New Cactus Painting

Today I finished a cactus painting I started at the beginning of this month. It always feels good to complete a piece and to start a new one. It's the in-between that has so many ups and downs, little hurrahs and doubts, accomplishments and frustrations . .  .well, you get the picture!

"Sunwashed Cactus" is done on Arches 300 lb. cold press watercolor paper.

"Sunwashed Cactus", watercolor, 19"x27"       Kathleen Ballard

Here are some earlier works that are related:

"Cactus Pears", watercolor, 15"x28"  Kathleen Ballard

"Cactus Apples", watercolor, 17"x17"

"Flowering Cactus", Watercolor, 17"x17"

"Farmers Market Proteas"

My watercolor "Farmers Market Proteas" is currently being exhibited in the National Watercolor Society Annual Member Exhibition and has won the "Keith Crown Award" which is one of the past president's awards. I am so honored to be accepted!

"Farmers Market Proteas", watercolor, 20"x28" Kathleen Ballard

New painting of Archie

Yesterday I finished a new watercolor of our cat, Archie. Paintings of animals are not my usual subject matter but I really had fun doing it!

First I did a "sketch" watercolor of a section of the painting to see what obstacles I might incur especially painting fuzzy, soft fur. I'm so glad I did the preliminary sketch because I ended up not being happy with the results. I decided to try and take a departure from my usual painting style which is somewhat tight to a looser approach and am happy with the results!

Archie loves to lounge and sleep on his back with all four paws in the air! He looks so relaxed and cute I can't help but to give him a few pets! That's when the purring begins!

"Purring", 17 1/2"x17 1/2" watercolor on cold press paper
Kathleen Ballard

New Painting in Cellophane Series

Yesterday I finished a small watercolor in my Cellophane Series which consists of depictions of candy wrappers. "Candy Wrappers" is 10"x14" and painted on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold press paper.

"Candy Wrappers", watercolor         Kathleen Ballard

My Floral Paintings video

florals

My Water Paintings video

water

Recent Artist Documentaries

I love documentaries, especially about art and artists. Recently I've seen two that are interesting.

"Cutie and the Boxer" is the story about New York artists Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. This 2013 documentary shows their relationship in their 40 year marriage as Husband and Wife and Artists. Ushio is famous for being a "Boxing" painter and Noriko for her "Cutie" illustrations. To view the trailer, click here.

"Cutie and the Boxer" 2013 documentary

"Ai Weiwei, Never Sorry", the 2012 film about China's most famous international artist and dissident, Ai Weiwei. To view the trailer, click here.

"Ai Weiwei, Never Sorry", 2012 documentary

These two documentary "portraits" are interesting and worth seeing.

"The Crowned Santos" 1 and 2

Two Christmases ago, a close friend of ours gave us a Santos*. She stands about 32" tall, is carved out of wood and has metal wings. She was bald so I had wrapped a sting of silver metal stars around her head. A few months ago I picked up a lovely crown at a wonderful Pasadena shop, "The Gold Bug" for her so now she indeed looks like a royal angel!

I decided I would do a portrait of her. As you probably know, I am not a portrait or figure painter but wanted to give it a try anyway. The first one, "Crowned Santos" wasn't too successful so I gave it another effort as "Crowned Santos 2". Either painting isn't one of my favorites but I'm happy to have given it a try anyway . . . twice!

*I Googled "Santos Angels" and found this link. This photo on the site is the exact angel that we have!

  

Left, "Crowned Santos", right, "Crowned Santos 2", 13"x13" each, watercolor,

(click on image to enlarge)

Editing

I love to take photos on my early morning walks of the sky, roses or whatever image catches my eye with my iPhone. Other people's roses. I only have two rose bushes in our yard and they seem to be hanging on for dear life! My dream is to plant a rose garden of my own.

My watercolors of roses therefore develop from photos I take from my walks in the neighborhood or from one of the gardens I visit (with my digital SLR camera) in our area. There is the Los Angeles County Arboretum, Descanso Gardens, The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens and Arlington Gardens close by. I feel so lucky to have these wonderful gardens to enjoy and visit them often!

Since I paint from my photographs, the first step (after shooting the photos and choosing the ones that inspire me) is to edit them to make a, what I hope to be, an interesting and beautiful painting.

