Happy New Year Sparkles

Happy New Year Everyone.
Here is a portrait of my eldest daughter, one of my favs. 

Let It Glow...

Happy Holidays to you all...I just finished this yesterday afternoon via my palette knife remembering Christmas of old. Who doesn't remember staring into the Toy Store hoping Santa would fulfill your wish list?

I hope you enjoy.

"Let It Glow"
By Johanna Spinks
8x8"
Via Palette Knife

Available for purchase here:

Holiday Portrait Demo and Workshop

Thank you to The Westlake Village Art Guild in California for inviting me to demo at it's full house Holiday dinner meeting last night.

A lot 'festiveness' to get painted in a short 90 minute demo but my palette knife helped me get there for a quick finish of the festive head piece toward the end.  Another 90 minutes would have been great!

This review just in!

Thank you Johanna for the wonderful way you broke down your process last night!  I loved the mis-en-place concept and seeing how you built depth in your painting while keeping your original intent with your lights and darks!  Hearing your insights on painting portraits and working with clients was also very helpful!!!  What a great evening for all of our members to learn! 

Anette Power

WVAG Program Chair

Thank to beautiful Lynette who modeled so well here.

And yes, it's for sale. $395, plus shipping.
buyhere

I'll be teaching a painting workshop for WVAG Jan 26th -28th covering all aspects of painting. "Oil Painting - A Valued Approach By Johanna Spinks". More details here.
http://www.westlakevillageartguild.org/events.html

Close-up

Holly And The Ivy
Demo For Sale
clickhere

In progress

Phew...it's done.

Great Crowd

Off we go!

About 30 minutes in. 

Enrich Your Community...?

Thank you to The Portrait Society of America's Chairman Edward Jonas for his nod to my portrait work in his "Chairman's Letter" feature in the current issue of  International Artist Magazne. 


Love Ed's advice;" Ready to find a way of gaining exposure for your own visions? Then turn your creativity on to finding a way to enrich your own community. It will take some effort, but the rewards will bring you far more than you'll give."

 I know this to be so true. 

My current "Face of Malibu" portrait show featuring  61 portrait sketches painted from life of local residents, sponsored by The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission, continues at Malibu City Hall until Jan. 12th 2018. 

Are you a VIP? - In The Green Room

So far this year I have painted 15 large format palette knives, from life sitters,  in two 3 hour sittings. They have challenged me, turned my art brain inside-out as I am so used to painting in the way I paint, sight-size usually. I have felt some art fear, some art embarrassment but something kept me going. Explore, explore. 

I thank Julia for this latest sitting and LuksMarbella for this wall. 

I chose a harmony of cool greens for this one going from an olive-yellow green to a phalo green with a verona green mixed in too. Oh, yes and Gamblin's radiant green.

I gave myself a year to explore in my Wednesday Saddlerock Painters' Group that I host at my studio. Now I have to decide if I shall continue the experimentation thru next year?

In The Green Room - VIP
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife

Green eyes?

Smooch

Where Women Create Feature Article

Honored to have a feature about my studio and portrait work in the Winter edition of "Where Women Create - Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women", a U.S. magazine.

It is an incredibly inspiring glossy mag. of super high production value. I have enjoyed reading it so much since I was first introduced to it by my good pal artist Theresa H. It's something I savor each edition.

You can find the magazine at high end newsstands or order online. Box at top right bar of this blog will take you straight to the link or click on the link below the cover magazine image.

Thank you to WWC! Also,  a huge thank you to  LA based photographer Dave Teel for a great photo shoot.

Find Magazine Here

Face of Malibu Show Video

Thanks to The City of Malibu who just put out this You Tube of the reception.

Great memories! Forever thanks to the sitters, The Malibu Times, and The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission. Show runs until Jan. 12th 2018.

Thank you Malibu!

Thank you Malibu. 

What a night!

I felt the hometown love. 

Read about the opening of my "Face of Malibu" show reception here:

http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_

Thank you to all the sitters, The Malibu Times and The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission for sponsoring this show running until Jan. 12th 2018 at Malibu City Hall.

Thank you also to  Richard Chesterfield of Monrose Catering for the incredible food.

And of course everyone who attended. A night I will never forget.

Thank you to MT photographer Julie Ellerton and Malibu Surfside news photographer Dave Teel for the pictures here. 

A Night to Remember
The Face of Malibu Opens
67 portraits of mine on display. 

Ventura Artist Mark Tovar Stands Near His Portrait

A Full House

With Show Curator Alan Roderick-Jones. Thank you Alan.

With Cantor Marcelo Gindlin

The Faces!

Speech tine.

Standing Room Only.

Lovely Marie Stapel with her son Kurt. We miss you Marie.

Talking the Talk.

Richard Chesterfield, one of the sitters, and the owner of Monrose Catering who did a spectacular job catering the event.

A Malibu Local Painting Locals!

You are invited to my "Face of Malibu" Opening Reception with The Malibu Times sponsored by The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission. A local artist painting locals as only a local can. Sixty life sketches will be on display along with some more finished portraits. See you there?

Thank you to all the sitters, The Malibu Times and The Malibu Cultural Art Commission

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks

Featured in The Malibu Times this week. Read article:

here_

Opening Reception - The Face of Malibu

Come See If You Recognize The Faces?

Full details here: http://malibuartsandculture.org/268/Face-of-Malibu

“This great project helps residents get to know the people in their community better,” said Mayor Skylar Peak. “For all of us who have seen the portraits in the newspaper for years, it’s really exciting to be able to see all of the original paintings hanging in Malibu City Hall.”

