too much bright, lol) so I painted blues and purples on tissue paper and then tore it into shapes that fit between the leaves to see how the colors looked as a background.  This is a good way to try out background colors without mucking up the painting. When I finally liked the depth of color that the tissue paper added I started washing it onto the painting where need be. I also use my cell phone to take photos of the painting as I go along.  This helps me see the contrasts much like a reducing glass does.  Having struggled with the background I will say that the hummingbird and the blossom were enjoyable to paint! 

I have found some useful advise on acrylic painting from Michele Theberge at MicheleTheberge.com  I am still learning about all the mediums used in Acrylic Painting and she has some helpful advice in this video:

http://www.themindfulartist.com/2013/01/worst-mistake-acrylic-painters-make/  Check it out and let me know what you think.

 I can't wait to see blue skies and all the colors of my garden soon!

STUDIO RENOVATIONS CONTINUE

STUDIO BEFORE AND ALMOST AFTER.....

STUDIO RENOVATIONS CONTINUED..................

I am still in the process,with a lot of help from my Son-in-law Scott, of remolding an adjacent garage into my art studio. This will be my first studio outside of my home even though it is just 50 feet or so away. We basically started with the shell of a garage and built it up from floor to ceiling, I'm learning a new trade in the process. lol I now know how to drywall, mud, lay wood flooring and various other builder trades.  In the past my studio has always been in my basement along with the kilns. So far I have a kiln room/garden tool storage, art supplies storage room and art studio. We started this project about 2 years ago and the largest part of the renovation is done.  After about a year off to work on other projects Scott is doing the final phase of building my work station and cabinets.  We tried to find ready made cabinets that we could just put a counter top on but could not find any that fit the bill, so back to the drawing board and Scott will customize them to my specifications.  The counter top alone is going to be exciting but a challenge as we are using 140 year old barn wood to make it and then clear coat it with Verathane. I didn't want a total white out like so many studios and this will help bring in a little rustic flare.

This week he got the base cabinet done that will be part of my work station and it took me most of the week to prime and paint it including all the shelves.  I have moved my painting area to the back of the room on my patio table.  I was able to finish and start a new painting while I was waiting for the layers of white to dry.  I am sure it is going to get more and more difficult to get paintings done as the space gets more crowded with the construction but I plan on trying my best to keep painting.

ACRYLIC 6" x 6" POPPY ON CLAYBORD

We hope to get all the cabinetry done by the end of March so I can get busy with my new project at the Zoo.  I hope to have a  series of great animal portraits done by the end of summer or sooner.  I am already planning out my next series of paintings when I am done with the animals.  I feel like I have to make up for lost time! lol

Hope you all stay tuned for the next phase of my art studio and artistic work.

You can follow me on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/C.L.Tonning.Artist