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

GETTING BACK ONTO THE ART SCENE

Giraffe on 9" x 12" Clayboard

GETTING BACK ONTO THE ART SCENE

I have been busy since the first of the year trying to do some self promotion at the encouragement of my friends and family.  First off I applied for an artist grant to help me re-emerge onto the art scene.  I have been out of the loop for a few years while taking care of my disabled grandson and although I still help care for Ethan every day, it has become easier for me to integrate time to paint into my weekly schedule.  I have found that painting with acrylics allows me flexibility to work on a piece in short sittings, yet still enjoy the therapeutic benefits of simply picking up a brush and creating art. I am also eager to make new connections and colleagues in the greater Lansing area.  My proposed project for the grant is to be the first "Artist in Residence" for the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, MI.  I will be painting, demonstrating and teaching wildlife art in the midst of Wildlife!  I am super excited about this because through this project I will have the opportunity to paint my favorite subjects more accurately as I will be able to observe them live and up-close, capturing their essence, characteristics and personality.  I will also have more ownership of the creative process through this project  because I will have access to take my own photographs, make sketches, and even record video of the animal so that I will have exactly the reference material that I need to create the best finished pieces.    

The most engaging portion of my project will be the public demonstrations that will be accessible to anyone who visits the zoo while I am there painting.  I have found that nature is often the subject that new artists, both young and old, are drawn to. Painting at the zoo seems a perfect way to engage people and ignite their creative spirit.  While demonstrating, I will have an assortment of blank canvas boards, brushes and paints available for anyone who wishes to try their hand at painting. I know from experience that it can be intimidating to try something new, but my hope is that individuals will feel comfortable joining in even if they may not feel confident in their artistic abilities, they will be intrigued and inspired by the live animals, and will want to learn how to capture them through painting.

  I plan to kick-off my series as a demonstrator at Potter Park Zoo during  their annual International Migratory Bird Day Celebration on June 1^st.  Throughout the summer I will demonstrate and hold acrylic painting classes at the zoo.  My project will culminate with an exhibition of my 10 completed pieces that will be held in the zoo’s Safari Room on September 15th.  The Potter Park Zoo has been very generous in offering to help me procure this grant by offering the space for my classes and waving my numerous admissions to the zoo as an in-kind donation.  

I will try to keep a journal of my progress over the summer months and share it here.  You can also follow my zoo adventures on my facebook page www.facebook.com/C.L.Tonning.Artist  I look forward to meeting new artists and making new friends through this project, and of course all the cool animals I get to paint!

GETTING BACK INTO MY STUDIO

It has been awhile since last I wrote.   I have been trying to get back into the studio and work on my paintings as much as possible.  Last spring I was in a car accident and did serious damage to my right shoulder.  The recovery is a very long and slow process but thank God it was my right shoulder  because I am left handed.  With all the pain, meds and surgery, the summer was a bust for getting any paintings done.  Having said that I am now on a mission to get caught up on my paintings.  I have decided to concentrate on painting animals and nature. 

I just finished these two paintings of a tiger cub and lion that live at our local zoo.  Painting fur is always a challenge.  I was a hairdresser in another life so sometimes I feel I get a little carried away with their Do's, lol.  I used a "0" Script Liner for the longer hairs and a 10/0 Spotter brush for the short hairs.  With animals I find you have to not only pay attention to the direction of the hair growth but the texture of the hair as well.

When I originally switched over to Acrylic Painting from Porcelain Art I struggled with keeping the paints moist.  Porcelain paints are mixed with oil and stay wet until fired in the kiln.  At the beginning I used a Stay-Wet Pallet.  I no longer use this for two reasons:  1) Too big and cumbersome  2) Mold started growing after about a week.  I have tried various pallet systems including a sheet of glass but the one I like best is an inexpensive one from the craft store called "Peel-Off Pallet".  It is a flat rectangle with a dividing line across the top for paint and then a large flat area which is divided in half for mixing and blending colors.  When the paints eventually dry on it they can be peeled off.  I cover it with Glad Press and Seal when I have to step away from the studio for awhile.  I also keep a water bottle with a fine misting nozzle close by.  While I am working on a painting I mist my paints every 10 to 15 minutes.  This keeps them moist and prevents a skin from forming on top.

I have also decided to use Liquitex Paints exclusively.  I like their colors, tube shape (caps are easier to handle if you have arthritis as I do) and the body of their paints.  I have only used their glazing medium and flow agents so I am not an expert on their mediums.  I don't get much time to experiment so I usually just get right to painting when I get time in the studio.

In the last couple of months I have been getting set up to teach in my studio. I held my first acrylic class here last month and hope to have more after the first of the year.  Message me at: cltonning@gmail.com if you are interested in classes or if you just have questions about painting. You can see more of my work at my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/C.L.Tonning.Artist?ref=hl

DESIGNS, COMPOSITION & WORKING FROM PHOTOS

As I think back to my very first art experience I remember sitting with my dad and watching him sketch, paint or carve various art projects.  In the short 8 years I had with him one of my fondest memories is of him teaching me how to draw a tree.  I think that is why to this day I enjoy working up my ideas in pencil first. When working from a photo I like to make a black & white copy of it.  This helps me see the subtle transitions between the lights and darks and their shapes.  Black and white photos flatten out the image more to show us the shapes of the shadows and spaces around and on the subject.

