Lucy Kemp Welch A Painter of Horses

I have really enjoyed Laura Wortley's book Lucy Kemp-Welch: The Spirit of the Horse over the years. But it is time for me to part with it as I need to get rid of some quite good stuff.

Lucy Kemp-Welch (1877 - 1958) is best known for her illustrations for the 1915 edition of Black Beauty, but she had a long career as a painter and art educator at a time when women artists were still very rare. During World War One she was employed by the British Army to depict battle scenes.  

Here is a link to many paintings I have never seen and would love to see in person.

Slide Show of Lucy Kemp Welch Paintings

To buy my used copy in good condition click here 

The Spirit of the Horse , Artist Lucy Kemp Welch

Creating Another Hand (flex tool)

I was inspired recently by Carol Marine's description of how to use an adjustable arm with clamps on both ends as an extra "hand" to hold a viewfinder when painting still lifes from her book DAILY PAINTING (pp 82 - 84). Thank you Carol for sharing your ideas!

Now, I said to myself,  I can also use this to hold a reflector card when I photograph my artwork.

After researching the cost of this tool and reading some reviews of the quality of ready-made versions, I found this interesting video by knoptop on YouTube showing how to make a flexible clamp from an old lamp. Thank you knoptop for this video!

Below is my clamp that I made from an old lamp after watching knoptop's video. The lamp I found in a thrift for $3 already had a clamp on one end, so I removed the light fixture and replaced it with a smaller clamp to hold my viewfinder or reflector card; a small piece of flexible foam fills some of the space within the clamp for a secure hold.

FARM, WINERY & BISTRO III EXHIBITION RECEPTION THIS SUNDAY

"Barn Island Trees" 

Oil on Panel

8"H x10"W

Two of my recent landscape paintings have been accepted at the Chamard Vinyard / Six Summit Gallery invitational exhibition for Connecticut Women Artists, Inc (CWA, Inc) members.  

The opening reception is this Sunday, Dec 7th from 2-5pm at Chamard Vinyard in Clinton, CT. The vinyard is located at 115 Cow Hill Road, Clinton CT, 06413.

Dinner will be available before and after the reception; call 860-664-0299 to make your reservations.

The exhibition itself runs from January 23rd to March 22nd.

"Back Alley Light" accepted into Juried Exhibit "Surface and Depth"

"Back Alley Light"

Encaustic on Panel

18" H x 14" W x 3" D

 "Back Alley Light" was accepted into the juried exhibition "Surface and Depth" at The Golden Thread Gallery in West Hartford, CT. Tomorrow is the drop-off and the opening is next Saturday, September 13, 7pm - 8:30pm.

This painting is one of three of my "Back Alley" New London cityscape series. I wanted to create a look and feeling of gritty urban textures when they're "washed" by the late afternoon light from the intense late afternoon sky. The light in the city along the waterfront can make everything beautiful.

"Surface and Depth" runs from September 13 through November 1st at Golden Thread Gallery, 303 Tunxis Road | W.Hartford, CT 06107.

The Armory Show in NYC

The 2014 Armory Show :

My first time going to the Armory Show in NYC and here are a few of my favorite paintings I viewed.

                                                       

"Still Life with the White-Red Tomato" (2013) by Raimonds Staphrons, oil on canvas.

Looking at this painting in person I could see all the rich textures, subtle and not-so-subtle colors which activated the surface. I wish I could of gotten a better photo but actually seeing a painting always engages more of the senses.

"Half Salmon" (1961) by Wayne Thiebaud, oil on canvas.

 I am drawn to the physical plasticity of Thiebaud's paintings, how he juxtaposes chromatic grays and complimentary colors to create a vibratory effect. The surface becomes more than surface and has a life of its own.