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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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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Watermedia Showcase award...

Snail Mail by Chris Beck
watercolor, 6" x 6"

"Snail Mail" is currently showing on the Watercolor Artist Blog because it won an honorable mention in the Watermedia Showcase international competition. You can view the show here. The winners will also be published in the February 2010 issue of Watercolor Artist magazine.

This painting was the happy outcome of an invitational challenge from Jelaine Faunce back in the early part of the year. My watercolor buddy Pablo Villicana Lara and I joined oil painters M. Collier and Jelaine in this challenge to create still-life paintings using a plain white envelope as the common object.

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All in good time...

Snail Mail, 6" x 6"
watercolor
Chris Beck

I just got word that my painting, Snail Mail, has won an award in an international competition. I can't say any more about it now, but I'll let you know when it goes public. This painting came about when Pablo Villicana Lara and I were invited to join a challenge posed by Jelaine Faunce and M. Collier back in March using a plain white envelope as the common denominator for our paintings. I had a great time with this subject -- one of the snails in my collection of vintage tin toys almost crawled off the shelf to volunteer its services!!

Invitational Challenge...

"Snail Mail" -- Chris Beck
watercolor, 6" x 6"

"Ghost Mail" -- Pablo Villicana Lara
watercolor, 6" x 6"

"Saumons en Papier avec le Romarin"
Jelaine Faunce -- oil on canvas, 6" x 6"

I was thrilled when Jelaine asked Pablo and me to join her, M., and Otto for their March challenge, but I had a moment of sheer terror when she told us the subject -- a simple white envelope. Fortunately, a few remnant brain cells took up the cause and I ended up having a lot of fun with this. Sadly, M. was unable to participate this month due to some scheduling difficulties. Otto is having some sort of technical problems and cannot send his painting tonight, but we hope to include it tomorrow.