Art Show: Michigan Colored Pencil 2025 and News

(left) Tropical Flora and Fauna    (right) Flowers with Shadow

Two of my colored pencil pieces with be included in the Michigan Colored Pencil 2025 Art Show at Livonia Civic Center Library, October 28 through November 30.  The reception will be held November 8. 2:00-4:00 PM

New Class with WCC Workforce and Community Development

My next class will begin on Monday, November 10, and run for six weeks. In this class you will use different mediums to render more complicated subject matter. Emphasis is placed heavily on developing your personal style, artistic creativity and proper execution. 

 Open Drawing Studio: Continuing techniques in Color at Washtenaw Community College

Registration for Fall Classes at Washtenaw Community College

Previous students with their beautiful artwork.

Registration is open for fall Drawing in Color 

Washtenaw Community College - 

Workforce & Community Development

Explore various colored pencil techniques to create vivid paintings.  Learn color mixing, layering, blending, shading, creating textures, composition and more.  You may also choose to combine other mediums such as watercolors and Pan Pastels. Click here form more information and registration

Recent Work and Teaching

These images represent works completed within the past year, including a class exercise for Drawing in Color, a course I teach at Washtenaw Community College.

Underwater Garden, colored pencil

 ©Barbara Goodsitt

African Gray Parrot, colored pencil

 ©Barbara Goodsitt

Heartbreak of October 7, Mixed media

 ©Barbara Goodsitt

Gradient Exercise, colored pencil  

©Barbara Goodsitt

The top piece, Underwater Garden, was developed intermittently over several years and reached completion earlier this year. The African Gray Parrot is based on a photograph taken at the Toledo Zoo and was finished in 2024.

Heartbreak of October 7 is a deeply emotional work created in the fall of 2024 for an event commemorating the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. This piece expresses the horror and despair evoked by the violence of that day, as well as the ongoing suffering it has caused.

The Gradient Exercise was introduced to my class this year as a technique-building assignment. Its objective is to help students practice smoothly transitioning from one color to another using colored pencils.

 

Returning to in-person teaching!!

For those who inquired about when I would resume teaching "Drawing in Color" with WCC Lifelong Learning - I have plans to teach in person in the winter/spring session of 2024.  

Making Art During a Pandemic

The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic put a temporary "kibosh" on my fine art and teaching.   I couldn't dip into that stream of consciousness for quite a while.  Luckily, I have been working on a series of children's books with my daughter, a published writer as well as a former college instructor.  I was able to focus on specific assignments and made headway with our projects.
I have partially adjusted to our situation and have started work on a floral drawing.  It is healing to take nature walks and draw beautiful flowers.  Here is a new floral in progress, as well as a couple of children's book illustrations I have worked on since being under lockdown in Michigan.  I hope everyone reading this practices social distancing, and stays healthy.

©Barbara Goodsitt

©Barbara Goodsitt

©Barbara Goodsitt

Class Starting January 9

I will be teaching "Drawing in Color" on Thursday evenings starting Jan 9

© Barbara Goodsitt

Washtenaw Community College, WCC Community Enrichment.

Create color drawings using professional-grade colored pencils. You’ll work with water-soluble colored pencils, graphite, pastels and will have the opportunity to include additional media if you want to combine mediums. Many demonstrations and encouraging, one-on-one guidance will help improve your technique and stimulate creativity. All Levels welcome.

More information and registration online: https://tinyurl.com/u68wvjo. or call 734-677-5060

SUNRISE

This piece is experimental mixed media using colored pencil, watercolor and thread.  It was juried into the AAWA Fall Exhibition, on display 10/21 - 11/29 at the Ann Arbor District Main Library, 343 South Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI

Sunrise
© Barbara Goodsitt

Art in Embassies, US State Department

I am honored to have been selected to have my art on display at the American Embassy in Montenegro. This is through the Art in Embassies program run by the State Department.

Copyright Barbara Goodsitt

Copyright Barbara Goodsitt

Copyright Barbara Goodsitt

Award Winning Art for Northville Art House - FINE POINT: Juried Colored Pencil Exhibition

I was honored to be the juror for this exhibit at the Northville Art House.  All of the artwork in this show is beautiful. This show runs through the beginning of June. It is worth the drive. 

