Holiday Wishes

Happy Holidays

New Years
Confetti
Good Food
Horns
Champagne
Midnight Kisses
New Years

Working on Sanded Pastel Paper

UART Pastel Paper Website

The UART Company makes a great sanded pastel paper that is used by many colored pencil artists.  A very talented Michigan colored pencil artist, Lynda Schumacher, introduced me to this paper.  I was used to working on  acid free illustration board or Stonehenge Paper (which I also love).  It took me a while to feel comfortable working on this sanded surface, but I finally did a piece I was proud of on the 800 grit paper. This drawing is of a Red Tower Ginger Plant.  I really like the softer more painterly quality.
I submitted the image of this piece to UART and they posted it in their gallery!  I am tickled to be there, among many colored pencil artists whose work I have admired for a long time.  

Teaching Colored Pencil Drawing

My first Life Long Learning students at Washtenaw Comunity College

I have a great time introducing people to colored pencil drawing. We start with excercises to acquire skills in developing values. We then move to tonal layering.  My students are just great and it is so much fun to watch them develop their skills and talents.

 Above is local graphic designer Karen Moeller. Check out her website at www.moedesign.com.  She has won awards for her work and her talent is evident in her colored pencil art here. I will be posting more pictures of my students work on my webpage at www.BarbaraGoodsittStudio.com

Artists Young Cho (with maple leaf drawing) and Alice McKeown (with pumpkin still life) display some really nice work too!

Juried Exhibit in Lansing- Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame

Marlena in Sedonaⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

Woman of Colorⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

I am pleased to have two pieces accepted into this show. One colored pencil portrait/landscape and a handcut stained glass mosaic.

Come join us November 7th from 2pm-4pm for an Artist Reception at Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame 213 W Main St., Lansing, MI 48933-2315 

“Celebrating Women”, an AAWA juried exhibit features artists interpretations of Women, their roles, relationships and importance as leaders. This exhibit is being held in conjunction with The Historical Center’s exhibit, “Petticoat Patriots”: Women’s Suffrage Movement (Michigan was the second state to put this issue on their ballot.)   The exhibit runs November 7th through January 31, 2011. Museum hours: Wednesday - Saturday 12-4 p.m. and Sunday 2-4 p.m.

Balance Exhibit moves to Finlandia University

ⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

From Finlandia's University Website:

Collaborative Art Exhibition at Reflection Gallery October 6 to 31

HANCOCK, MI - The Finlandia University Reflection Gallery will host a collaborative exhibit of work by Michigan women artists October 6 to October 31, 2010. Titled, "Balance: An Artist's Collaborative Game," the exhibit was organized by the Michigan chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art.

An opening reception for the exhibit will take place Thursday, October 7, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at the Reflection Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

A public lecture, titled "Connectivity and Feminism," will be presented by Brenda Oelbaum, president of the Michigan chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art, Wednesday, October 6, 7:00 p.m., at Finlandia's Jutila Center campus. Balance: An Artist's Collaborative Game is now on display at the Reflection Gallery at Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan.

ⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

Red Tower Ginger

ⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

This is what is on my drawing board now: a colored pencil piece of a Red Tower Ginger plant. It is 18" x 25" colored pencil on U-Art pastel paper.

My husband and I saw this beauty on vacation in San Diego, CA. at Balboa Park.   It is such a special place full of museums, gardens and more.  I encourage you to visit it if you are in the area.

Great Lakes Small Works Juried Exhibit

The Great Lakes Small Works Juried Exhibit runs from Sept 2-25 at the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanit Michigan. The Artist Reception is Sept 11, from 5-7 pm. There are 70 artists from five of the eight Great Lakes States in this show. It promises to be a visual treat!

Riverside Arts Center is located at 76 North Huron Street in Ypsilanti.  This vital arts center has many exhibits as well as theater and classes.
I was very honored to have two pieces juried into  this show. My still life of Pears and Grapes is included on the postcard. Read a  Review of this show at Ann Arbor.com

Fall Colored Pencil Classes

Fall is approaching and the temperatures will be more comfortable very soon.

I will be teaching two Colored Pencil classes.  One during the day with Ann Arbor Community Education, and an evening class with Washtenaw Community College's Life Long Learning Department.  These classes are geared toward being fun, relaxing and informative. All skill levels are welcome.  We will cover drawing techniques including tonal layering, transferring images, burnishing, using solvents and more!  Some mixed media work too.  Supply lists are available online.  To register see these webpages:

Washtenaw Community College Life Long Learning Classes
Wednesdays starting Oct 6 from 7:00- 8:55PM
THIS CLASS IS NOW FILLED

Ann Arbor Community Education
Tuesdays starting Oct 12 from 1:30 - 3:30 Oct 12 - Nov. 16 THIS CLASS IS NOW FILLED

New Work

Every colored pencil artist knows this feeling: A fist bursting full of colored pencils!  

