Utrecht Learning Center - Acrylic as Water Medium

Utrecht Learning Center - Acrylic as Water Medium

Posted using ShareThis

12 Merry Days Seminar_Apple Tree Tole Shop

What a great seminar!!! This weekend I painted with Heidi England at the Apple Tree in Springfield VA. Three and a half days of non stop painting!! This is the third year I have been painting with Heidi - and it's such a great experience.

I finished most of my piece - I need to add some embellishments, details and antiquing ... but I managed to finish the major parts.

Prepping For Heidi Seminar

If I was to ever it the lottery - I mean a BIG lottery - I'd spend the rest of my days painting and going to every painting seminar that I could around the US. Alas, I haven't hit the lottery and I haven't quit my day job....BUT...what I am doing is prepping for Heidi's Twelve Merry Days seminar.

The Apple Tree is a wonderful tole shop in Northern Virginia, and I am so grateful for it...as many tole shops are disappearing due to the influx of big box stores muscling out the little guys - THEN dropping all the paint supplies leaving us artists hanging.

The Apple Tree has wonderful wood pieces - and for this seminar, we are painting a 36 inch Santa.

The basecoat was easy to put on - I used a roller.



A good way to "save" your paint is to utilize those baggies! I wasn't sure if I would need more, so I just put the roller and the tray into a large baggie and left it on my paint table ... and after 2 days, it's still fresh.



..and because Susan is nice enough to let us come in early on Prep Night, I'll be finishing the rest of the prep this afternoon at the shop. I can't wait - love when Heidi comes to town!!!

When First You Dont' Succeed....

...try again. I tried to fix the roses ... I think they look a little better.

Heidi England Seminar This Week!!

I'm so excited that decorative artist Heidi England is coming to my local tole shop, The Apple Tree. This will be my fifth seminar with Heidi ... and I can't wait to paint this Santa! if any of you have a local tole shop in your area - please, please , PLEASE support it. I know it's easy to go online...or go cheaper at the big box stores ... but these big box stores are putting our precious Mom and Pops out of business. I try to take as many seminars at the Apple Tree as I can ... and Heidi is always fun.

Oh To Paint A Perfect Rose

This is one of my favorite surfaces - it holds tea bags. I envisioned roses..found a Marjorie Harris Clark pattern ... too bad Marjorie didn't paint it for me! The thing about painting roses - is you have to just keep doing it. So ... I'll keep painting them. maybe one day, I'll actually be happy with the outcome.

I've Been Scrappin'

I loooove going through my old family photos. Is it just me, or did the women from the 40's just have that certain PIZAZZ!! Now, don't get me wrong - without a doubt being an African American in those days was awful .. but I look at these photos and just think that the time...the period of the clothes (shallow I know) .. just so beautiful. The women in my family were also seamstresses - so many of the pictures in my photos - they actually made the clothes they are wearing.

Anyway ... this lay out was for a challenge using black and white or sepia tones, on the Scraps of Color group.

Last Set of Pages - Black Cat

WHEW. This challenge/swap that I participated in on the Yahoo group, Art For The Creative Mind was fun - but challenging.

I finished my last two sets of pages, and they will be mailed out on Monday. I am hoping that my recipient likes them.