Thank You To Art Models...

I have worked with more art models than I  have had hot dinners over the last 20 years of life painting. I wish I could remember each and every one but the number runs into the hundreds at this point.

Each however is a special encounter for me and many have now become my friends, as we work together so often over the years.  We kind of grow up together. Art models bring so much to the studio  table and help us artists paint well. They inspire leaving us hopefully to join hands with the Art Spirit and do the rest. Art models have to show up through thick and thin, with a good attitude, smile on their face,  no matter what is going on in their personal lives. I know from my old  weekly teaching class this is not always easy. A ton can be going on behind the scenes in your daily life.

So today I just wanted to say thank you. Our collaborations are appreciated. I also wanted to say thank you to Jeremy Lipking. I have learned so much from Master Lipking about figure painting over the last few years.

www.jeremylipking.com

These two corset paintings of mine sold today to a new collector featuring two models I have been luck to paint many times, Amina Santana  and Toni Sky.

Thank you to all three.

Catch more of my corset paintings and sketches at www.dailypaintworks.com

The are super affordable and make delicious Holiday Gifts.

Rose Is A Rose...Upcoming Portrait Demo

I have painted Toni many times over the last 20 years and each time it's a different experiennce. This is probably one of my favorite sketches I have done of her - I don't know why. It just seemed some things came together that I have been working on for a while in my life panting. It is a mix of palette knife and brush, about 75 per cent knife.

This is what I will be demoing for The San Fernando Valley Art Club tomorrow at 6.30pm with the lovely Theresa, a friend of mine who will be sitting for me. Join us?  Link here.

http://www.sfvartclub.org

Hope you enjoy.

A Rose Is A Rose
By Johanna Spinks
16x20
$185
For purchase go to DailyPaintWork link on right sidebar

Three hour sitting at my studio

Close-up

Designing Women

Thanks to beautiful founder/designer Heidi Maria Schwark, of the ethereal children's clothing line, Luna Luna Collection, for sitting for me in my studio this week. Single life sitting 18x24".

What a lovely lady inside and out.

I Love Paisley- Thanks Laura Ashley!

I have always had a thing for paisley fabric probably thanks to Laura Ashley and being put in those kind of frocks as a kid.

Lovely Katy arrived at my studio for a life-sitting wearing a simple paisley shirt. I didn't really do the shirt justice but I certainly was enamored with it - and Katy.

It was a three hour sitting with The Saddlerock Painters at my studio in the Malibu Highlands, yes, near Saddlerock Mountain.

This painting has already found a home but if you are interested in some of my smaller daily paintworks which are very reasonably priced, please go to this gallery link

www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/johanna-spinks

"The Paisley Shirt"
By Johanna Spinks
10"x10"
Via Palette Knife

"Counsel woven into the fabric of real life is wisdom".

Walter Benjamin

In progress...so much to get done in just under three hours via my palette knife which moves slower than a brush for me.

Thank you Society Magazine

"Girl Talk"
By Johanna Spinks



Thanks to Society Social Calendar Magazine for featuring my artwork on its' cover for the second time. This painting (cropped on the cover) is from my High Days and Holidays Collection featuring the people, places and things I like to paint, bathed in the sunlight I enjoy. Thanks also to publisher Rhonnie Curt.

www.johannaspinks.com

http://www.societysocialcalendar.com

Rose De Provence - Happy Mothers' Day

"Rose de Provence"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on linen via palette knife, 9x 12"
www.johannaspinks.com


My mother always said I led her "up the garden path" so I painted this just for all the patient moms out there. Hope there is a lovely celebration day for you. It's also Kentucky Derby Day in America so a good picture hat is essential regardless of anything else you may be doing ladies. 

Gisele From Paris...

Gisele
Oil on Linen Via Palette Knife
By Johanna Spinks
www.johannaspinks.com

Gisele from Paris came to my studio today and sat for my palette knife for about two and a half hours. What a joy she is. Hope I caught some of that here?

