This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

A New Day
watercolor, 16" x 24"
Verena Heroux

This week marks the second anniversary of the watercolor showcase! As I did last year, I've posted a retrospective slide show featuring one work by each of the artists who has appeared on the blog during the past year -- a grand total of 25 in 2010. My thanks to all the artists who participated by sharing their work and their histories and by spreading the word about the blog.

I received many more images than I could post from most artists. The painting shown here was one of my favorites, but it didn't fit the flow of Verena's feature so was set aside. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

For 2011, I'm planning to make some changes to the format I've followed for the past two years. At this point, I'm not entirely sure where I'm headed, but I want to give myself a bit more flexibility and maybe give you a few surprises. I hope you'll stick around for the fun!!

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Mousie news...

A Shocking Discovery
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Chris Beck

I'm a bit behind in posting my own art doings, but Nosey Mouse has two exciting bits of news. First -- his starring role in A Shocking Discovery netted him a spot of the cover of Steve Worthington's book, The Mouse Project. You can read all about it and order copies of the book on Steve's blog. For anyone new to my blog, Steve invited 22 artists to create paintings featuring one of his bronze mice and then assembled the works into a book, proceeds of which will go to animal shelters. For the backstory on my painting, see my earlier post.

Second -- Nosey is also thrilled that A Shocking Discovery won an honorable mention in the California Statewide Watercolor Exhibition, which opened on December 11 at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, CA. The exhibit runs through February 27, 2011 and Nosey would be delighted if you stopped in to say hello.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Trafalgar Square
watercolor, 7" x 5"
Bill Hook

Over the past 18 months, I've enjoyed seeing the direction Bill Hook's work has taken as he spends more and more time on plein air painting. He captures such expressive qualities of place -- even when painting small format pieces -- that his work creates a strong sense of personal presence in a viewer's mind. His palette is subtle, often featuring greys and muted tones, but there is a marvelous use of light in each piece and sparks of clear color serve to draw the eye through his compositions.

Please go to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Bill's work and then link from there to his website.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Agave
watercolor, 19" x 14"
Deb Ward

Although we live more than two thousand miles apart and have never met, I count Deb Ward as a dear friend thanks to the bond we've established after meeting in the blogosphere. Over the past two years, I've enjoyed reading her often humorous blog entries and watching her develop paintings. Deb moves easily between transparent and opaque watermedia, trying new techniques fearlessly as she explores a wide range of subjects, and I've regularly ooh'd and ahh'd over her finished works.

Jump to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Deb's work and then follow the link to her blog.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Sunbathers
watercolor, 14" x 14"
Susanne Clark

I met Susanne Clark several years ago as a result of having work in a Transparent Watercolor Society of America exhibition, but it took Facebook for us to reconnect. I have been marvelling anew at her wonderful watercolors as I prepared her feature -- unusual compositions, sumptuous color, and excellent control of the medium -- a concise definition of eye candy for a watercolorist!!

Please hop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her work and link from there to her gallery page at the Illinois Watercolor Society.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Queen of the Night
watercolor, 20" x 30"
Sarah Yeoman

Sarah Yeoman's work spans a number of genres, all handled adeptly. Whether painting a stand of tulips or a misty lake in the Adirondacks, she sets a mood that pulls the viewer in and encourages prolonged contemplation of the subject at hand.

Please hop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see examples of her landscape work, and more, and link from there to her website.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

It's My Kind of Town
watercolor, 32" x 26"
Debbie Cannatella

Once again I marvel at the wonders of the internet -- Debbie Cannatella is another artist whose work I know because of our online connection. An energetic and dynamic person, Debbie has given generously to other artists in every place she has lived. And she is always actively expanding her own artistic skills, both by taking workshops with other artists and by teaching students in her own studio.

Please jump over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her work and link to her blog from there.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Good Book
watercolor, 14" x 10"
Andy Evansen

Andy Evansen's work came to my attention thanks (once again) to the wide world opened up by social networking. A gifted landscape artist, his work spans the full range of subjects that come under the landscape umbrella -- winter scenes, beach and water scenes, farms, urban life, and exotic locales. Although he generally favors a high-key and fairly subtle palette, he also works in vivid color with great success, as you can see here.

