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We've just completed our weekend workshop on "The Art of Seeing and Painting Color". The workshop was sponsored by the Billings Arts Association (BAA) and held here in Billings, MT. All 10 participants worked hard and hopefully went home with a good feeling of accomplishment. We used new tools and old tools in new ways. Spot screens and value cards, they found to be essential to color discovery. It's not an easy thing, to change methods and thinking in determining and painting correct color. Here are just some highlights about the workshop and a few snapshots of the attendees hard at work.  The setups were simple and designed to get the artist to think about how the environment influences the color of the object and how the object influences the color of the environment. Ten different set ups were positioned around the room. One for each artist. But they couldn't get too comfortable in one spot, as we moved them to new stations to change things up and make them think.  Based on a book written by Arthur Stern, "How to See Color and Paint It", the setups and lighting were specific for each station to solve a series of color challenges.  Stern states that ""The mind stands in the way of the eye". He means that we proceed to paint on previous assumptions or prejudices and don't trust our eye in assessing color..  We found out that an orange is not necessarily orange and that the subtle color shift of value and temperature are what defines the shape and an objects position in the environment.  It looked deceivingly easy, but that wasn't the case. This way of seeing took careful thought and decision making.  It wasn't all serious and intense, there was a lot of fun and camaraderie, banana bread, chocolate and pizza.  I hope all went home armed with new knowledge,and a deeper understanding of this thing called art. There is always more to learn. "The mind stands in the way of the eye. That's why most beginning painters don't paint what the eye sees, but what the mind lets the eye see. They paint what they expect to see." Arthur Stern
Art is meant to be shared, and as an artist, I feel it is important to support my community and various charitable causes as I can. It is my way of paying it forward and being a good steward of my talents. I often hear complaints from artists about the endless stream of requests for work to be donated for fundraisers. While we can't contribute to every request, we can certainly make choices for venues we care to support.
One such opportunity that I will be supporting is the Christian Benefit Auction coming up on Sunday, April 24, 2016. This event will be held at the Billings Depot, 2310 Montana Avenue, Billings, MT from 4-7pm. If you attend you will find my artwork, quilts, gift packages, trips and lots more to bid on, along with food and great company. The money raised goes to scholarships for campers and operations for the camp. Though this camp is supported by the Lutheran churches in the region, it is open for anyone who wishes to attend and kids from all over the country come here. All four of my kids attended from their 5th grade year to high school graduation and loved it. Many campers come back as counselors after they have graduated. Christikon is a Bible Camp located in the Rocky Mountains just north of Yellowstone National Park, near the heart of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area, in some of the loveliest country in the world, about 47 miles southwest of Big Timber, Montana. LCGS houses the offices for Christikon, a Lutheran Bible Camp for youth and family. Christikon staff may be contacted at 406-932-6300 in summer, or 406-656-1969 during the off-season. More information is available at their website Christikon.org It may resemble a tortilla, but while lefse, a traditional Scandinavian flat bread, is round and fried on a hot griddle, that's where the similarity ends. While it is a simple food with few ingredients, the art of making lefse, good lefse, is a practiced technique. Generally the recipe and instructional practice is handed down, generation to generation, as families gather to prepare food for holidays. I learned from my Mother, Grandmother, Great Aunt, and Great Grandmother at a time when families lived close and celebrated holidays together. Now, our families are often scattered to the wind and don't have the luxury of spending the days of preparation time before a holiday celebration. A couple of days during the holidays is often all that is afforded. I want the traditions that I grew up with to be passed along to my Grandchildren. Since we are three thousand miles apart, I am resorting to technology to bridge the gap and keep the traditions alive. See the video here and the recipe below. Here is a good and simple recipe for LEFSE and a video to share for making this wonderful tradition. Lefse 2 2/3 cup water 4 T butter 3 T sugar 1 tsp salt Put these ingredients together in a microwaveable container on high, for 2 minutes or more as needed to melt butter. Mix the hot water mixture in a large bowl with: 6.4 oz pkg of instant mashed potatoes 1 cup evaporated milk Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Mix 3 cups of the mashed potatoes with 1 cup flour Mix well to form a sticky dough Form into a ball about 2 1/2 inches round, roll out on a well founder pastry board, fry on hot griddle (about 460*) Lay on clean cloth to cool This recipe makes about 1 dozen rounds |
AuthorCreativity has been my life and I would like to share some of my thoughts, learning and fun facts with you. Archives
July 2018
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