Announcing a new addition to the Saugeen Artists Christmas Store!

This "Alluring Alpaca" has joined the animal family at the Hanover store.   She does have an attitude..............

"Alluring Alpaca"
acrylic
12 x 12

 I also added a piece I started at my latest class on skies........ called "With Apologies to Vincent".  If you have a chance, take a look in the store for many more pieces of original art!  It's at 275 10th Street, Hanover.

"With Apologies to Vincent"
acrylic
12 x 12

November Painting Classes

November 19th and 21st will be my last painting classes for the fall.  I have some fun ideas for them!  We will create two paintings that include skies, trees, sunflowers, and....... palette knives.  You will go home with two paintings started, knowing how to complete them.  The day goes fast, with lots of laughter and stories and art talk and coffee!  

If you need inspiration, just look up Vincent Van Gogh. I will bring other artists' samples to give us more ideas.  

Here are small "pieces" taken from our samples:

 Can you tell which are from a Van Gogh painting?

Dates: Tuesday, November 19th 
            at Chesley Community Church, and                                                   Thursday, November 21st 
             at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Hanover.
             (I repeat the same paintings both days.)

Time:   9:30 to 4:00

   Cost:   $30 suggested donation
              Canvases are extra, but all other materials are                                     supplied if you don't have them.

Space is limited.  If you want to sign up, or need more information, email me at kathiewright.artist@gmail.com

The Saugeen Artists Guild's annual Christmas Gallery and gift shop is up and running!

The store is in a new location this year, but still downtown Hanover.  We are right beside Bruton's Blind Shop, at 275 10th Street.  There are 15 artists involved, bringing you jewelry, mosaic glass, woodworking, pottery, cards, and of course paintings!  Here is my latest large piece, which is on display there.  You will also see my little menagerie of animal faces.  An alpaca will soon be joining them.  

Beaver Valley Farm
acrylic
20 x 40

This farm is one I see regularly when I drive on the Beaver Valley road to Thornbury.  I have multiple photo references of it!  I took artistic liberties with the colours and some other details.  But there really were cows there!

Me? Animal Portraits? Fun!

I have long believed that painting animals was beyond me.  Artists who do pet portraits intimidate me.  But I decided to rise to the challenge during a recent paint class I was leading.  The same process applies to animals as it does to all subjects--  reducing the image to the large shapes.  Then it becomes fun!  Every animal has a unique personality, and can express emotion.  In a painting, even moving the eyebrows, or making the mouth turn, or adding eyelashes can change the whole impression!  Here are five adorable faces ready for my Studio Tour this weekend.  Each one is 12 x 12, ready to frame. Come and see them for yourself!   

Curious Cat
12 x 12

Cautious Cow
12x12

Devoted Dog
12x12

Gentle Giraffe
12x12

Playful Pig
12x12

It's the time of year for Studio Tours!!

The Saugeen Artists Guild have several studios open this year, on October 4,5 and 6, 2019.   I'm showing some work at the home of Liz Pybus, at Studio number 6.  Click on saugeenartists.ca to find out details!

A Kitchener Art Show.........

..........is going up this week, at Frames by Verne's Gallery in Kitchener.  The Saugeen Artists Guild will have our work there for the month of June.  The show opens on Friday, May 24, and the gala reception is the next Tuesday, May 28 at 6:45.   If you're in the area, consider getting over there sometime in the next month!  

Here are two of my paintings that will be hanging there, along with the work of a dozen members of the Saugeen Artists Guild.  

Celebrate with Daisies

Waiting for Cruise Night

An excellent art show in Thornbury............

The Saugeen Artists Guild will be presenting an engaging and varied display of our creative works in the L.E.Shore Library in Thornbury for the month of June.  I will have several new paintings there as well.  If you are looking for an enjoyable drive to an enchanting area of the country, plan to attend the reception on June 1, from 2:00 to 4:00.  There is much to see in Thornbury and in nearby Clarksburg, including a few more art galleries, gift shops and restaurants.  And the lake is right at the end of the street!  

The Owen Sound Banner Project

I was very pleased to find out that my painting "I Spy Pies" has been chosen to be on one of the banners for this year's Banner Project in Owen Sound  There are 75 works of art in different categories to be hung in the Owen Sound harbour area.  The photo reference for the painting was taken at Granny's in Neustadt, where there are baskets and baskets of lovely apples on display each autumn.  My husband came up with the title for it!  This painting sold within days of being hung in the Southampton Gallery.  Everyone seems to love apples!

You can see all of the banners at   https://www.owensoundartbanner.ca/

"I Spy Pies"
acrylic
14 x 11
SOLD

The "Creative Awakenings" Show..........

.........at the Minto Arts Gallery, Harriston.........is a collection of works from 12 members of the Saugeen Artists Guild, based in Hanover Ontario.   It will be on view for the month of April, with the official artists' reception on Friday, April 5.  There is a variety of talent to be seen in this lovely new gallery!

The Challenge of Green......

After a quiet winter, art activities are springing up everywhere around me!  With three group shows ahead I have lots of motivation to paint.  Three pieces that follow a theme are now hanging in the Southampton Gallery.  Others will follow, to be displayed in Harriston, Kitchener, and Thornbury along with work from other members of the Saugeen Artists Guild.  I'll be sure to keep you posted here with information about these awesome shows!

My challenge for these three pieces was to work with all that green foliage!  I attempted to show the shapes of the trees and bushes, without including every little leaf.  I greatly admire Emily Carr, as well as many of the Group of Seven, for being able to paint trees abstractly as interesting and varied shapes.  

I hope to improve as I challenge myself with a subject that I find difficult.  You may notice though, that in every painting here I have added something as a focus that is man-made--  something definite and concrete and easier for me to paint!

"Down to the River"
acrylic
24 x 18

"Along the River Trail"
acrylic
24 x 18

"Recess Along the Trail"
acrylic
24 x 18


Here's an example of how Emily Carr's "green" looked. Amazing!!

Spring classes are springing up!

Now that the weather is warming up, I am making plans for teaching some fun acrylic classes in the next few months.  I will continue to hold one class a month in the Chesley Community Church craft room on Tuesdays.  And now I can hold classes at the "home" of my art group, Saugeen Artists Guild, at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Hanover.  Those classes will also be once a month on Thursdays.  The classes are all day, for a suggested donation of $30, plus materials if needed.  The first class at each venue will be flowers (of course!).  I suggest tackling one flower alone, similar to this one:  

There is an easy way we will use to create that papery look that is common to poppies!  Check out more details about these lessons on my "Classes " page on this blog.   It's such a joy to journey with other artists to create art and use our God-given interests and talents!

2018 in Reflection

The last two months have whizzed by, leaving happy memories of being at the Saugeen Artists Guild Christmas Store, as well as enjoying my family Christmas time.  At the end of the year I like to look back to see just how my painting efforts accumulated.  I found out that I painted 18 acrylic pieces, varying in size from 12 by 12 to 18 by 48, and 3 small house portraits.  I was delighted to tally up my sales, and discovered that I sold 20 paintings!  My latest one was a result of a fun class I led in November, to create a winter composition that could be used for a Christmas card.  

"Silent Night"
acrylic
16 x 12

I'm looking forward to getting back to painting this winter!  I also plan to give more painting classes beginning in April, at Chesley Community Church (see my Classes page) and also at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Hanover.  Soon, I will be back to my easel!!