Catch my upcoming palette knife portrait show "Going Under The Knife" ...opening Friday April 1, 6-9 pm.
http://venturamuseum.org/upcoming-events/tool-room-gallery/

Corporate Portrait Love

Feeling the corporate portrait love...a successful unveiling of mine today in North Carolina. Thanks to the Art Spirit and great clients -like this wonderful man I had the privilege to meet and paint.

Corporate Portrait
By Johanna Spinks
www.johannaspinks.com

Unveiling today
I met this gentleman in person last year for a life sitting to start the portrait process. 

You Had Me...At Merlot

"You had me...at Merlot". Valentines' Day can't start soon enough.  Happy Valentines' Weekend Everyone.

Pen and Watercolor
By Johanna Spinks
8x10"
Print for sale here:
-you-had-me...at-merlot

I'm Going "Under The Knife" - Museum Show

I'm going "Under The Knife"! Super excited to be invited by the Museum of Ventura County to showcase my palette knife portrait work at the Tool Room Gallery thru April, opening reception April 1st. Thank you to my friends at the Museum.

http://venturamuseum.org

 I am thrilled to show this journey I have been on over the last couple of years after randomly picking up the palette knife late one night to see how I could use it in my portrait work.

It was really hard at first being so used to the brush, especially painting sitters from life. I didn't want the work to look slap-dash with that knife, but kind of refined. I stuck with it.  I have got faster and more accurate painting from life with that knife.  I chose to paint people who told a life story in some way, about not only theirs but mine. Close acquaintances and also people whose story had moved me. 

Most of all I feel I am 'home" with that palette knife. I will never now put it down.

Mark your calendars for the opening night April 1st!  Would love to see you there to share in this special and very personal art moment for me.

Under The Knife
By Johanna Spinks
The Museum of Ventura County
Tool Room Gallery thru April 2016

Little Black Dress? Nah, Red.

It's been a super busy month in the studio working on painting deadlines as you can tell from my lack of posts since January 1st.

I feel like I have been tied to my easel and I don't mind one bit.

I decided to have a little fun today in a life sitting with the lovely Jasmin  thinking about Valentines Day and red dresses. I love red dresses more than just about anything else. Here is my newest one, top, and a few others I have done over the years, maybe some with some white thrown in.

I use a mixed media approach to these drawings combining oil, watercolor, pen and ink. Yes, oil and water do mix after all, all around 18 x 24".

Hope you enjoy.

Happy Valentines if I don't see you before.

Johanna

"Campari"
By Johanna Spinks
Mixed Media, 18 x 24"
Available for purchase here
http://www.johannaspinks.com/#!illustrations/

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My New BFF, Dreama Tolle Perry

"Dreama Dreaming"
By Johanna Spinks
18x24"
In the collection of Dreama Tolle Perry

You could say this lady I just sketched is my new BBF!

I have admired artist/writer Dreama Tolle Perry for quite a few years now. She speaks in an art language uniquely her own. Her work is uplifting and witty, brilliant in execution, her joy for life contagious.

Dreama is the total art 'package'. She has carved out a loyal and large art following, teaching workshops across the country and selling everything she paints. She let's people into her life; she reveals that her favorite color is purple, chocolate has her at 'hello', and her cute cat Eddie frequently demands her attention, often being the star of her colorful paintings.

Ms. Perry changed the way I thought about art especially in my "High Days and Holidays" series of hat paintings, along with my personal sketch books.

 I realized that it was o.k. to paint, and reveal, my more fun, feminine side - alongside doing serious portrait commissions and public portrait projects.

"Spring Delicacy"
By Dreama Tolle Perry
www.dreamatolleperry.com

Fast forward to this Holiday week when I decided to paint this sketch of Dreama. We have become friends over the last year or so and Dreama being Dreama just did the most gracious post about our portrait's back story after seeing  it this week.

