Corset Love...

By now, everyone knows I love painting and drawing corsets. I did a ton of them in 2010 and they flew out of the studio like hot cakes into many homes.

I have built up quite a corset collection over the years after developing an interest in them as a very young woman, long before I thought of painting them.

Anyho,  I decided to revisit one of my corsets,  painting it with a palette knife. The corset is a lavish stunner.

Hope you enjoy...

"Roses and Pearls"
8x8" Oil on Board
with Gold Leaf
For sale via Daily Paintwork auction...very affordable daily painted gems for all art budgets.

clickhere

Give Me A Hand -It's Finally Here...

Opening tomorrow, Friday April 1st. Join me?

"Going Under The Knife"

 By Johanna Spinks

An Exploration of Palette Knife Portraiture

Museum of Ventura County

Tool Room Gallery

@Bell Arts Factory

432 N. Ventura Ave.,

Ventura, California 93001

http://venturamuseum.org

Please note the this gallery is off the main museum campus.

Opening Night, Friday April 1st, 6-9 p.m.

Show runs through April 30th

After reception, viewing by appointment only.

310 384 7029

 Johanna's palette knife work: "A refreshing departure and journey into creative portraiture”, says Mr. Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A., painter of seven American presidents.

www.everettraymondkinstler.com

Included in the show will be a large portrait of Ventura scientist and philanthropist 102 years'-young Howard Boroughs which was recently accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura County. 

To view Johanna's palette knife portrait collection go here: http://palettecollectionhere

J.W.Waterhouse Sketchbooks

"The Victoria and Albert Tearoom"
24x18" via palette knife
By Johanna Spinks
For purchase
here

The block-in painted from life with that knife

Slowing working through

The background begins

Visiting the sketchbooks of J.W.Waterhouse within the vaults of The Victoria and Albert Museum. Wow!

I have long enjoyed a good scone, thick clotted cream and a nice cuppa especially in lovely British tearooms. I found myself once again in the tearoom of The Victoria and Albert Museum with its' beautiful Pre-Raphaelite windows that leave you breathless with wonder and so enjoying the moment.

I was also lucky enough to visit four of J.W. Waterhouse sketchbooks in this Musuem's collection which was a remarkable experience. Yes, I actually got to leaf through them with my bare hands. What an incredible artist J.W. Waterhouse was. I don't think anyone has yet come close to what he did with his brush and imagination.

So, all of this came together in my painting inspired by the tearoom and those sketchbooks. It was started from life painting the lovely model Amina in my teaching class and taken further during the days that followed. The windows are downplayed which I apologize for but sometimes you have to edit.

I hope you like.

The Gift of Time

"The Clearing"
By Johanna Spinks
16"x20"
Palette Knife

I gave myself the gift of time with this palette knife portrait of my daughter done in my garden. A nice lull in the studio workload, deliveries just shipped, and a week's break from my weekly teaching class found me very at peace with myself and my art.

I have wanted to paint my lovely fair-haired daughter for quite a while, having done quite a few portraits recently of my lovely dark-haired one. I found this scarlet vintage hat 'topper' online and that was the beginning of the idea.

It was a challenge doing this with a palette knife especially the hair and gauzy clothing.

I plan on more of this quiet time...with just myself and my palette knife, oh yes, and inspiration.

Like a Snail...Palette Knife Portraits

Well, I know how to paint with a brush real fast around a demo or life portrait sitting . I think followers of this blog know that by now. Certainly my portrait sitters do. They are usually happy with my life painting efforts, a likeness finished within about two hours, chatting as we go. Team effort.

But I am taking the most daring step during my teaching life painting class of slowing myself down via a palette knife. I also was honored by a recent palette knife portrait commission from life, the sitter knowing it would be a slower process.

Think of it like adding 30 lb huge weights to your art boots. Wading in molasses, but delightfully so.

I move like a snail and students/sitters don't get to see quickie results like the regular brush finish. I am trusting in my art journey.

It is really a leap of faith. Are you with me?

The Finish
"Wedding Attire"
9 x 12"
Oil on Linen, palette knife
By Johanna Spinks

My life sitting today...more work to do.

I allow myself a drawing brush block-in

Inspiration...A Special Story

I was so inspired today by my journalist daughter Rosie Spinks who spent five months in South Africa, working on a story, seeing it  published via GOOD on a very delicate subject.

http://magazine.good.is/features/prostitution-legalization-decriminalization

I decided to feel inspired myself and knew I wanted to paint with a palette knife this afternoon and do a portrait of Rosie Spinks so that is exactly what I did.

Not a bad day's efforts. I like what I got even though it took me way less time than my daughter's well researched article, five months in the making, living in South Africa to find her story.

When inspiration comes, you fly with it, right?

Palette knife portrait, "The Embroidered Top", 9 x 12",  by Johanna Spinks

Palette knife portrait,  in progress, close-up

Palette knife strokes, close up

Palette Knife Portraits From Life

Lynette is a sitter I love to paint. She came to my studio this week and I decided to paint her with a palette knife rather than brush, although I did use a brush for the block-in.

I like a good block-in. It makes me feel like I am off to a good start. Drawing is everything to me. Applying paint with a knife is a much slower process I find  than with the brush. It has been an exciting journey exploring all of this in my portrait art.

