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.

GINKGOS

I've used fluid acrylics a lot in the past two years, but mostly straight from the bottle, without diluting them. Using them just like transparent watercolors works superbly! Thanks, Nick, for showing us how versatile they are.

It seems that transparent watercolor has a nearly identical twin sister now in the fluid acrylics. Both paints have their own personality, but come out equally as transparent. I would NEVER have thought acrylics could be used this way, ever. The ones I used in college straight from the tube certainly had a plastic, cheap look to them. This is entirely different. Painted on Arches 140# hot press 30 x 22."

I like how much more versatility is at my fingertips by having a choice of which kind of paint to use to do the best job at the moment. Can you tell which part of this painting was done with transparent watercolor and which part with fluid acrylics? Click on 'comments' below and let me know.

ACTIVITY

Ginkgo trees loose their leaves in one day. The way the leaves lay on the ground under the tree when they fall reminds me of wearing crinolines when we were little kids. The leaves around the trunk on the ground look like the crinolines did when you dropped them down around your ankles, before you stepped out of them.

Since I'm inspired to paint Ginkgos, I'm headed down to the studio and will hopefully be incorporating many things learned this past week from Nicholas Simmons. This painting is just an up close of part a painting we did last week in the workshop. The COLORS!!!!! WHEW! Doesn't get much more dynamic than this. I'm charged up.

Fluid Acrylic Watercolors on Arches HP 140# SOLD

NICHOLAS SIMMONS WORKSHOP

I surely wish all artists who work in any type of watermedia could spend at least one week at a workshop with Nicholas Simmons. This past week's workshop put a new bar up for what a great workshop entails. I've been able to enjoy learning from so many talented and well known national artists, and yet, this week was way beyond my expectations. Nick taught us new techniques that were great, but most of all, he also taught us to push ahead, to think creatively, to explore beyond what we can imagine, and to really stretch the boundaries of our world. Inspirational. What an incredible week!

My painting posted here shows my attempts to incorporate some of the techniques Nick taught us, but you must visit his diverse website to see his work. Fabulous. Although this painting is not the success I had envisioned, (workshop 'art' seldom is,) I gained so much from doing it.

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"BOW TO YOUR PARTNER" (created at NES workshop) Fluid Acrylics on Arches HP 140# 16 x 23"

LET IT SNOW

We had our first tiny bit of snow early yesterday, but I missed it 'cause I was asleep ... exhausted from a week of painting and learning. But the week has been chock full of excitement and experimenting.

Nicholas Simmons, a MASTER artist, is here at the studio sharing with us so much of what he's discovered about watercolor and the world of art. The workshop has far surpassed our expectations. If you can get into one of his workshops, you will not regret it. He's a musician first, he says, but his paintings, his skill at handling the medium, and his diversity an amazing part of this artist's brilliance.

I can't wait for this morning to begin. It's our last day of the workshop, and we will have him return for another session in the near future. Check out his website (see side bar) if you haven't already. I have the highest respect for Nick. Getting to know him and learn from him this week is a special treasure that I will always cherish.

I'll post some goodies from the workshop soon. This post is from last week's demo at the Cincinnati Watercolor meeting, the third card of the demo (see previous posts.)
"LET IT SNOW" on Arches 140# CP about 6 x 9"