Here is an example of one of the ways I edit my photos to use as a reference for a watercolor:

I "steal" roses from this photograph

and "add" them to this photograph

This is the "final" compilation

I wanted lots of roses to be in this composition and love the way the light colored ones move through the picture. I also like the little piece of sky in the background and the light hitting the distant trees. More color adjustments will be made in the painting process. This will be a full sheet watercolor.

A New Painting: "White Roses"

I am happy to share my latest watercolor painting, "White Roses"! It was just finished yesterday, is 22 1/2"x30" and painted on Arches 300 lb. Cold Press Paper. I love roses but white roses are my favorite to paint!

"White Roses", 22 1/2"x30"                               Kathleen Ballard

The Art of Tyrus Wong

We are planning to visit The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco to see "Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong", exhibiting August 15th, 2013 to February 3rd, 2014.

Tyrus Wong, A Kiting Legend courtesy of the Drachen Foundation website

In 2007, the National Watercolor Society presented Tyrus Wong with the prestigious "Life Achievement Award". I was accepted in the exhibit, won an award and attended the awards luncheon where they honored Mr Wong. They exhibited some of his wonderful kites on the ceiling of the hotel where the luncheon was held. It was so nice to see this very, multi-talented man and hear him speak. He started his career with the Walt Disney Studios in their animation department then moved to Warner Brothers where he remained for the next twenty-six years as a production illustrator.

A film about Tyrus Wong, "Brushstrokes in Hollywood" is currently in post production in LA, Ca.

"Reclining Nude" by Tyrus Wong, Oil on Canvas

"The Red Fox" by Tyrus Wong for Disney's movie, "Bambi"

New Work: "Koi Pair"

I am always happy and pleased when I finish a painting. It's almost as fun as starting one!
This watercolor, "Koi Pair" is 20"x28" and painted on Arches 140 Cold Press paper. The reference photo was from the Huntington Library I shot on a past visit there. The ponds at the Library Gardens are lovely and I feel fortunate to be able to visit such a beautiful place now and then!

"Koi Pair", watercolor, 20"x28"                        Kathleen Ballard

Tako Kichi

"Tako Kichi: Kite Crazy in Japan" is on exhibit at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, NM till March 23rd, 2014.

I read about this exhibition in this past Sunday's Los Angeles Times in the Arts and Books section, "Art, on the fly". There are over 200 kites from an inch to 12 feet in size, most dating 1960 to present and handmade using traditional, natural materials.

Japanese kite, circa 1925 insect design.

I always loved Japanese kites and even have a small, simple collection I've purchased over the years from kite shops and gift stores. This exhibit would be so much fun to see!

Koi watercolor on Twinrocker paper

I finished the painting on the Twinrocker watercolor paper that I had purchased from Daniel Smith. This paper is 14"x17 1/4" with four natural deckle edges and is cold press on one side and hot press on the other. "Koi in Aqua Water" is done on the hot press side (I had started it on the cold press side and was unhappy with it so restarted it on the other side). I must say that the hot press side is a bit soft so care must be taken if you choose to use a masking fluid but I still like it.

"Koi in Aqua Water", 14"x17 1/4", watercolor   Kathleen Ballard

This handmade paper is not perfectly straight on all sides (some of it may be due partly to my photograph) which I think is lovely.

Twinrocker Handmade Paper

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a few sheets of Twinrocker handmade watercolor paper from Daniel Smith and really liked it. Later on, I decided to check out Twinrocker Handmade Paper's site and discovered that they offer paper samples. I ordered a packet of 8"x10" watercolor paper assortment which included a sheet each of hot press, cold press and rough papers, each handmade one at a time with four deckle edges and their watermark.

This watercolor paper is made from 100% new cotton, is archival and acid free as well as being tub sized with gelatine allowing the paint to stay on the surface of the paper clear and bright.

I just received my sample in the mail which only cost ten dollars including shipping from the company in Brookston, Indiana. Also included is a descriptive page, watercolor paper price list, description page with codes, weight and thicknesses, and a certificate for a 25% discount on an order of WC paper.

This watercolor paper is beautiful and a pleasure to paint on. What is your favorite paper and surface?

Twinrocker Handmade Watercolor Paper sample packet

Twinrocker WC papers, hot press, cold press and rough

Saturday in the Park with the Masters

The "Ninth Annual Saturday in the Park with the Masters" was so much fun and inspiring! It was held at the beautiful campus of the Maranatha High School in Pasadena. The weather was beautiful and there were fifteen artists demonstrating their unique painting styles portraying the landscape or painting one of the models posing there.

