SpiritBird Studio Art Gala This Weekend

The annual Gala Art Show is at my SpiritBird Studio this weekend!  Come enjoy ART, wine and cheese, and lots of fun people!

1-5 PM Saturday

2-5 PM Sunday

221 KARR CANYON RD

(2.2 MILES S ON KARR CANYON RD)

HIGH ROLLS, NM

See new paintings from all my plein air experiences this year, including China, Atlanta, and New Mexico.  I have oils, watercolors, and acrylics in affordable sizes.  Shop early for Christmas!

PRIZES:  I will give away a small piece of original art every hour on the hour.  You need to be present to win!

SILENT AUCTION:  Several  paintings will be priced specially for a silent auction.  increasing bids can be placed up to a limit and bidder need not be present to win the bid.  Winners will be notified by phone or email of their winning bid.

Be sure to visit my new web site at SaraJChambers.com and sign up for my free newsletter, which will only be published a few times per year--not usually more than once per month.

Color Challenge #2

Happy Wednesday!

Color Challenge #2 is this:

• Select a subject that you want to paint.
• Identify the one color you cannot do without for that subject. (Cad red in this one.)
• Use a standard palette or a CMYK palette.  Study and decide what other colors could work best for you.  Select three other colors, two spaces apart on the color wheel, creating a tetradic color scheme.  (This scheme makes a square.)
• Do two color studies, one warm and one color, using these four colors.  Note that you have two warm and two cool (usually) and that you have two sets of complements.
• Paint your subject using these four colors in combinations that work for you.
• Remember to have color and temperature dominance.
• Be cautious while creating grays that may become "dead" if taken too far.
• Notice what decisions you had to make to make the scheme "work" for you in an actual painting.

I hope to see some fun results of this exploration!  I had a terrific time trying to apply this tetradic scheme to "Flying Free (Green-winged Macaw)" 14x11 oil.  I fudged the red toward the red-orange, using cad red as the color I had to have, and using cad yellow pale, phthalo blue, and a little ultramarine (BV).

As a footnote, the free online Gamut Mask Tool is a great resource for playing with color options.

New Website Link for FASO

I have a new link, until my domain name transfer is complete:  Sara Chambers Fine Art.
Check out my new look!  And sign up for my e-newsletter HERE.  The full change should be finished by next week!  Yay!

"Golden" ("Emma Too, Golden Retriever--Courthouse Dog")
6x6 oil 

Meanwhile, here is a photo of a small palette knife study I did of Emma, the Chavez County Courthouse CASA dog.  This was a color study of oranges and cyan on a burnt sienna toned canvas.  This and another painting will be a gift to the Chavez County CASA Program, since she is their dog!

New Website Look and Color Challenges

I am taking the plunge--changing my website provider to FASO.  I do hope this is not toooo painful a process.  They are supposed to move my domain name, so it should remain the same.  Here's hoping!

I have spent all afternoon working on the new site, and I am just getting started!  I have only uploaded a dozen images, putting them into collections.  Once I get going, adding images will be simple.  But change is painful!!

I've been doing a lot of study about color lately.  Two students came to my studio a couple of weeks ago to explore the nuances of using color in our art.  What a blast we had!

The image on the left, "Spots of Sun," is intended to explore the split complements of Y, BV, RV.  It's my first pastel in a while.

My Weekly Color Challenge #1 for my students (and for any who would like to participate) is this:

1. Using a standard primary palette, choose a complement pair (ie R-G, B-O, Y-V, YO-BV, RO-VG, RV-YG).  If you want to keep it simpler for the first time, choose a primary pair.
2. Paint two studies--1@ warm dominance and cool dominance.
3. Do a small painting using the combination.

Points to consider:

1. What is the dominant temperature?
2. How much contrast or depth comes from putting warm against cool?
3. How do you achieve rhythm and/or a center of interest?
4. How much pure color can you use of each of the pair and still achieve harmony?

Send me pictures of the results by next Thursday.  Let's play!

I would enjoy having an ongoing exchange of ideas and experiments with any interested artists.

Update on Zendoodle

OK--most people must be still in the post-holiday recovery mode, as not enough people signed up for the Zendoodle 101 Playshop by Monday, my deadline to pull the plug.  Soooooooo--I will reschedule the class to see if more of the folks who have been asking will be able to make it.  Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, I AM still doing the Zendoodle 201 Playshop on January 19 from 10 to 1 (bring your lunch) at my SpiritBird Studio, to teach more complicated designs.  There are still a few slots left, so call or email today, if you think you would like to participate.  If you have never done Zendoodle before, it might be better to take the first class before this one.  But if you are familiar with the process or have been "doodling all your life", you could easily pick this up and have a blast with these fun tangle designs!  Here is one of the designs that we will learn shown three different ways:

We are sure to have a relaxing and FUN "Playshop"!  Remember, there is no "right" way to do these--only YOUR way.  They become as individual as handwriting--one mark at a time.

Sign up at sarajchambers@yahoo.com or call 575-430-6148.

Also, a heads-up that I will be teaching a two-day workshop (playshop) for the New Mexico Watercolor Society, Southern Chapter, in Las Cruces on April 30 and May 1.  The subject will be water soluble pencils/media.  This hummingbird that I also have at the top of my blog is created with this approach. This should be way too much fun!  Contact me for more information.

Happy New Year

Happy 2013!

I am always amazed when a new year comes around.  We think of a new year as a new beginning, but I believe it is merely a reminder for us to focus on positives, recognize and receive our blessings, and renew our resolve to use our time in the very best way.

One of the best ways that an artist can renew her resolve is to take a short class to jump-start her creative juices.  I am offering two classes ("Playshops") in Zendoodle at my SpiritBird Studio in January.  Neither class requires any ability to draw and materials are provided:

Jan. 12 (Sat.), 10-1, Zendoodle 101 "Playshop"--Art for the Artless or Doodling Becomes Art. $40--materials and tax included. Have you always wanted to do art, but didn't think you could "draw a stick figure?"  This class is for anyone who wants to create art one mark at a time.  No ability to draw is necessary.  The results are both beautiful and meditative.  There is no right or wrong way to create these pieces of art.  Everyone has his/her own style and signature marks.  Create two to four pieces of art to take home from the class, plus take home methods, ideas and materials for creating more and more.

Jan. 19 (Sat.), 10-1, Zendoodle 102 or 201 (can't remember which!) "Playshop"--Advanced Designs in Zendoodle, $40--materials and tax included.  A continuation of the 101 Playshop.  We will learn six to 10 advanced designs and explore ways of designing to further stretch your creativity. Bring your kit from the 101 class.  I will add more paper and materials. (Yes, we will learn how to create the elements of the design above!)

Space in either class is limited, so call early (575-430-6148) or reserve your place by e-mail (sarajchambers@yahoo.com)

Also, remember that I teach an ongoing drawing class, geared to individual needs, on most Tuesdays.  See the info on the "Classes and Workshops" page (on the blog tab).

Another fun note--my paintings will remain at the Amaro Winery Tasting Room until the end of January at least!  This is a great place to take friends to enjoy wonderful wine and art together.  They are located at 402 S Melendres, open 1-5 every day, and 6-10 on most Fridays (with live music!!).

You can sign up to receive my blog by email by filling in the info at the top right of my blog site.  Thanks for your comments!