"The Face of Malibu by Johanna Spinks" features a slice of this famous beach town with sixty sitters painted from life over the last four years in a single sitting of two hours each, no photos or money exchanging hands. An interactive community art project, each portrait sketch and the sitter's' life story, were featured monthly in The Malibu Times, most interviews by writer Homaira Shifa.

The portrait show runs until January 12, 2018. The series is ongoing.

"The Face of Malibu" follows on from the "The Face of Ventura By Johanna Spinks" with The Ventura Breeze newspaper, that series of 58 life sketches, including movie star Kevin Costner, now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura. Spinks is also working on "The Face of Charleston" with The Charleston Mercury newspaper.

From the proverbial butcher, the baker, and candlestick maker, to police chiefs, mayors and our very own California State Senator Henry Stern, come see if you recognize some of the faces? A part of old Malibu, rapidly disappearing, has also been captured in this series through its' citizens sketches and their published tales of Malibu old. Three of the sitters were close to 100 years old.

This show is in conjunction with The Malibu Times and is sponsored by The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission.

This is an open reception and refreshments will be served.

Other more"' finished" portraits by Spinks will also be on display.
www.johannaspinks.com

Princess Diana, Still Queen of Hearts

Today marks 20 years since Princess Diana's sad and tragic passing. I was a big fan of hers.

I drew this to commemorate the day. Princess Diana is still the Queen of Hearts.

Princess Diana, Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
By Johanna Spinks

Close-up

Painting California State Senator Henry Stern

I am honored recently to have painted California State Senator Henry Stern for my Face of Malibu portrait project now in its' fifth year. Senator Stern was my 59th sitter painted for this series kindly featured in The Malibu Times each month with articles (by writer Homaira Shifa) about their life and what they thought about being painted.

I did the portrait sketch of this very busy senator in a single two hour sitting and am very grateful he made the time for me.

Senator Stern is the first millennial elected to the California State Senate and we covered a lot of ground conversationally during the sitting. I wish you could have been a fly on the painting wall.

Please read more about this inspiring environmental lawyer, now a Senator, with a very bright political future ahead of him.  I feel the Gold State, us Californians,  are in very good hands.

click here_to read Senator Stern's  life story by the wonderful Homaira Shifa.

The Face Of Malibu will have a solo show at Malibu City Hall this Fall in conjunction with The Malibu Cultural Arts' Committee. I paint my 60th sitter next week! Stay tuned.

California State Senator Henry Stern
Single life sitting
For The Face of Malibu by Johanna Spink

A Special Time...Thank You Senator Stern

Portrait In Progress

American Art Collector Magazine

Thank you to American Art Collector Magazine and writer John O'Hern for including my artwork in this article geared to art collectors called "The Essence of Being. On new stands this August.

Taking Risks Is Risky?

Just finished up this new large format palette knife to add to my building  collection of now twelve started at the  beginning of this year, all painted from life in two sittings-  and all 36 x36". Some friends of mine have sat for me along with some professional models, but even more excitingly, people I have just met in my hometown walking on the street so to speak.

I love painting people from life who are completely new to the experience and I  think it makes me paint better.

The large format super bright coloration via palette knife has been quite an extraordinary exploration within my portrait world - and like nothing I have done before. At times I have felt I really must stop and go back to what is safe. But exploring makes you learn, grow, and nurture, yes,  independence from art formulas that artists can get stuck in when they start selling their art to collectors. They get known for a certain 'look' and that is what they have to keep producing so their collector base doesn't get confused and head for the hills.

Taking risks is risky.

But something keeps driving me forward to continue perhaps thanks to great feedback from some very kind folks in the most surprising places.

Here is my latest finished today in time for July 4th Independence Day in America.

"Independence"
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Available through Saachi Online
click here

In Situ
Who says you can't hang paintings on patios?

The second of two life sittings via palette knife. Thank you as always to the beautiful Lynette.

Got The Blues?

Shades of complimentary orange and blues...I met Chris as he was leaving a wine bar wearing this really great hat. I knew he had a really great face to paint so I approached him to sit for me. I wasn't disappointed. A few weeks later he came into my studio for two sittings, and this is what we created -probably my favorite large portrait so far this year. 36x36" via my palette knife.

Thank you Chris.

"Steel"
By Johanna Spinks
36x36"
Oil on canvas, via palette knife
For purchase at Saachi Online
gohere

In situ...what a beautiful wall.

Painted in two life sittings. Thank you Chris!  What a great young man.

In progress...end of first sitting

I Love My "Job"!

Beautiful sitters, inside and out, give me such joy to paint.

Thank you to lovely Paula. I enjoyed working with you on this commission so much,  painting beautiful you and  the beautiful Malibu light. Did I mention beautiful enough?

Recent Commission
By Johanna Spinks

Did I mention I love my job? The portrait presentation. 

Neon Lit Palette Knife Journey?

My journey this year painting large portraits  via a palette knife continues. Here is my most recently completed one with the lovely Amina done in two sittings of about three hours.

I am surprised - and challenged - by what is coming off the canvas. It is so different from anything that has come before in my creative journey  but I also know I must continue to see what develops. I also know I have been leading up to these neon large format palette knives for a while.  

I started painting portraits with a knife about four years ago in my non-commissioned work. I started exploring the neon color, lots of drips, about two years ago in my back grounds. 

My goal is to make these large one look really abstract closeup. Just dabs of unconnected paint. But view from a distance, they read as a whole. 

Hope you enjoy!

"The Coral Earring"
36x36"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on canvas via palette knife
Available for purchase at Saachi Online
Go here

Two life sittings. Here is the then end of the first one. I'm happy if I have got the eyes done as to me they are the most important part of the painting. 

In situ, pretty as a picture

Close-up, trying to leave as much of that original toned pink as I can, laying cool colors over the top. Mostly. 

Coral earring.