2010 Artist in The Community Award

Thank you!

I am deeply honored to receive The City of Ventura 2012 Mayor's Art Award for "Artist in the Community". 

Reception at The Museum of Ventura County November 15.

Palette knife portraits

Close-up

Fun with the palette knife. Blue and orange color harmony.

This palette knife portrait was done in my teaching class at The California Art Institute this week and then finished in the studio.

I set up two light sources in the class on the model, one blue and one orange. It was a challenge for students - and me too.

I do like the texture one gets from the knives and the happy little accidents. Will be playing with palette knife portraits a bit more.

I actually have used palette knives in my painting for years. Love them

How to paint a palette knife portrait...

Beautiful young actress Ms. Laci Kay

I had so much fun with this palette knife portrait of the beautiful young actress and singer Ms. Laci Kay who I have painted before.

I was feeling the need to shake things up a bit...not work so tightly and grabbing a palette knife will sure achieve that. 

It amazes me what a fast process this is for me compared toworking with a brush. Feels almost like you are sculpting and I love that.

I find it helpful to pre-mix some neutral greys on my palette first so you can just fly. The aims is to just put down a color value with the knife hopefully on the right plane, working against or with the plane.

Different palette knives achieve different effects. I used three different ones on this portrait. If you would like me to post them, lemme know.

Hope you  like!

How to paint skin tones

This was my class demo this week at The California Art Institute. Red and green compliments. Feel free to ask me questions about it.

Red
12x 16

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks

It's official. The Face of Malibu is launched, to be featured in The Malibu Times newpaper. My first sitter was published this week,  the delightful former Malibu mayor Laura Rosenthal. Read her life story by clicking on the link below.

I am excited to see where this new project goes, hot off the heels of my Face of Ventura project published each week in The Ventura Breeze. 57 sitters were painted from life in a single two hour sitting. No photos were used ever. However I might allow myself a photo or two this time.


Stay tuned...

Ms. Laura Rosenthal, former Mayor of Malibu and my first Face of Malibu sitter.

Laura sits for me in a single two hour sitting for the portrait sketch.

http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_b6d19c22-1489-11e2-816c-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.thefaceofventura.com/

Class demo at The California Art Institute

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My class demo

 yesterday at The California Art Institute, two hours...and my new crush. 

This will be my model tomorrow for my Friday Atelier teaching day. Join me. One space left.

This demo is for sale

$250

9x12

Two spots left for Friday's Atelier Day

There are two spots left for THIS Friday's teaching atelier day at my studio. Come see this finishing up on the easel