Award Winning Art

Click here for Larger images and more info

Award Winning ArtClick here for more information

Video of the Award Ceremony

Click on the picture to see the video

I was honored to be the juror for this exhibit at the Northville Art House.  All of the artwork in this show is beautiful. This show runs through the beginning of June. It is worth the drive.

May 7 and 14 Colored Pencil Workshop at Northville Arthouse

I will be teaching a colored pencil workshop at Northville Arthouse on Tuesday May 7th and Tuesday May 14th from 9:30-12PM .  You can check their website to register.

https://northvillearthouse.org

CALL FOR ART - FINE POINT: Juried Colored Pencil Exhibition

• FINE POINT: Juried Colored Pencil Exhibition

  May 3 - June 1, 2019 

  
  

  www.northvillearthouse.org 

   Juror: Barbara Goodsitt
• Northville Art House presents this open juried competition to showcase the beauty, richness, and versatility of colored pencil through two-dimensional works selected by juror Barbara Goodsitt.
  Location: Northville Art House, 215 W. Cady Street, Northville, Michigan 48167, 248-344-0497, www.northvillearthouse.org
  
  Prizes: $650 for 1st – 4th place: $300, $200, $100, and $50; Honorable mention awards.
  
  http://northvillearthouse.org/exhibits-2/upcoming-exhibit/
  

  

  
  

January Class at WCC

Student Marta with her colored pencil drawing

I will be teaching "Drawing in Color" on Saturday mornings starting Jan 12 at Washtenaw Community College, WCC Community Enrichment.

Create realistic color drawings using professional-grade colored pencils. You’ll work with water-soluble colored pencils, graphite, pastels and will have the opportunity to include additional media if you want to combine mediums. Many demonstrations and encouraging, one-on-one guidance will help improve your technique and stimulate creativity.
Call 734-677-5060

More information and registration online: https://tinyurl.com/y9ttrlzm

Bonnie Auten Colored Pencil Workshop

I took a great workshop from colored pencil artist Bonnie Auten.  I used Derwent Coloursoft and Caran d'ache Museum Aquarelle Pencils.  Bonnie has developed a technique that combines certain dry colored pencils and water soluble colored pencils that result in a very rich, painterly piece of art.  I made this piece in the workshop on U-Art sanded paper (800 grit).

Fall Juried Show

The Annual Ann Arbor Women Artists Show is being held at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown, 343 South Fifth Ave. Ann Arbor, MI..  I have two pieces in this show!  The Show runs through November.

Arizona Still Life
© Barbara Goodsitt

Artichoke #2

© Barbara Goodsitt

Drawing Animals

This is from my class demo about drawing animals.

The class is called Drawing in Color at Washtenaw Community College.

© Barbara Goodsitt

Update

I have two pieces in the upcoming exhibition  EXPRESSIONS - Midwest Color 2018.  

Padzieski Gallery. Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, MIExhibit runs Oct. 11 - Nov. 9. Reception October 18 7-9 PM

Cheers
© Barbara Goodsitt

Golden Pears
© Barbara Goodsitt

June Workshop

I will be teaching a workshop "Creating a Still Life with Colored Pencils" June 18 and 19 with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. This two day workshop teaches you to develop beautiful colors using layering techniques as you learn how to make colored pencil art look like an oil painting. For more information and registration, go to https://tinyurl.com/y94vexjm

©Barbara Goodsitt

AAWA Committee and Board Art Show

The AAWA Committee and Board Art show is up at the Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48104. No through May 29th. Join us for a catered reception on Friday, May 18th from 5:30- 8:00.

My painting: Twighlight Still Life is on display

.

Abstracts

 Having some fun with my watercolors and colored pencils. I am creating abstracts using bright colors and repeating shapes.  This is different from my usual realism.  These pieces are very spontaneous and playful. Perhaps my spirits are lifting now that the cold weather has finally disappeared and spring has taken root!

©Barbara Goodsitt

Presentation at Village Fine Arts Association

I enjoyed giving a presentation and judging a monthly art contest for the Village Fine Arts Association on Wed. April 25.  Here are two oil paintings I shared with he group in my presentation.

Monterey Landscape, 4 ft. x 3 ft.  and Tiger, 3 ft. x 3 ft.