CP artists  are usually detail oriented, organized and a bit uptight.  I love using colored pencils, but tend to not be as organized as my fellow cp artists.  My pencils get all mixed up, and I only organize them according to color when I have to teach a class, or if things have gotten so out of hand (pun intended) that I cannot locate the colors I need to use!  The piece featured in today's post started out as a symbolic self portrait but I am calling it The Mighty Colored Pencil!

Here are some images of this picture as it developed.

22" x 15" Fabriano Artistico Paper, Prismacolor Pencils

Summer Art

Summer means freedom to have fun! I finished my teaching duties, and I am spending the rest of the summer working on art projects of my choice! I taught a wonderful group of students who were new to colored pencil in a 2 day workshop sponsored by Ann Arbor Community Education. This fall I will be teaching a day class with Ann Arbor Community Education and an evening class at Washtenaw Community College. Stay tuned for dates and times. Continuing on my series of produce centered still lifes, I tried a more whimsical approach to fruit here. This colored pencil piece is still in progress. I love to play with my imagination and create a reality all my own.

Challenges to ponder

I was recently interviewed for a local business periodical. The writer asked me to think about what obstacles I have overcome. It seems that life is always giving us challenges to deal with. Some are big, and some only seem big. One must keep looking for the positive and put one foot in front of the other - keep going forward.

Summer Colored Pencil Workshop

Registration is now open online for a Summer Colored Pencil Workshop

With Ann Arbor Community Education and Recreation. July 8 & 9 from 1-4 PM at the Eberbach Cultural Arts Center.

This summer discover the amazing medium of colored pencil. I will show you award winning colored pencil artwork and give an overview of the colored pencil art scene. Basic exercises will include tonal color layering, pressure, strokes, modeling and burnishing. After completing the basic exercises, you will work on a project suitable for framing. Continuing students are welcome and will complete more advanced projects. Materials fee of $3 is payable to instructor at first class. See website http://barbaragoodsittstudio.com. 2 classes.

Helping through Art....

Things are getting busy. I am happy to announce that the two prints I donated to the Circle of Art raised $90 to help feed those in need. Saline Picutre Company, Side Door Gallery in Dexter, and Food Gatherers teamed up for this wonderful event. As an artist, I sometimes feel that what I do is frivolous in a world that needs so much fixing. Fund raising art auctions for non-profit groups offer me the opportunity to make a difference.

On a lighter note, I have added another venue where I will be exhibiting art this summer: Bab's Underground Lounge on Ashley Street in Ann Arbor. First time I will be showing my work in a BAR!! I will be showing a few pieces there from early July through September. If you get thirsty, drop on by for a drink ;)

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE:

“WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE”

A juired show presented by the Ann Arbor Women Artists

hosted by The River Gallery

120 S. Main Sreet,Chelsea, MI

May 3, 2010- June 12, 2010

GALLERY IN THE DUDERSTADT CENTER- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

BALANCE: AN ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVE GAME

WCA-MI Traveling Exhibit: May 7-31

Opening Reception May 7, 6-8 PM

Eagle Crest Conference Center

April 21- Mid-June

Babs Underground Lounge

July 5- Sept. 5

213 S. Ashley Street

Ann Arbor

Curves at Westgate Shopping Center

presented by Ann Arbor Women Artists

West Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor, MIchigan

June 5 - August 2010

Wild Acorn Gallery in Manchester, MI

ongoing

"Balance" Art Show at the Duderstadt Gallery, University of Michigan

ⓒ Barbara Goodsitt

Balance: An Aritsts' Collaborative Game opened Friday at the Gallery in the Dederstadt Center on the campus of the University of Michigan. My partner, Virginia Obidzinski, and I exchanged images of our art to create three pieces inspired by the word "Balance". We influenced each other stylistically and grew creatively during the process.

I am used to working on my art very independently. The idea of working in collaboration with another artist was a bit threatening but I was encouraged by my daughter to participate. She said I would grow and be stretched by this experience. She was right! My partner, Virginia Obidzinski, approaches art in a less representational way than I do. It was a growing experience to combine her artistic method with mine.

My first piece was literal: I precariously balanced fruits and vegetables in a fictional still life and I also wanted to express the idea of a balanced diet as it relates to one's health.

This past year, I have been working on a series of pieces celebrating the joy of food and local produce. I wanted to continue that theme for the Balance Project.

My second piece was influenced by the geometric abstractions Virginia used in her first piece. I thoroughly enjoyed manipulating my subject matter and felt that I was playing a “collaboration game” with our pieces. I used shapes, colors and design elements from both of our pieces.

My third piece is more symbolic of this collaborative experience. I returned to my first design, but I cut the produce open or peeled away the skin. This represents how the collaboration forced me to look deeper into my approach toward art. It reminded me to strive to balance my technical ability with artistic and individual expression.

