Kathleen Ballard Watercolor

Monday, April 16, 2012

Printmaking

I have always been attracted to Printmaking. In the past, I took several printmaking classes at the wonderful Armory Center for the Arts (Pasadena, CA) with instructor, Carolyn James. The class included printmaking processes, including chine colle, reductive and additive monotypes, relief printing, drypoint etching, collograph and viscosity prints. In the earlier classes, we used oil based inks but later on started using water-based inks which are so much easier for clean up.

(top) monotype, "Experiment", (second row left) rubber block-print "Landscape" (second row right) monotype "crosses" (third row left) rubber block-print "Tulip" (third row right) drypoint, "Desert Landscape" (bottom) "Flower" (three colors).

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Balboa Park Pond

Today I finally finished painting "Balboa Park Pond". It's a full sheet watercolor, 20"x28" done on Arches hot press 300 lb paper.

Last year in October I visited San Diego to attend the San Diego Watercolor Society's Annual Exhibition in which I had a painting accepted. The SDWS has a wonderful Gallery and some of the members I met were friendly and really made me feel welcome.

While I was there, I went to Balboa Park and took photographs of the pond there. It was a beautiful day and I also visited the San Diego Museum of Art there in the Park. I hadn't been in years and it was as lovely as ever! I'm happy to have a memento painting from my very nice time spent in San Diego, CA

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Mary Whyte: Working South

Last week I received a brochure in the mail for Mary Whyte's Museum Tour of "Working South". The museum exhibitions start in Charleston, South Carolina (May 4th thru Sept. 9, 2012) at the Gibbes Museum of Art. From there it goes to Savannah, Georgia (Oct. 5th, 2012 thru Feb. 24th, 2013) The last city is Newport News, Virginia (Apr. 6th thru Jul. 7th, 2013) at the Peninsula Fine Art Center.

It would be fantastic seeing Mary White's watercolors at one of these exhibitions! (A Gal can dream)! If not possible, the next best thing I will do is purchase the book.

The website for this exhibition is:

WORKING SOUTH Paintings and Sketches by Mary Whyte

Friday, April 6, 2012

My online interview

Today Creative Catalyst Productions posted an interview they did about me and my art. I am so happy and honored to be featured on their website.
Creative Catalyst Productions interview

Creative Catalyst Productions produces Art Instruction DVDs in many different mediums by many fine artists. Click here to visit their website.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Arlington Gardens

Artist friends of mine, Jill and Gail met at Arlington Gardens to sketch and paint. I ended up taking photographs as everything was in bloom and so beautiful!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Let's go to the Races!

"Don's Racehorses" watercolor 12"x28"

Last year I painted "Don's Racehorses" as a commission for a High School pal. I must admit I was a bit nervous about painting horses as I had never done it before but ended up really having fun doing it. It was great visiting with him after all these years! Thanks Don!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Foil Still Life Watercolors:

Here are a few examples of my "Foil" series watercolors. The process I use to do this series is (1) I take a small piece of aluminum foil and press it onto an object, (2) then photograph it in different places for different light reflections. The foil picks up colors from surrounding objects so they appear different when photographed in different surroundings. (3) Once I have selected my digital photo, I manipulate it in photoshop by cropping, adjusting the color and contrast, etc, (4) then transfer the image via tracing paper to my watercolor paper using the photograph for reference when I paint.

To see more of my "foil" series paintings, go to my website

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