One of many beautiful views of the Maranatha High School campus

Maranatha High School campus, another beautiful view

Brenda Swenson's watercolor

Chris Van Winkle working on his watercolor

Chuck Kovacic painting model in oils

Debra Holladay painting model's portrait in oils

Artists gathered around pond painting

Frank Eber painting in watercolor

JoAnn Formia discussing her watercolor painting

Jose De Juan painting model in oils

Joseph Stoddard painting in watercolor

Nancy Shiershke painting in watercolor

Nancy Shiershke's oil painting

Pete Morris painting watercolor of model

Tom Fong and his watercolor

Al Setton joking with Tom Fong

Al Setton painting from model with acrylics

2013 Peeps Challenge

I was invited by four artist friends to participate in the "Peeps Challenge" this year. There are five of us each painting five versions of the beloved Easter candy, Peeps. What fun!

(shown in alphabetical order by artist):

"Happy Hour Peeps", watercolor     Kathleen Ballard

Kathleen Ballard

"Happy Hour Peeps", watercolor on Arches hot press paper, 10"x10".

"I never knew that little Peeps had a dark secret. They are usually seen this time of year hanging out in Easter baskets or lined up in their little boxes. Drinking is so unbecoming of them and they never uttered a peep about loving cocktails!"

"Little Bo Peeps", watercolor                   Chris Beck                

Chris Beck

"Little Bo Peeps", watercolor, 6"x6"

The lovely Little Bo Peep ceramic figurine in Chris' painting is surrounded by sugar free Peeps candies and two little ceramic Peeps salt shakers. Chris Beck's blog

"OTB", oil on canvas, 4"x12"

Jelaine Faunce

Jelaine's internet was been down so her painting was revealed late.
Jelaine Faunce's blog

"A Fistful of Peeps", oil   Geraud Staton

Geraud Staton

"A Fistfull of Peeps", oil 14"x11"

This painting is an inventive take-off on the "A Fistful of Dollars" movie poster with Clint Eastwood. I mean, Clint Peepwood! Geraud Station's Blog

"Equality Peeps", watercolor        Pablo Villicana

Pablo Villican a

"Equality Peeps", watercolor, 6"x6"

Pablo's painting represents the sign of the times and his passion for equality for all to honor his friends and family. Pablo Villicana's blog

The National Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit

Hello Everyone!

The other day I received a nice email from a woman who attended the National Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit, currently in Massachusetts, that she saw my painting, "Balboa Park Pond" and really enjoyed the exhibit. I thought I would share the schedule with you as it may be in or coming to your area.

February 23 to March 25, 2013
Cultural Center of Cape Cod
307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA 02664
www.cultural-center.org

April 2 to May 14, 2013
Southern Arts Society Inc.
301 N. Piedmont Ave, Kings Mountain. NC 28086
www.southernartssociety.org

June 4 to July 16, 2013
Lansing Art Gallery
119 N. Washington Square, Lansing, MI 48933
http://lansingartgallery.org/

July 30 to September 27, 2013
Grants Pass Museum of Art
229 Southwest G Street, Grants Pass, OR 97528
www.gpmuseum.com

October 14 to December 6, 2013
West Valley Art Museum
P.O. Box 6777, Peoria, AZ 85385
www.wvam.org

"Balboa Park Pond", watercolor        Kathleen Ballard

Valentine Challenge

I was invited to join three artists for my first Valentine Painting Challenge by Pablo Villicana Lara along with Jelaine Faunce and Geraud Staton. What an honor to join these three super talented painters for a fun run of incorporating Sweethearts candies in our paintings.

After much thought of coming up with ideas for this challenge, I considered painting an unwrapped chocolate foil heart against a background of scattered Sweethearts candies. Crumpled foil is a subject matter I love to do. Once I proceeded with photography of the little still life I set up and drew it on my watercolor paper, it was so involved I thought for sure I would miss the deadline and abandoned that idea.

I choose a glass, heart shaped bottle with a cork stopper filled with Sweethearts and proceeded with a high key watercolor of it.

It sure delighted and amazed me when I saw the finished challenge paintings by Pablo, Geraud, and Jelaine! Wow!

"Heart Full of Hearts", watercolor 10"x8",  Kathleen Ballard

"XO", watercolor 8"x10" watercolor,  Pablo Viillicana Lara

"Candy Love", 6"x6" Oil on Canvas,  Geraud Staton

"Playing with the Queen of Hearts", 6"x6" oil, Jelaine Faunce