CARDINAL ON AN APPLE TREE BRANCH

My daughter Katie is Program Director for Fenner Nature Center in Lansing so I have access to great nature photos of plants and wildlife.  This piece was painted for the silent auction last year at the Fenner Apple Butter Fest.  In the spirit of this I created this painting of a cardinal on an apple branch.  This is my own composition.  When I sat down to compose this I thought about my negative space and creating a path for the viewer to follow through the piece.  If a branch catches your eye and leads you off the canvas then there should be something to pull your eye back onto the piece and help your eye travel through and around the composition.  I did this with the position of the branches, leaves and even the shadow apples.

I used an analogous color scheme on the painting.  I wanted it to feel warm and vibrant like a fall afternoon.  Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel.  I used the Cardinal and the apples as my main color and then built my scheme around that. I always have my color wheel close at hand.

Please feel free to comment or contact me if you have any questions or just want to share.  Have a great painting experience!

An Artist's Birthright

Welcome to my blog.  As my first post, I would like to tell you a little bit about me and my “Art Birthright”.
I was born to creative parents in December of 1952.  My father was an artist all of his life and my mother was a talented seamstress.  I did not have a relationship with store bought clothes until I was living on my own. Both of my parents shared their talents with me, but unfortunately I hate sewing!  I did learn to sew and I can make alterations, but I avoid it as much as possible.

My father, Bernard James Tonning, was chief designer for American Seating Company until his untimely death in 1961 at the age of 42.  Even though I was only 8 years old when he passed away, I have never forgotten his easy manner, his kind heart and his laugh.  I treasure my memories of the art lessons on a Sunday afternoon, as he always had projects for us at the kitchen table.  It might be building models, painting pictures, drawing, or singing by the piano while he played.  He was an extraordinary person, as is my mother, who is still with us and going strong at 83 years young.  Even though his time with us was short, his influence was strong, passing many talents to me and my siblings.

With this quick glimpse of my life as a child, you can understand how I came into my artist’s birthright, but without the encouragement of my father, I struggled with finding my art soul for years.  It wasn’t until I had a family of my own that I decided to go back to school and get not one, but two art degrees.  One degree is in Fine Art and the other is in Commercial Illustration.  At this point I had played with many medias, but China Painting was my favorite and so the next phase of my art life began.  From 1996 through 2006, I traveled across the country selling my art and teaching seminars on porcelain overglaze painting, also known as “China Painting”.  I held the office of President for the World Organization of China Painters from 2005 through 2007.  My final hoorah as president was the successful organization of an International show and convention for porcelain artists at DeVos Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But life takes us in many directions and often dictates what our next role is to be, and life was telling me now that I was to move in a different direction.  On a summer day in June of 2006 my life changed forever when my 1st grandson, Ethan Blake was born to my daughter Kate and her husband Scott, and what should have been the happiest of days, quickly became very serious.  We found out that Ethan was born with severe disabilities as his brain had not fully developed in the womb.  Within the first 24 hours all of the specialists told us that he would not survive and that if we did get to take him home, he would not live to his 1st birthday.  With a broken heart and a lot of soul searching, I decided to put my career on hold.  My husband Michael and I had been living in the Chicago area, but decided we needed to move back to Michigan to stay with our daughter’s family and help with Ethan’s care, which was around the clock.  While we had been told that Ethan qualified for nursing care, we didn’t get our first nurse until he was 15 months old, so Kate, Scott and I traded 4 hours shifts.  Their house was small so Michael and I bought a beautiful home that was much larger and we moved everyone in with us.  We still all share in his care, along with the help of his wonderful nurses.  Ethan turned 5 this summer and while he is unable to speak or walk, he communicates with us with big smiles and loving eyes and our lives have been changed forever.

And now I feel it is time to move to the next chapter of my life.  Because we have help with Ethan’s care, I’m heading back into my home studio in Owosso, Michigan.  My plan is to set up an acrylic techniques class, as well as water media and china painting. My subjects are mainly nature, ie: flowers, nature scenes and animal portraits.  And back to the birthright…both of my children have inherited the art gene, but it hasn’t rubbed off on my husband, Michael! :)

I hope to keep this blog updated with class schedules, projects and maybe some mini lessons, and I hope that you will follow me as I share “An Artist’s Birthright”.

P.S.  Ethan Blake Woodhams died March 30, 2013 and my life will be forever changed for having loved and cared for him!

New studio

I am 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. I hope to be teaching art classes by this summer. We are basically starting with the shell of a garage and building it from floor to ceiling, I'm learning a new trade in the process. lol In the past my studio has always been in my basement along with the kilns. I will have a kiln room, storage room and studio with a separate work space for Scott to work on his toys. That is the least I could do for all the work he is putting into my studio. I will not only be teaching porcelain art but painting and drawing classes too. You can check out some of my art work at http://catherinetonning.com or my Facebook page at Catherine Tonning-Popowich - Porcelain Artist