NICHOLAS SIMMONS

Last weekend my studio was electric with energy and creativity. Nicholas Simmons (website link) challenged us to try many new processes to develop our paintings. Nick had already taught a workshop here almost three years ago which was awesome, and since I'd done all the things Nick taught then and learned so much, I didn't anticipate painting as much this time. WRONG!

Nick (blog link) led us through four intense days, packed with exciting possibilities, showing us how he uses FLUID ACRYLICS and TRANSPARENT WATERCOLOR. It was impossible to tell the difference between the two mediums unless you rewet the paint to see if it moved.

This painting is one of many that I worked on in Nick's workshop. Staying up late at night to do our homework was a requirement that we didn't know about ahead of time... but worth the effort.

And here is a 'newly painted' wall in my studio, painted by the 18 people who were here. The actual paintings that resulted from this artsy wall were astounding. Most remembered to sign their names somewhere on the wall, too. A taped up sheet of plastic with towels under it caught the paint as it flowed to the ground, but we still managed to add color to the studio's concrete floor. Think I may have to frame the wall.....

Nick's teaching skills are only surpassed by how well he paints. THANKS SO MUCH, Nick, for an awesome and incredibly great four days. Nick will be returning for another four day workshop here in 2012, beginning on Sept. 28 going through Oct. 1. A couple of people have already put a deposit down for their spot in the workshop! They'll be glad they did.

Nick's not making coffee in these cups, but getting ready to paint a new painting. He uses Da Vinci brand paints, both watercolors and fluid acrylics, and knows how to make them look so good on paper. The previous workshop with Nick was dynamite for sure. In my opinion, it was on top. This workshop was actually even better. Nick's a natural teacher, able to convey ideas and processes in a fluent way, while staying in touch with what the class and individual artists need. He's an amazing guy. Everyone went home with tons of notes and exciting possibilities to explore. It was a great workshop. Thanks goes to all who were here for helping make this workshop a wonderful success.

NICK SIMMONS WORKSHOP HERE

Artist Nicholas Simmons will be teaching a workshop here at my studio next August, SIXTEEN months away, but I wanted to let anyone know who's interested. Check out his work here with fluid acrylics. He uses them JUST LIKE TRANSPARENT WATERCOLOR, taking advantage of the fact that once they're dry, they're immovable, but while they're drying, they're partially removable. Nick's results are stunning and have been compared to a batik look.

In 2007, Nick was here to give a workshop, right after he won the National Watercolor Society's GOLD MEDAL. We learned so much and had a blast.

Next August, Nick will present a fabulous four day workshop from August 6 - 9, 2010, a Friday through a Monday, here near Cincinnati, Ohio. Cost is $400, and a non-refundable down payment of $50 holds your place in class. He is an excellent instructor who has the expertise to teach, motivate, encourage, and critique.

Contact me for my mailing address at sandymaudlin@gmail.com if you have questions or want to sign up. Nick's workshop will fill up very, very fast so don't delay. And if you can't get here to southeastern Indiana for the workshop, make every effort to find another NICHOLAS SIMMONS workshop to attend. You'll be so glad you did.

WORKSHOP

Great News!

Nicholas Simmons

will be HERE to hold another one of his awesome workshops. The dates are a ways away, but I'm already fired up. Set aside August 6 - 9, 2010, for Nick's workshop.

Only a year ago, Nick was here in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to lead a workshop in my teaching studio with 23 excited artists, inspiring us, encouraging us, instructing us, entertaining us, challenging us... I could go on and on. His workshop was over the TOP!

We painted for five solid days last November, with one morning devoted to learning about Photoshop. Nick is a master with the brush and has the added ability to clearly convey his processes to a whole class.

More details about the workshop will be posted on my sidebar next month, and sign up for the workshop will be available as of Jan. 1, 2009. Check out Nick's blog at http://nicholassimmons.blogspot.com/ where there's a link to his website on his blog. Can't wait!

DIFFERENT COLORS

Venice was incredibly beautiful. The light changed constantly and mesmerized me.

I quickly snapped a photo of this scene while we were hurrying to catch the water taxi again. It's my favorite picture I took on the whole trip and reinforces Linda's three second rule about taking pictures.

The lightest parts of this painting are pure white paper - no paint. I liked how the sunlit walls fasten into the sky area and decided not to define the sky with any color at all. Gosh, Venice glows!

This is painted with fluid acrylics, which are as transparent as regular watercolor when used like Nicholas Simmons uses them. Thanks, Nick, for teaching us!

"GOLDEN VENICE" Fluid Acrylics on 140#CP Arches, 24 x 19"

MORE GESSO

We've enjoyed fabulous weather this month, even though there's a brisk chill in the air now - beautiful weather for painting outdoors! This painting is another oldie, painted on gessoed watercolor paper. Now a restaurant, the building used to be a working mill somewhere in Massachusetts.

First I painted over the entire sheet of paper with light to medium valued colors, using mostly burnt orange, yellows, greens, and some blue. After letting the paint dry, I lifted off the lighter shapes then painted in the darker shapes.

My hope was to leave as much area untouched by my brush as possible, but I had to do more adjusting than I wanted to. Still, I like the foreground area a lot in front of the mill, and, I remember sharing a wonderful dinner there, too.

This week in one of my classes, we'll be working with watercolor and gesso again, hopefully incorporating some of the special techniques Nick Simmons taught us here at the studio last fall. We sure have great memories of that workshop!

"EVENING CALLS" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Gessoed Arches, 22 x 15"