Garden Party
12 x 16, oil on canvas
$500
Available for purchase here
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JohannaSpinksFineArt?ref=search_shop_redirect



Happy Saturday.
I don't know about you but I love garden parties, sunshine and painting roses. Some students of mind find roses hard to paint and get impatient with them.  I love painting roses but they don't always co-operate with me. I kinda love this little painting and find it hard to part with. It makes me feel happy. How about you?

Doing color/value studies

Morning Friends:

I love to do color/value studies for my paintings...I try to be as loose as possible and get as much color in as I can of all different color temperatures.

Come study with me this Friday at my Atelier Day at my studio in the Malibu Highlands. The day includes a yummy lunch and a lot of fun...

Or you can join me tomorrow at The California Art Institute.

Email me for details johanna@johannaspinks.com

I will post more about color sketches later.

Color/Value Sketch

Would love to see you!

Princess Kate's Portrait...

Kate Middleton Portrait
By Johanna Spinks
Done on her engagement

Princess Kate's Official Portrait
Paul Emsley

OK friends...so what do you think? A big buzz in the portrait world today over Princess Kate's first official portrait..and most of it toward the blistering negative from both the public and art critic alike.

I feel sorry for the artist Paul Emsley. Not easy to do a royal portrait or any other going into a public collection. I have done it. You get nervous no matter what. You know your art butt is on the line. And you also know everyone has an opinion about absolutely everything from five day old fish and chips to Kate's mouth pursed tight like a fishwife.

I think he should certainly have done a sitting from life of her which he freely admits he didn't, working the whole time from photo reference he shot. He even did a film showing his studio and his photo reference of her all over the place. I found that hard to watch being a portrait artist who has made life paintings of the sitter an important part of my process.

The good news is that Princess Kate loves it and is on film saying so. Maybe that will help the artist today because unless he has skin thick as an oyster shell, the reviews must hurt. He is probably under the bed covers eating toast and peanut butter right now. Or down the pub on his 10th pint. Or both?

Now go take on the art day!

A Passion For Pink

Pink Passion
12 x 16
For sale through my online store. See link at top of page
$325 incl. free shipping

Class yesterday. Join me Wednesday mornings at The California Art Institute, Westlake village

Morning Friends

It was the first day of a new teaching semester at The California Art Institute yesterday under the new ownership of Kate Barnholz. I don't know about you, but I find change hard.

I was delighted to see a full house in my teaching class which is always fun.  Come join us Wednesday mornings. 

Here is my demo. I love painting vintage hats. Every hat tells a story of good times gone by and makes the perfect still life. You almost don't need the model

This pink hat has to be seen to be believed. Whoever wore it must have had a lot of confidence.

Now go take on the art day.

Happy Painting Accidents

"Reflection"
Oil on Canvas
By Johanna Spinks
12"x 16

$500, plus tax and shiping

Sunday morning, Perfect. Time to reflect on the week over a cup of Joe.

I love when you don't plan to do something but it just kinda happens. And turns rather out well. That was the story behind this sketch, done in oil, on canvas, not paper, a technique I have often seen Jeremy Lipking use. Boy, have I been lucky to be around him this last year. www.lipking.com/

My scheduled sitter didn't arrive Friday afternoon. I was a little frustrated having prep'd the canvas, mixed up my muted palette, cleaned my studio floor, and made sure my sweater was on with the label not inside out. You get the picture.

In frustration at waiting for my sitter, I grabbed a pic of this hip hop dancer that was lying around, picked up a brush, some raw umber and a sparkling new canvas board I wanted to try out. Oh yes, and a kneaded eraser for pulling out the lights.

Hey presto, an hour and a half later, this appeared like a  ghostly genie out of a bottle.

KICK START YOUR ART IN 2013

Come Study With Me in  2013. New class schedule

Happy New Year Joy

"Sweet Goodness"
Oil
Johanna Spinks
Sold.

Hi Everyone

Happy New Year. I am chomping at the bit to get into the studio this morning full of new resolutions and energy for the year ahead with some nice commissions on the go.

In the meantime, I post this humble cupcake. Feels kinda joyful to me. And it sums up how I want my year to be and YOURS.

 Now Take on  The Joy

Johanna