At last, spring! Time to get serious about getting outdoors and building up our art-inspiration banks. Check out this month’s newsletter for an update on what we’ve been up to and what’s coming next!
Here are this month's tasty treats:
See Diana’s art this month in two shows!
Put some colour in your life: register for our April workshop
Coming in May: Yep, we’re offering another great workshop!
You might enjoy: Why cleaning your brushes is a waste of time
Our favourite thing this month: Mahl stick
See Diana’s art this month in two shows!
This spring is special, with a chance to see Diana’s art in two great shows:
In Osoyoos, Diana is holding a solo show in Jojo’s Café. The show runs until April 29 and features several of Diana’s landscapes and some surrealist interpretations of the South Okanagan environment. There’s something for everyone to love! Jojo’s Café — known for its yummy coffee and treats — is located at 8316 Main Street in Osoyoos and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
In Penticton, Diana is part of The Beauty of it All, a show put on by the Penticton and District Community Arts Council’s artists in residence. Stop into the show at the Leir House Cultural Centre at 220 Manor Park Avenue in Penticton to see some of Diana’s most colourful works, including the big, beautiful Candy Bear. The show is open to the public from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays until April 30.
See you at one or both shows!
Put some colour in your life: register for our April workshop
Have you signed up for our next workshop?
On April 9 and 10 we’re presenting a workshop titled Exploring the Wonderful World of Colour. The workshop will be led by experienced artist Lynne Marand and held at the Leir House Cultural Centre in Penticton.
Both beginning and intermediate artists will learn how colour can add excitement to a painting. Participants will explore both theory and techniques for applying and using colour. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a completed painting and a much deeper understanding of the colour wheel and colour schemes.
Registration is nearly complete, but you still have a few days to sign up! To register and for more information, visit our website.
Coming in May: Yep, we’re offering another great workshop!
Earlier this year Diana led a workshop in which participants incorporated little treasures, such as pebbles, shells, pieces of bark or leaves, into beautiful works of mixed media art. The workshop was so popular we’re offering it again in May!
Titled Show Off Your Treasures in an Abstract Painting, the workshop will be held May 28-29 at the Leir House Cultural Centre in Penticton (220 Manor Park Avenue). Participants will learn how to incorporate their treasures into a piece of abstract art they can enjoy at home, at work or anywhere else they choose. They’ll learn the entire process of laying down paint, adding treasures, playing with colours and using a variety of mediums to create textures and bring out the natural beauty in their treasures.
We already have a few folks registered, so don’t delay! To register and for more information, visit our website.
You might enjoy: Why cleaning your brushes is a waste of time
Well that’s a headline to make you sit up and take notice! And while in fairness it just pertains to oil painting, this short video from Mark Carder of the Draw Mix Paint YouTube channel makes some great points.
One of the best is his insistence that there’s no such thing as a dirty brush: “You shouldn’t think about brushes as being dirty — they just have the wrong colour in them,” he says.
Mark points out that cleaning your brushes with solvent, mineral spirits or soap and water removes the oils from your bristles…and your brushes won’t perform as well or last as long. Instead, he proposes simply wiping off your brush, then moving on to the next colour knowing there’s a little of the last colour still on your brush.
But what if you’re painting with pure colour, like bright yellow or black? Mark covers that as well, offering some good suggestions for ensuring the residual paint in your brush doesn’t torpedo your work. Finally, he tells us how make sure your brushes don’t dry and harden overnight when they haven’t been “cleaned.”
Yes, his approach is somewhat controversial, as the comments below the video illustrate. And we’re not saying he’s right…just that what he says is interesting.
Check out the video here on Youtube! And let us know what you think: is cleaning paint brushes a waste of time?)
Our favourite thing this month: Mahl stick
Sometimes when we’re painting we need a little support. I mean yes, we paint so much we have an impressive set of guns, but after a while even our arms can get tired.
The solution is a mahl stick — a wooden or metal stick with a soft leather, rubber or padded head that painters use to support their painting hand. The name is from the German and Dutch words “malstock” or “maalstok,” which means “painter’s stick.” Just to confuse us some people spell it “mahlstick,” some spell it “maul stick” and some spell it “maulstick.” Whichever spelling you choose, it’s the same thing and it’s incredibly useful.
To use a mahl stick, rest the ball end on the edge of your canvas or your easel. Hold the other end of the stick with your non-painting hand and rest your painting hand or wrist on the stick. Doing so gives you a stable, steady platform that is great for doing detail work and for keeping your hands off wet paint.
You can pick up a mahl stick at most art retailers, like Opus or your local art store or online at Amazon.
Have you tried using a mahl stick? Let us know how it went!
Thanks for reading our newsletter! Get in touch if you have questions, feedback or want to talk.
If you know anyone who would enjoy or benefit from the content in this newsletter please forward it to them. And be sure to visit online hangouts:
Website: timidturtlecreative.com
Youtube: Make Art With Diana
Instagram: @timid_turtle_creative | @dianaskelhorneartist | @paulskelhorne
Facebook: facebook.com/timidturtlecreative
Diana and Paul Timid Turtle Creative