Please click over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Andy's work and go to his website from there for an even more extensive tour of his gallery.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Peony,
watercolor, 22" x 13"
Solveig Rimstad

Solveig Rimstad is one of the gems to come into my life because of social networking. The precise details of how we met are no longer clear in my mind, but we have formed a wonderful friendship over the past year. Solveig is an amazing artist who expresses her talent across a wide range of genres -- from portraits to landscapes to florals.

You can see a sampling of her paintings at Brush-Paper-Water, and I encourage you to jump from there to her website for a more comprehensive look at her work.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Sitka I

watercolor, 20" x 28"
John Maslen

John Maslen's career has covered a lot of ground over the years, but through all he has pursued his passion for watercolor with a unique outlook, creating a lively body of work. I'm sorry that I didn't have a chance to talk with John when he received his Master Status in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America last year. His painting, Sitka I, deservedly won the Maurice Prendergast Award and definitely stood out from the largely realistic field of work in the exhibit.

Please jump over to Brush-Paper-Water for a look at more of John's work. I've posted a larger than usual number of paintings, for reasons explained there.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Cactus Flower
watercolor, 7" x 10"
Kathleen Ballard

Kathleen Ballard's feature on the watercolor showcase focuses on her beautiful florals, but she also paints wonderful landscapes -- with a concentration on pond and water scenes -- as well as fabulous still-lifes featuring cellophanes and foil surfaces.

Please pop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her florals and then follow the link to her website to enjoy even more of her gorgeous work.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Low Tide, Oceanside, Oregon
watercolor, 8" x 8"
Susan Abbott

Susan Abbott's "Dream Table" still-lifes will likely be familiar to readers of Watercolor Artist magazine and The Artist's Magazine from recent articles on her work. But she is also a prolific plein air painter who posts almost daily on her blog "A Painter's Year" and spent 15 months cataloging her travels through Vermont with wonderful sketches and fascinating history on her blog "Let Me Show You Vermont."

I don't remember how I came across Susan's work, but I admire it tremendously -- her still-lifes are fabulously detailed and very fresh and her landscapes are colorful, lively depictions of the world around her, whether at home or traveling the globe.

Please pop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her work and link from there to her website.

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A Shocking Discovery...

A Shocking Discovery
watercolor, 12" x 12"

I'm pleased to unveil my finished painting for sculptor Steve Worthington's mouse project!! Just to recap -- Steve decided to publish a book, with proceeds from the sales to go to animal shelters, and he invited a bunch of painters to create works featuring his bronze mice. I picked Nosey Mouse and had a great time brainstorming ideas for this project.

I initially thought to pose Nosey as a cat burglar -- perched high on the roof of a cheese museum on a dark night, looking down through a skylight into an atrium where a rare cheese was displayed in a lighted case with security laser beams, etc. -- but Nosey informed me with a sniff that union rules prevented him from impersonating a cat, regardless of the altruistic value of Steve's mission. No amount of explanation was sufficient to convince him that "cat burglar" is only a figure of speech, so I went back to the drawing board.

I've long admired Arnold Lobel's books for children -- they have a wit that makes them delightful for a child of any age -- and I was pretty sure he'd done something with mice. I lucked out on my first foray to Borders, where I found Mouse Soup front and center on a display as I entered the children's section.

To pose Nosey properly, I needed to have him peering down from a height, so I gathered a stack of books that have meaning for my life: I loved to cook, back when I had more time, and this was my first "serious" cookbook; the author of the design book was one of my college art profs and my watercolor mentor; I'm a longtime knitter and the stitch pattern book has been a great source of inspiration for my designs; I have always loved the elegant watercolors of Charles Demuth; I grew up in a port city on the Great Lakes; and of course -- I love Arnold Lobel's books. (Peeking out from under Mouse Soup is Fables, a storybook really meant for adults I think. I feel very lucky to have a personalized copy with a sketch as well as Lobel's autograph. I was in the hospital many years ago when he did an author tour, so my boyfriend -- Señor Terremoto -- went and stood in line for me!!)

