Blog

15 Jul

Posted at 9:28 pm

 

Hello my dear Friends and Artists,

We are in mid July and it has been pretty darn busy moving out of the gallery,  getting resettled and painting!  Many thanks to all of you who are taking advantage of the 25% off all of my artwork in the gallery and online.

Marquette recently held their annual Plein Aire Art Festival and these two pieces were painted there.  You can find them for purchase online at http://kathleenconover.com.   Both will be in the Landscape Series.   Thank you for your many notes remembering the years that you visited the gallery and the years we painted together.While I won’t be at the gallery after September 1,  you can always write to me via the website.  You will always be able to make purchases there.  Now I am excited to have time to paint and travel to many locations across the country teaching my workshops.

My Studio is still looking very pretty and Michelle (new owner) has my work on display as you can see in the picture above.  Please stay in touch and click here to make a purchase of your own http://kathleenconover.com.   Thank you!  Kathleen

 

 

 

15 Jun

Posted at 9:53 pm

Hello from the land of the midnight sun. The sun really “sets” when it goes behind the big glacier (Snaefellsjokul) at midnight and “rises” at 2:00 a.m. when it emerges from behind the big glacier! It is gorgeous here, and the artists in class are perfect adventurers in traveling as well as painting. Love it! And loving that we paint, paint, paint every day. The images that you see are from my painting/sketchbook (based on the real images) done on location in exotic-sounding places like Londranger and Djupalonssandur, all on the remote Snaefellsness Peninsula.

Be grateful, paint daily and smile. This is one big beautiful globe we reside on. Creatively Yours, Kathleen

15 Apr

Posted at 5:23 pm

If you are anywhere near San Diego in the month of May, plan on visiting the San Diego Watercolor Society Gallery and seeing, first hand, an exhibition of incredible Watermedia paintings from nine states!  It is this year’s annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies juried competition.  I was honored to be asked to judge this year’s show  comprised of almost 1000 entries!  The paintings were so strong it made it a very difficult to judge and to eliminate one in ten!  Equally hard was choosing the awards for those paintings, because, of course, I loved every painting I chose.  The show will run from May 1 –  30 and I guarantee you will enjoy the versatility, skill, expressiveness and creativity of these paintings and their creators.

Along with teaching my Watermedia class, “Chaos to Order”, I began the program with a demonstration.  Using an old watercolor painting and applying my “Gesso Juice”.  Keeping Peace” (featured above)  is the finished piece from that demonstration.  It is 15″ x 22″ and is available for sale at  $450.

Be well, paint often, be happy!  Kathleen

15 Feb

Posted at 8:33 pm

I have been making and using this product for years.   Now, I’m very excited that Cheap Joes is using my formula and making it available to you through his Cheap Joe’s Catalog.  Here is a picture of the page where it is found.   Just google Cheap Joe’s  Art Stuff and you will find it for purchase.  Give it a try!

15 Jan

Posted at 12:35 pm

January is starting out with a bang!  And, I’m still basking in the memories made while traveling in Iceland last month.  In fact, ideas have come together for a workshop there June 9-14.  Check out more information under “Workshops” on this website.

In the meantime, I am thrilled and honored to report that I have been accepted into the American Watercolor Society (AWS) 152nd International Exhibition.  It will be held at the Salmagundi Club, NY,NY.    The painting above, “Divided:  Industrial Evolution”, is my accepted mixed water media painting.   I will be at the dinner reception on April 12th.  Will I see any of you there?  In this new year I wish you all well and, to all my fellow artists, Happy Painting!   Kathleen

15 Dec

Posted at 6:04 pm

Travels are always mind-expanding but this month’s trip to Iceland was also incredibly inspiring!  My favorite day was the glacier walk to the ice caves!  Look at those gorgeous organic forms and subtle colors of nature!  I can hardly wait to get to the painting table.

But first, friends and family are to be enjoyed during the holidays.  Sending you ALL wishes for wonderful memory-making-moments with loved ones!   Kathleen

15 Nov

Posted at 6:28 pm

 Blackbirds, Paper Peace Cranes and Telephone Poles….three of my favorite subjects.

Below is my photo reference

        And a few steps in my latest, almost finished painting.  A bit of a deviation from my “Industrial Evolution” series.  Kathleen

           

                               A Beginning                                                                        Intermediate                                                                            And  Finished

 

15 Oct

Posted at 6:22 pm

What a great group of artists in the Virginia Watercolor Society!  Their annual exhibition is at the beautiful Roanoke College Museum and I’m honored to be their judge and workshop instructor.  We come together as strangers and a week later are friends for life…through ART!  Kathleen

16 Aug

Posted at 8:42 am

I love painting poppies, but no matter what the subject here’s a trick for designing a good composition:  once your background is ready,

try “auditioning” cut outs of colored paper to decide the shapes, values and colors that will be best to paint.  Take a photo of the placement.

Remove the paper pieces and proceed to paint your subject.

At the very end of my paintings I often use this technique to make final, small but try important, decisions like

where a bright, saturated color needs to be, where my darkest darks belong or maybe where a few distant birds will fly.  Enjoy!

Kathleen

14 Jul

Posted at 11:56 pm

    This last month has seen “remarkable” activity:  the STUDIO Gallery has been buzzing with visitors from all over the country;

I have taught workshops with wonderful artists and friends, plus there have been competitions and a few appreciated awards!

Here I am, at my happiest, painting!!   Caught mid-splash-and-splatter, at our first nationally advertised Marquette Plein Air Festivaland Competition!  Lucky me, I came home with the Second Place Award for “Morning”, an old tug docked across the street from my STUDIO Gallery!