The Quicksilver Workaholic

The Frickerdoodle went missing again yesterday...he was here in the morning before we went on our errands, and hasn't been seen  since.  He and his tiny brother Frack (I think his name should be Fractious) were almost inseparable, and as kateslover said in his blog last night, the little guy appears to be looking all over for his missing sibling. 

At least he's stopped crying constantly...ever noticed how that's almost as contagious as yawning?

Frick was SO friendly that I'm just sure he followed someone or let someone pet him and they took him home.  I've canvassed the immediate neighbors with no luck...



You can see who's the adventurous one...although they'd BOTH follow Joseph wherever he went, like a pair of puppies.

I HATE having outdoor cats.  Not going to do that, ever again. 

And yes, of course, Frack's an indoor kitten now...I was going to see that they both were, on the 4th, because of losing them last Friday when we had fireworks. 

Wish I'd just done it THEN...

Still too dark, still too choppy, but fun anyway.  This was just part of my current sketchbook...

Hi all!

Since I've had some trouble sending my art tip, I'm adding it here too in the hopes that if you DIDN'T get it and you wanted to, you'll find it here or on Facebook!  (And by the way, please feel free to visit me on Facebook for quick updates and announcements as well as general silliness!)

It has been wild busy around here, what with my online class and working on my latest North Light book, complicated by all our thunderstorms and resulting email and 'net interruptions.  So I really DIDN'T drop off the face of the earth...hope to get things working more smoothly SOON.  (REALLY soon...)

Welcome to all our new members here--quite an influx since the last tip went out.


Tip #91 is on Painting on the Spot--with more suggestions and demos.  As usual, you'll find it on my website at http://cathyjohnson.info --just click on Art Tips at upper left.  (As longtime newsletter members know, the previous tips are archived as PDFs at right--print them out, share with a friend, whatever--that's what they're there for!)

I even have a new slideshow demo up on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVTZ6S0wg-4&feature=channel_page featuring
one of these paintings.  Please, comment, rate it, let me know what you think!

----------

ART TIP NEWSLETTER--CHANGES UPCOMING

I'm trying to move this announcement newsletter to gmail or something like Constant Contact, but it's slow going getting all my mailing list transferred!  I'm about half finished at this point, since I pretty much have to transfer the email addresses one by one.

I've had so many problems getting things TO you--for a variety of reasons--that I'm hoping this will help, when I finally get the transfer
done.  I'll be able to add a few graphics, too...I hope you find it useful!

For some reason in transferring addresses to gmail I seem to be losing a few...so if you don't receive the next art tip (#92) within 30 days, check with me at kate@cathyjohnson.info and I'll see that you're on the list!

----------

ART TIP CDs

For those who prefer not to spend TOO much time online or like the convenience of working on your break or your vacation where the 'net may not be available, you can still get inspiration from the first 75 tips, which I put on CD 25 at a time.  I keep the price low on these, since they are also available on my website--these are more for your convenience!

You can find them at http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson or on my website catalog.



This is the cover of the initial one, but you'll find all three currently available at the site!)
-----------

WATERCOLOR ARTIST MAGAZINE'S AUGUST ISSUE

Watercolor Artist's August issue is out, and I've got a big article in the Studio Staples section on resists!  I've featured it on my blog, here:
http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/387762.html, including a picture of my featured painting and the magazine cover to look for.

It's a great issue, with articles by Danny Gregory on art journaling and one by Charles Reid, one of my favorite watercolor artists--and a lot more!

--------

ART CRAWL DEMO

July 10 is the date for our Art Crawl in Excelsior Springs, MO--I'll be at Olde English Garden Shoppe at http://englishgardenshop.com/, and since my article was featured in the magazine, I decided to do the demo on resists this time.  Who could resist?  (OK, groaaaannnnn...)

There's going to be live music again, Liberty Rising this time will be in the shade near Olde English, so I'm looking forward to being able to HEAR! Dr. Polly Jaben will have her photos on the platform this time--they are always gorgeous!

I'll be demonstrating watercolor techniques between 5:00 p.m. and 8 p.m.--and as always there will be lots more artists as well as treats, wine, and more in the various shops and galleries involved, all up and down Broadway.

---------

SKETCH CRAWL

We're planning our monthly sketchcrawl on the next day, July 11, as usual, at 1:00 p.m.--if the weather is nice, we may try to meet at Tryst
Falls again, but if it's HOT, we'll meet at the Hall of Waters in downtown Excelsior, right next to Olde English!  I've been promised they'll have it open for us--it's a great Art Deco building from the 1930s, and it will be AIR CONDITIONED--cool in more ways than one!

If you're interested, let me know and I'll add you to my SKETCHCRAWL ARTISTS list, so I can get you the latest info on where and when!

You could plan a weekend, come for the Art Crawl, stay over at The Elms Hotel (check out http://www.elmsresort.com/) or The Inn at Crescent Lake Bed and Breakfast at http://www.crescentlake.com/, have a great prizewinning BBQ dinner at the Wabash just across Kansas City Avenue from the Elms, a classy dinner at Ventana's, or pizza (or calzone!) at Ryans, both on Broadway, then join us for the Sketchcrawl on Saturday afternoon!

My friend and fellow artist/naturalist Maria Hodkins and I try to get together once a year when she's in the area--she and husband Evan always stay at the Inn.  It's lovely!  Check Maria's website at http://www.windword.net/index.html

---------

STRETCHING PAPER FOR WATERCOLOR

I don't much like stretching paper, and haven't, really, for years--I just tape mine down with masking or drafting tape and paint.  But for the North Light book I'm working on, my editor wanted to show how it was done.  I created this illustration to show one of the classic ways of doing it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cathy-johnson/3596210284/  (The comments are helpful, too!)

One of my contacts saw that on my Flickr album, and shared their home made rig--it's cool!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwhcoaster/3666915226/in/set-72157618810155973/?addedcomment=1#comment72157620721604894

And of course from there, you can find the link to Ken Bromley's version, which also demonstrates pretty clearly what I DON'T like about stretching paper!  He's solved the problem well, though.  Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2zeS0oVi4

I have to admit, though, my method of taping the edges with masking or drafting tape leaves a lovely clean border when you remove it that almost gives the effect of a double mat.  I guess I won't be changing any time soon!

-----------

THE OLDEST ART IN AMERICA?

I've always been fascinated by cave art and other creative endeavors by our oldest forebears.  This story on the National Geographic page is right up my alley, and I hope you're interested too!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090610-oldest-art-mammoth-picture.html

------------

Hope you're having a wonderful, productive summer--I know I am!

Well, cool!  The new Watercolor Artist magazine is out (it used to be Watercolor Magic back when I had a regular column, remember?) and not only do I have a big article in the Studio Staples section on resists--saving that white paper is often the lightest light in a watercolor--but Danny Gregory has a good one on journaling and so there are TWO by/about one of my favorite watercolorists, Charles Reid!

The above piece, Angeles Forest Wildflowers, is one that appeared in my newest book, Creating Nature in Watercolor: An Artist's Guide. If you're interested in notes on technique, you can click on the image, which will take you to Flickr--LOTS of notes on this one!

My next demo at our Art Crawl will explore more on the resists by the way!  That'll be July 10 in Excelsior Springs, MO, at Olde English Garden Shoppe--I'd love to see you there!

And here's the magazine cover to look for:

Of COURSE that's one of Charles' florals on the cover...he's just brilliant.