Steve has already received quite a few paintings from the other artists on this project -- and it looks like it's going to be a really fun book. I'll keep you posted as things progress and provide a link when the book appears.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

The Cod and Lobster, Staithes, North Yorkshire, England
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Iain Stewart

Iain Stewart is another architectural illustrator who has moved into fine art in the past few years and is getting well-deserved recognition for his work. There is a clarity and crispness about his paintings that derives from his architectural work, but the emotional quality of the paintings raises them to a new level. His pleasure in exploring overlooked scenes of everyday life comes through in his work.

Please hop over to Brush-Paper-Water for more of Iain's work and a link to his blog.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Hanging Out
watercolor, 13" x 18"
Tom Francesconi

I recall fondly my first encounter with Tom Francesconi. Tom was President of the Midwest Watercolor Society the year I received my signature, and he was the moving force behind the transition of that organization to the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Despite all his responsibilities at the annual meeting, he took the time to chat with my 80-something mom and help her navigate the raffle selections, a kindness that left a lasting impression.

Tom's painting demonstration at a subsequent TWSA gathering showed his passionate approach to watercolor and his mastery of the medium. From what appears at first to be a rather casual application of paint, you are gradually rewarded with a lively image that carries great emotional weight.

Please step over to Brush-Paper-Water for more of Tom's work and the link to his website.

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Getting into Mischief...

Cockamamie Cockatoo, 6" x 6"

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, 6" x 4"

The past week has been good for my spirits -- the six little paintings shown here will be hanging in an upcoming show at Studio Gallery, a San Francisco gallery that features Bay Area artists. A friend who has been included in several recent shows there suggested I contact them and also put in a good word about my work. So after email and phone conversations with the owner, I drove up last Friday with just over a dozen pieces and she chose these six for the "Mischief" show. It runs from July 21 to August 15, with a reception on July 25. The gallery is a good fit for my work and I really like the owner, so I'm hoping that she'll want to show more of my work in future shows.

Watch the Birdie, 8" x 8"

Quackeroonies #2, 6" x 8"

"Quackeroonies #2" will have the additional honor of being included in the 2011 Daniel Smith Catalog. I know very little more than that, but I'll keep you all in the loop if more news comes my way.

Dippy Duck #2, 8" x 8"

Colonel Mustard, 6" x 6"

Otherwise, I've been keeping busy with painting and gardening. Our garden is definitely a case of "bloom where you're planted." We have about an 18-inch strip of workable garden space along a very long driveway -- otherwise the yard is too shady for much in the way of flowering plants. We've packed in perennial morning glory vines, gaillardia, roses, salvia, lavender, shasta daisy, coneflower, and assorted filler flowers as well as numerous hanging geraniums. One of these days, I'll share some of the pix I've taken.

Señor Terremoto and I also took a daytrip last week to the Luther Burbank Gardens, a couple of hours north of us, so I could take more resource photos for cactus paintings. It's not a huge garden, but it has some unusual plants. I'll share some of the photos from that trip in another post.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Riesling
watercolor, 27" x 16"
Cindy Agan

It's with a great deal of relief that I am posting tonight. I've been looking forward to sharing Cindy Agan's work, but a computer malfunction that occurred late yesterday nearly shut me down. Thanks to Señor Terremoto, computer whiz par excellence, all the materials I needed for her feature were retrieved and moved to another computer.

Cindy's work is striking for many reasons -- design, fabulous color, marvelous painting technique -- and she clearly conveys her passion for her subjects. Another one of the wonderful people I've met through Artcolony, she is a dedicated and successful artist -- she has completed over 200 commissioned portraits in her career, as well as producing competitive work for shows and publications.

Please hop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her work and hop from there to her website.

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Wherein Nosey explains his absence and invites you to win a mouse...

