Christmas 2010

Christmas dinner at Olive's

Sharon is distributing cards, while Wayne sends signals (maybe: "where's my dessert?)

A lovely meal with good friends.
Shirley, Vivian, Julie, Sharon and Kathy getting ready to sing.

We had an enjoyable dinner and evening at Olive's last night, with 32 Group members, spouses

and friends present. After dinner we opened each other's original Christmas cards, and passed them around so all could admire the great variety of styles and design. The Serious Sixplusone Singers sang a silly song. For those who were unfortunate enough (or maybe that should be "fortunate enough"?) to miss it, the lyrics are:

6+1 SONG (tune of Jingle Bells)

Dashing from the car to the Kinsmen Centre door,

It's really not too far, with our palettes, paints and more.

Coffee's just the thing and some friendships strong and tight,

What fun it is to laugh and sing an artsy song tonight!

Chorus

OH...6+1, 6+1, 6+1 we are,

Oh what fun it is to paint some landscapes, or a car;

Portraits, mountains, animals, flowers, abstracts new,

In watercolour, pastels, oil, acrylics, graphite too.

Critique time is here; we're waiting for our turn.

The comments we all fear will make our ears burn.

"The shadow's not quite right!"

"That value's much too dark!"

"From which side do you see the light?"

Makes us better in our art!

Repeat chorus.

6+1 Show and Sale: Lawton Gallery

Vivian and Gretchen hanging the show...

Opening night! The show will be on display until the end of November.

GALLERY LAMBTON in MAY

After the Lunch and Information session, we moved into the Gallery where Lisa talked about the Collection, some of which were hanging on the walls, and about selection of pieces, the time, cost and research that is ongoing to bring in new collections from other Galleries and about putting a show together.  Particularly this one..... painting, selecting, framing and hanging in so little time.  Bravo!  

So much to learn!

SHADES OF 6+1 SHOW: May 2010

Vivian gives some final touches to our show at the Lawrence House

We're almost ready to go!

Happy 10th Anniversary to us!

Kathy and Shirley are ready with lots of food to greet the hardy First Friday visitors on this rainy evening.

Jerry and his guitar entertained in the Turret Room. George gave the piano a real workout with his amazing performance!

Artists Abound

Art at the Lake Florida Style

Tuesday afternoon I drove out to Naples Pier.  Many artists have painted this scene.

After leaving the pier I headed to Third Street downtown Naples.  There were people everywhere.  Forty artists were set up at different spots downtown.  Here are a few shots.

I could be out to art shows everyday in this area!!!!  I have now registed for five classes in a Watercolour 201 course.  It covers impressionistic landscapes.  Quite a change from the Abstract Course I've just completed.  Painting is a hobby that even goes on vacation with me. Happy Painting!

Monday Afternoon Art Group

Here are a couple of photos taken at the Monday afternoon art group in Ft. Myers.  The guy leading the critique is from London, Ontario. Yes I do have a painting up for critique - painted from a friend's photo taken while she was in Belgium.

Harry with his painting.

Magic Product

Yesterday at an art class I saw a demo of a product I didn't even know existed.  It's magic for a watercolourist.  It allows you to white out an area if used without diluting it or use with water to tone down an area.  It can be painted over. Sure beats scrubbing the heck out of the paper.

The product is Aqua Cover Up.  On the bottle it says "liquid watercolour paper" and "gives the appearance of Arches natural white colour" when used full strength.  It worked on toning down an area on my painting. The instructor got hers online. It's definitely going to be a must have for me.

Keeping in Touch

Oranges froze on the trees, strawberry plants killed with the frost, animals at the zoo needed help to withstand the cold and hundreds of dead fish washed up on the shore as a result of cold weather. Does this sound like the Florida you know? However the cold has passed. Yesterday it was 27C and we were sun drenched.

I’m staying in a condo on Hickory Bay in Bonita Shores. Here are a few photos taken of the grounds at the condo and of the area around the bay.

I'm renting in the building on the left which is on Hickory Bay

Condo pool and bay

Condo tennis court (you won't find me there)

Across the street

Down the street  where I walk

A busy bee

Birds of a feather flock together

The main reason I love this area is that it has a very large arts community. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I am out painting. I’m taking abstract painting at the Bonita Art League (I am now a member there), a watercolour class at continuing education at a high school, and I’m painting with a group of artists who have recently rented a hall at a church. There are around twenty of us and it is a fun group. At the end of each session we display our art and there is time for a critique. There are a few Canadians in the group.

As for the abstract class – well I haven’t produced anything I like as yet however the classes are fun and messy! The goal for the first two classes was to loosen up. Put paint on the paper and generally “create chaos”. Future classes will concentrate on simplifying the chaos (refine and enhance) by applying the elements and principles of design to these warm up exercises. Michael Domina is the instructor and he does have a couple of art web sites. Michael says to be spontaneous – let go, no rules, no judging, and experiment – don’t try to make a recognizable shape, LET CHAOS HAPPEN. I have no problem making the chaos – it’s the refining part that throws me.


The watercolour class is one where the instructor does not demo. She goes around the class providing individual help. We can copy one of her paintings or do our own. I did try copying one of her beautiful paintings (a butterfly) but did not have any luck so I decided to do a Tibetan lady. Here is a photo of my efforts so far. I know one eye is larger than the other – so what else is new?
 

Other activities include attending art shows, line dancing, walking around the bay, and playing Mah Jong. I hope to get in the pool soon. So much to do and so little time!

OUR BRING IN AN OLD PAINTING DAY