I like the subtle color harmonies I got here. Come back to see it done.

Gratitudes
Johanna

Palette Knife
Life Portrait
"Lynette"
12 x 16

There will be another sitting to finish this.

My Largest Palette Knife Portrait So Far

This one took me a while, my latest palette knife portrait and the largest one I have done so far at 24 x 36". All those peonies! The sitter is my daughter Jessica

"The Missoni Scarf"
By Johanna Spinks

Palette Knifer From Life

What better way to spend a day than painting a life portrait along with a great art buddy for good conversation?

"Lynette"
Oil on linen
By Johanna Spinks
10 x 10

Finding You Own Painting Style...

I thought this article today by John P. Weiss a really great read! Deeply resonated with me and I am sure a few others. Click on the link to read the full article.

My pal Jeremy Lipking gets a well deserved mention. Now there's a guy that has found his style and then some! He is deservedly winning every award around this year including the Prix de West and ARC. Catch his upcoming one day workshop July 26th.

www.lipking.com

65 Red Roses
Palette Knife
22 x 28
By Johanna Spinks

The Problem With Painting Workshops

by John P. Weiss

So here's the deal. Take those workshops, copy those museum masterpieces until you've reached a level of true proficiency. Then stop all that. Pack up your paint box easel and spend some serious time digesting the world around you. Slow down, even when you think you're wasting time. Study, think, experiment, and stop trying to ape someone else. Inside you is a unique voice. It has been whispering in your ear for a long time, waiting for you to blossom. [...] 

Read the rest of this article at:
http://faso.com/fineartviews/77296/the-problem-with-painting-workshops

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This excerpt appears courtesy of FineArtViews Art Marketing Newsletter by FASO,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).


For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.faso.com/art-marketing-newsletter

The Harry Potter Reader

I started this from life in this week's teaching class at my studio - and finished it later as class was so busy.

"Sneak Peek - Harry Potter"
10x10"
Oil on board via palette knife
By Johanna Spinks

65 Red Roses Done

Well, I finally finished my large palette knife portrait of Eva Markvoort. Her story of her courageous battle with Cystic Fibrosis really moved me deeply. It is my second portrait of her.

Eva sadly lost her battle, but not before inspiring millions and raising a lot of money for CF through her documentary on Netflix (put out by Oprah Winfrey's OWN)  called, you guessed it, 65 RED ROSES, and her hugely popular blog of the same name.

 Why that name? It is how small children pronounce CF.

 You can read more about Eva's life story  here and try to donate to CF if you can.

http://65redroses.livejournal.com

Eva's 65 Red Roses
Oil on linen via palette knife
By Johanna Spinks
22 x 28"

the start

The middle

Closeup

How to paint a palette knife portrait...

My new weekly studio class started today and I am happy to report it was a smashing success. A sunny day, a packed house and some wonderful warmth in the room, everyone doing really great work.

Interesting how the great energy of a new beginning, people picking up on that, going with it, enjoying it , translated into everyones' work.  Some really great work in the room.

I decided to do a small palette knife demo. I felt relaxed and happy, and I like what I got. I may finish it, or not?

Portrait demo from life model

New studio assistant Porsche gets her knickers in a twist not liking the shade of white I  used.

The Greek God of all good art, watches over the still life gang painting outside on  the studio patio.

My Portrait Demo Today

Face it, I'll miss my Sunday nap. I'm doing a 'return visit' portrait demo this afternoon for The Santa Paula Society for The Arts, come join us, 2 - 4pm?http://www.thespsa.com/

"Purple Eye Shadow"
NFS
8x10"
Oil on canvas via palette knife
By Johanna Spinks

Palette Knife Portrait From Life

Chomping at the bit to get this palette knife portrait done. Started from life yesterday at my teaching class at The California Art Institute with the lovely Mather Louth.

New semester about to begin at CAI. Join us. It is a fun, lively class...and I am demoing palette knife, plus a ton of other stuff.

http://www.calartinst.com/instructor/johanna-spinks

Painting Flowers with a Palette Knife

Everything I paint is a portrait, be it a flower, face or leaf. So said Lucian Freud the great British painter. I love his work oodles much.

I painted this portrait of pansies with a palette knife this week, begun as a demo for my recent guest workshop for The Malibu Art Association.

Compliments of yellow and purple were used. It feels like Spring is coming.

Pansy Perfect
20 x 16
Oil on Linen
Available for purchase
gohere

Palette Knife Portraits

Close-up
Palette Knife Portrait
By Johanna Spinks
NFS

Seems to me you have to work with even more precision when working with just a palette knife than a brush. Funny thing that. People imagine that it is so much more freedom to get out the knives and go swish swash.  Palette knife portraits take me far longer to paint than ones done with the brush. And to do them painting directly from life, the sitter really does have to sit still.

This is a close up of a posthumous portrait I am working on. It is giving me quite a challenge but I am getting there and sure enjoying the process.

Join Me- Monthly Studio Workshop

Fancy a real good painting time tomorrow at my studio including great lunch and wine from the local Malibu vineyards? Then join me. One space left.  A great time guaranteed. Phone 310 384 7029 or email me johanna@johannaspinks.com

My life painting class demo yesterday at The California Art Institute.
16x12
oil
Johanna Spinks