[Editor's Note: Nosey was quite bereft after hearing that Chubby went home following his little havoc-fest at Jelaine's place -- the full story starts here -- and he moped around for days muttering "but Chubby said we'd be getting the band back together" and "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." He completely refused to work, turning up his nose at every suggestion I had for a challenge painting. I finally coaxed him outside today and he seemed to enjoy romping around on the fence and poking his nose through the vines. I'm hoping he'll be more cooperative now and willing to help me out on this challenge painting.]

Well, hello -- Nosey Mouse here. I see the old lady has filled you in a bit on the past couple of months. So I'm not exactly proud of the way I've been acting, but I'm a sensitive guy -- I don't like getting jerked around -- I thought I had a deal with Chubby, but he just boogied out of there like nobody's business. Not a word of goodbye, nada!!

But enough about me. I'm here to tell you about another fun contest that my buddy Steve has set up. (Hey, Steve -- you probably thought I wasn't paying any attention, but let me tell ya -- that how-long-is-the-snake contest sure got my attention -- like think about it, dude -- what's their favorite food? -- YAH, mousies, that's what!! -- you'd pay attention too!!) Anyway, this new contest is a lot more mouse-friendly. You just have to... well, here, let Steve explain it... (just remember -- you can read about it here, but you have to go to Steve's blog to enter the contest.)

Take it away, Steve!!

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

There you have it, I've been blathering on for 100 posts!
So I thought I'd have another contest and give away a mouse.
But wait, there's more!
I'm going to give away two mice.

So there's 2 ways you can win...
One normal way anyone can try, and another way you can try if you have a blog.
So if you have a blog, you can try both!

First way to win...

I've just had my new mid sized turtles finished and photographed.

But they don't have any names.

So, whoever comes up with the trio of names for these turtles I like best wins a mouse (the winner can pick any mouse from Sprightly, Nosey and Chubby).
You have to post your names as a comment, or email them if you have trouble with the comment thing working (put 'name that turtle' in the subject line).

They can be any kind of names you like. Descriptive names, like my mice, or actual names, like my tiny bunnies.

As you can see, one turtle is minding its own business, one is quite bold, and one a bit shy.

If, by some strange coincidence someone comes up with the same names as someone else, the earlier poster wins.
If I pick 3 names from 2 or more posts, I'll give it to the person with 2 names I picked, or roll a dice for the winner if it's a name each from three posters.
If it's 3 names in one later post, all of which were posted earlier by separate people, the all in one gets it.
You can have 2 tries each, 3 names per try. So you can have an early go, and hold off for a bit for a second go.
If some other permutation of unforseen strangeness prevails requiring a judging decision, I'll decide as fairly as I can and my decision will be final (hey, it's my blog after all!).

So what are you waiting for!
Name that turtle (and that one, and that one...)!
Deadline is my next post, when I'll announce the winners.

Second way to win...
If you have a blog (it must have existed before today!), you can enter by posting an announcement of this contest with a link to this post on your blog. Let me know by commenting on this post, or email me ('blog entry' in the subject line) and you'll be in the blog draw for a mouse of your choice (from Nosey, Sprightly and Chubby).

Any bloggers who enter before the end of this weekend (before June 14) gets a double entry - their name goes in the hat twice!

So there you go!
Have fun and good luck! I'm looking forward to naming my turtles next week (deadline is my next post, when I'll announce the winners).

Click here to go to Steve's blog to enter the contest.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Going Green,
watercolor, 30" x 40"
Paula Fiebich

I had certainly been aware of Paula Fiebich's incredible painting -- "Venetian Gold" -- which won the American Watercolor Society's Gold Medal in 2007, but with my rather poor memory for names, I didn't make the connection immediately when I met her through the Artcolony blog this past year. Needless to say, it was a great delight when I did. Her beautifully designed paintings -- whether her subject is a still-life, a floral, or an architectural detail -- feature wonderful patterns and colors as well as exquisite painting technique. "Going Green" was a finalist in International Artist magazine's recent Floral and Garden competition, and appears in the April/May 2010 issue.