Upcoming Shows

I have been concentrating on teaching my art classes the past few months. This is very rewarding and I love the interaction I have with my students in the community. However, I told myself that I needed to devote more time to my work. I am making a concerted effort to paint, draw, and enter more shows during the spring and summer. I will also be exploring pastel plein air painting with the Ann Arbor Women Artists Plein Air Group, led by Sandy DeFazio, a great local artist who specializes in plein air oils of local scenes.

You can see my work at these shows:

Michigan Colored Pencil 2010 Exhibit,

April 2 through 29, 2010

at the Lotus Arts Gallery in Plymouth

995 West Ann Arbor Trail

Plymouth, MI 48170-1603

“WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE”

A juired show presented by the Ann Arbor Women Artists

hosted by The River Gallery

120 S. Main Sreet,Chelsea, MI

May 3, 2010- June 12, 2010

GALLERY IN THE DUDERSTADT CENTER- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

BALANCE: AN ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVE GAME

WCA-MI Traveling Exhibit: May 7-31

Opening Reception May 7, 6-8 PM

Eagle Crest Conference Center

April 21- Mid-June

Curves at Westgate Shopping Center

presented by Ann Arbor Women Artists

West Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor, MIchigan

June 5 - August 2010

Wild Acorn Gallery in Manchester, MI

ongoing

Circle of Art

You can bid online now and continue bidding until the start of the Circle of Art Party held May 16th, 2010 at Saline Picture Frame Co.

Many of my friends have donated beautiful pieces of art. Here are pictures of my two donations (signed Giclees). This silent art auction benefits Food Gatherers -- fighting hunger where we live.

LOCALLY GROWN STILL LIFE #2

LOCALLY GROWN STILL LIFE #2

The Next Detroit Colored Pencil Society Show is being hung at the Lotus Arts Gallery in Plymouth,MI. It will be there through the month of April.

I am honored to have a couple of pieces hanging in this show. Reception is Saturday, April 10 from 6 - 8 PM.

the address is 995 West Ann Arbor Trail, Plymouth, MI.

This new piece continues the motif of the first Locally Grown Still Life. This is a montage of veggies and fruits using the complementary color palette of yellows and violets. I am finding joy in the produce! I see happiness in food, and enjoy making compositions with many elements on a patterned background.

From My Perspective, Ann Kullberg

Ann Kullberg is an accomplished colored pencil artist who specializes in portraits. She has written several books and has a great educational website where she publishes an online magazine "From My Perspective". I was thrilled when she asked me to write a Profile article for this month's 'Member Profile'.

Here is a screenshot of that article. If you want to subscribe to the magazine or look at the colored pencil kits she offers, check out herwebsite http://annkullberg.com.

Ella Sharp Museum- Jackson, MI

My piece "Locally Grown Still Life " was included in the Ella Sharp Museum's 2010 Statewide Fine Arts Competition which is on display from January 16 through March 20 in Jackson, MI.

This show includes 60 pieces of art selected by juror Richard Rubenfeld, PhD. and Art History professor at Eastern Michigan University. It is a very diverse show with many forms of 3-D, 2-D art in abstract and realistic styles. Several colored pencil pieces were included in this show! This medium is being taken seriously by the art world, and we are lucky to have a very talented group of colored pencil artists here in Michigan.

How I work

I was recently asked by Ann Kullberg to write an article about my art for her online magazine. I had to step back and analyze my methods. Here is a small excerpt from my submission.

I keep a small digital camera in my purse in case I see a scene that would make a great colored pencil drawing. I work from life and from digital photos. I will often shoot digital pictures and combine elements from several photos to form a composition (like a collage) for my reference photo. I draw my composition on tracing paper either freehand, or utilizing a grid. Then I transfer that drawing to my support using transfer paper or backlighting it from a sunlit window. I choose my colors intuitively. Occasionally I use a grisaille technique (value drawing under local color) but most often I will combine colors and values from within the “local color” family . I like to work with bright colors. I vary techniques depending on the piece. If I use a solvent, I choose odorless mineral spirits and use a Q-tip to liquefy the pigment of colored pencils. I will do this to provide a base for a large area of color. I will burnish with a colorless blender pencil when the texture needs to look shiny. Most often I will layer many colors with a very sharp pencil. I love the process of creating a detailed piece of art.

Golden Pear Still Life

Happy New Year!

New classes are forming and you can sign up for Colored Pencil Drawing at the Rec and Ed website.

My New Year's resolutions include the usual: I want to get more organized, exercise more, nag less, etc..

But back to art>> I am looking forward to being more productive this year, and will continue to develop new colored pencil projects for my classes. Here are pictures of a step by step project from the fall session. The students in my fall class did a very nice job on this one. The reference photo is from the image library and Wet Canvas. We used solvents to help create the wood texture on the table

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