Read Dreama's post here hats-off-johanna-spinks

Also, if you are looking for a great motivational one-of-a-kind art experience Dreama is just about to launch her new art teaching baby, an online masterpiece course,  like no other, that she has been working on for months. It is called "Dream. Love. Paint" and promises to be very special. She even renovated a cottage just for the filming of the series. Painted purple/lilac of course!

http://dreamatolleperry.com/dream-love-paint/

"Pink, White and Ed"
By Dreama Tolle Perry
www.dreamatolleperry.com

"Mint Julips"
By Johanna Spinks
High Days and Holidays Collection
www.johannaspinks.com

Food for Thought...

With a fridge full of leftovers today amid this Season of Abundance and plenty for many, I am reminded of my current Face of Malibu portrait sitter Heidi Amundson who has tirelessly delivered food to the needy for many years with Meals on Wheels. I thought her a great choice for The Holiday Season. Thank you to The Malibu Times for featuring this series. Single life sitting, two hours.

Heidi Amundson
By Johanna Spinks
Sitter number 39
The Face of Malibu Portrait Project
As featured in The Malibu Times

My Next Public Portrait Project

Leaving on a jet plane to start painting a new town with a new newspaper...excited. A week of sitters booked back to back. Face of Ventura with The Ventura Breeze Newspaper, Face of Malibu with The Malibu Times, The next Face of Of? Top secret but stay tuned - all will be revealed.

Palette Knife Tantrums

Sometimes my palette knife has a mind of its' own but I guess that's half the fun of a life sitting wielding a knife however frustrating at times.

TY beautiful ArtModelShannon!

The Joys of the Palette Knife Life Sitting
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on Linen
www.johannaspinks.com

Freedom 58 Portrait Project

Hard to believe human slavery goes on every day while we drink our cappuccinos. This beautiful girl I just painted from Cambodia was luckily freed, hence my choice of the gold leaf butterfly. I also wanted to add a touch of her homeland adding the Cambodian sunset.

It is 30x40" via my palette knife painted for The Freedom 58 Project, a traveling portrait show,  highlighting awareness of this travesty. Can you do a portrait too to bring the world's attention to human trafficking and help stop it? If so, go here: www.freedom58project.com

You can also contact Bob via email at fsland@gmail.com

"Freedom Flys"
By Johanna Spinks
30x40"
via palette knife
Freedom58Project
www.johannaspinks.com

Pie Faced

"Holly's Apples"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on linen board
9x12"
goheretopurchase

I once read somewhere you should learn to  paint apples really well  before you can even begin to think of learning how to paint a head. I think it was Helen Van Wyck, a deceased artist I admire for her teachings and books. I agree 100 per cent. There's a lot to be learned from the simple apple. This is a painting I just did back East when cold rain stopped landscape painting play. Sorry, I don't like to paint in the rain. We baked these apples in a pie right after recording them for posterity. You could say we were all pie faced by this point.

WANTED!

WANTED! The best red head in town. If you approach her, this songstress/muse is heavily armed with talent and dangerous to all life painters who tackle her. Do you know her? Life sitting this week - via my palette knife.

"Best Red-Head In Town- Mather"
16x12"
By Johanna Spinks
Palette knife
www.johannaspinks.com

Yummy People

I love painting people who are as yummy on the inside as out. Thank you Salvatore Infantino for a great life sitting.

Salvatore
Oil on Linen
Via Palette Knife
16x20"
By Johanna Spinks
www.johannaspinks.com

Under The Microscope?

Dr. Donna Nofziger Plank
Scientist.
Face of Malibu Sitter Number 34
Kindly featured in The Malibu Times
Story here




Under the microscope? You bet! Painting scientist extraordinaire Dr. Donna Nofziger Plank in a single life sitting, two hours,  for my Face of Malibu portrait project with The Malibu Times. Sitter number 34. Thank you both.