Please pop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of her work, including "Venetian Gold."

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Blue Door
watercolor, 12" x 12"
David Poxon

Please link over to Brush-Paper-Water to see the work of British artist David Poxon.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Bandits at 3 O'Clock
watercolor, 30" x 22"
Mike Bailey

I knew of Mike Bailey for years by name and reputation, but despite living in the same area, it was only recently that I met him in person. Mike's route to being an artist was not a direct one, but since he found his path, he has been incredibly intense and productive. He has received repeated recognition of his talent, and his high energy and engaging personality -- coupled with his masterful abilities as a painter -- also make him a very popular teacher.

Please jump over to Brush-Paper-Water for more of Mike's work, and link from there to his blog and website.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Mellifera
watercolor, 14" x 21"
Guy Magallanes

Although we initially met through social networking, Guy Magallanes and I met in person shortly afterwards when I went to a reception at the gallery he and Joyce Faulknor owned. His ebullient, larger-than-life personality is clearly expressed in his watercolors -- from the closeups of bees in roses to the swirling colors of koi. I feel so privileged to have him as a friend -- his personal warmth and his passion for his work is wonderfully uplifting and contagious!!

This is a very special week for Guy -- the first episode of the 14-part instructional TV show that he has done with Joyce Faulknor will air on Saturday, May 8 at 9 a.m. on KCSM-TV, a PBS affiliate in the San Francisco Bay Area. Art2Art is a fun show, featuring the two artists painting the same images, but using different approaches. They are poised to start filming a second season and the show will go nationwide after that series is completed.

Please hop over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Guy's work and then link from there to his blog and website.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Generations
watercolor, 17" x 13"
Kaaren Oreck

What started out as a quick second peek at the TWSA show last summer became a wonderful two-hour tour when I met Kaaren Oreck in the gallery. Her warmth and wit, coupled with her experienced artist's eye, made for a very lively conversation about art as we worked our way through the show.

Through her travels, she has found inspiration for her work from many sources -- and her current paintings based on Japanese themes represent both the simplicity and the complexity of traditional Japanese art.

Please jump over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Kaaren's work.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Celebration
watercolor, 27" x 18"
Verena Heroux

I first "met" Verena Heroux after becoming a member of the Artcolony blog. I was struck immediately by the exquisite beauty of her work. She has a great eye for design and every painting features gorgeous color of incredible clarity. Her love of flowers and gardens comes through in each piece -- I wanted to stroll into those gardens and sit among the flowers, inhaling their perfumes and admiring their showy blooms.

Please run, don't stroll, over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Verena's work.

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Peeps challenge...

What Did You Expect from Marshmallow Eggs? - 6" x 8"
watercolor by Chris Beck

Me and My Peeps - 7" x 9"
watercolor by Pablo Villicana Lara

Late Bloomer - 6" x 6"
oil on cradled hardboard by Jelaine Faunce

There's nothing quite like a challenge to get the old brain cells fired up for painting -- doesn't matter if it's a serious subject or something as silly as Peeps. I've been wanting to do something with these critters for years, but I really needed some co-conspirators. Enter Jelaine and Pablo -- the best compadres you could ask for. It's such a treat to see their inspired creations!!

Like Pablo, I struggled with this painting -- some defective paper set me back not once, but twice -- and like Pablo, I wondered if my original title had somehow offended the universe. We won't go into details here -- just in case!!

For purchase information, email me: chris@chrisbeckstudio.com

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Masking techniques tutorial - part 3...

I'm back at last with another installment of my tutorial on masking techniques. Today I'm going to give you information about using frisket film and Con-tact paper, as well as a novel way to use masking fluid, and I also have some additional information on tapes. One of my happy discoveries -- the Nichiban tape shown above -- is explained in more detail later in this post.

I covered the common uses of masking fluid back in January -- you can see the posts here, here, and here. I also looked at various types of masking tapes in another post later in the month.

