Palette knife exercises

I have not felt like doing any serious painting this winter, but I played with paint and followed along with a lesson on palette knife painting for the magnolia painting on the right.  I had to buy a couple of new palette knives to match up with the exercise.  The one on the left came out too dark. That was done from life, a yellow rose in a tall vase. The video was all in French, but I only needed some help from a French speaking friend to translate the pigments used. I could follow along with the rest.

Meanwhile I've enjoyed meeting other local artists and exhibiting some paintings through the Treasure Valley Artists Alliance.  I have two small ones in the mini painting exhibit at the Meridian (Idaho) Library.

This is the first time that group had an exhibit there and space was limited so they requested submissions of small paintings.  It was the first time I framed a 4" X 4" painting and that was an interesting exercise.  I had to buy a 5" X 5" frame (the 4" sizes did not fit). I mounted (glued) the little canvas on black matboard and made it look like a float frame.  I was pleased with the way it came out.  The painting of fuchsias was just wired in the back. It is on a stretched canvas. It is only 8" X 8".

My painting of Valley of the Ten Peaks (Alberta) was juried into an exhibit at the Boise State Public Radio station.  This is the last time the group is exhibiting there and my first time in a juried exhibit.  I think the other exhibit I had with them were curated exhibits.  My husband also had his photograph of a sunset on the Mediterranean Sea exhibited. It was his first time exhibiting in Boise.

We are learning new terms. A juried exhibit is one in which a professional picks items to be exhibited from the submissions.  A curated exhibit is one in which the curators pick at least one of the items submitted to be displayed.  They picked two of mine for the mini exhibit so I am happy about that. I'm enjoying the art association and even stretched myself to go downtown one evening to meet with the Urban Sketchers group. It was too cold to sketch outside, but we sketched inside the coffee house instead.  I need a lot more practice on that before I post any sketches here.

All of these paintings are available for sale directly from me. Prints, cards and other printed items came be purchased directly online through my website on Fine Art America.
Hungry Bluegill
Nancy's Fuchsias
Valley of the Ten Peaks