Guy Magallanes prefers frisket film (a sheet of low-adhesive transparent film) for masking larger areas. He explains his approach in this post. Connie Williams recommends using low-tack, clear Con-tact shelf paper in place of frisket film. It's inexpensive and the light adhesive won't mar your paper. She's written a wonderful tutorial here. I tried frisket film for the first time and, as you can see here, had a problem with a paint leak because I didn't get the edge of the film completely sealed.

Deb Ward uses a technique developed by Steve Blackburn for pouring masking fluid as a design element. Her posts showing this technique are here, here, here, and here.

Tape is one of the tools in Sandy Maudlin's painting kit. She creates some amazing textures and scenes using Manco masking tape. Sandy generously shares many of her paintings here. Unfortunately I haven't had any luck finding Manco tape in California and my online searches haven't been successful either.

Back in January, I discovered that my favorite tape for masking the edges of my paintings was actually the worst performer of all the tapes I tested (see the blog link in the second paragraph). But visually I prefer the white tape over the better performing blue masking tapes.

Fortunately, William Hook mentioned during a discussion online that he found Nichiban tape to be absolutely superior as a masking tape. I found it at New York Central Art Supply.* Although it's a bit more expensive than generic masking tapes, it does work incredibly well. For the sake of testing, I bought one roll each of four different widths, but I think I will probably make most use of the 1/2" width. I can protect the edge of the painting with that narrow strip and then make the border wider with my old white tape. The wider Nichiban tapes may come in handy for masking shapes within paintings.

As you can see in this image, the Nichiban tape protected the right side edge of this painting completely, while my old white tape -- 3M 256 -- allowed paint to leak under the bottom edge. (The paper had been soaked for approximately 5 minutes prior to stretching, but was completely dry when I applied the tape.)

*(A brief note on NY Central Art Supply -- you download a PDF of their catalog and then call them with your order. I found them very pleasant over the phone and they shipped promptly. They also called to let me know that one of my items was backordered -- a level of service that has disappeared in most cases these days. I recommend them highly.)

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Nosey Mouse...

I'm pleased to introduce Nosey Mouse. She arrived this afternoon and has been exploring the studio. When she settles down, we're going to work on a challenge painting.

Sculptor Steve Worthington has asked approximately 20 artists to participate in a challenge using their choice of one of five bronze mice he's created. When all the paintings are finished, he's going to gather them into a book which he plans to publish this summer and he'll donate the proceeds from the book sales to animal shelters. I'll post updates here as things progress.

I can't encourage you enough to explore Steve's blog and website -- he has some fabulous sculptures of mice, frogs, and toads, to name a few of his critters. And his short videos are very quirky and fun to watch!!

And to those patient souls who have been waiting (endlessly, it must seem by now) for my follow-up post on masking techniques -- please bear with me. It's just been a bit chaotic here and I haven't had the energy to compose the material into a coherent post.

I'm also working on another challenge with Pablo Villicana Lara and Jelaine Faunce (and possibly a fourth artist) and will be posting the results next week. We've got a great subject -- very timely as you will see -- and I'm dying to see what my fellow painters have come up with.

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This week at Brush-Paper-Water...

Fascination
watercolor
Paul Jackson

I think one could reasonably claim that the name Paul Jackson is virtually synonymous with watercolor in our time. Recognized early for his virtuoso paintings, he has sustained a level of excellence and productivity ever since. And just when you think he has taken his work to the highest level, he surprises you with even more amazing paintings. A master of color and composition, as well as a superb painter, his portfolio covers wide territory -- from landscape and architecture through interiors and still-lifes featuring everything from colorful glass to insects.

Please jump over to Brush-Paper-Water to see more of Paul's work and link from there to his blog and website.

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Happy Monday!!

Hollyhocks Too, 15" x 15"

I'm honored to be the featured artist today over at Charley Parker's blog "lines and colors" -- Thank you, Charley!!

It is almost an understatement to say that lines and colors features a wide range of visual art. Charley's posts cover everything from classical paintings and drawings to contemporary comics and concept art. It's always a treat to see what he shares. Check it out!!

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