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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Top 10 Reasons You Need to Take My Art Class

Top 10 Reasons You Need to Take
My Art Class

1.  Your creativity called and would like to be unleashed.

2.  It's been cold forever and you may not have a real one of these in your yard this year.

3.  You've always wanted to learn to paint and now is a great time to start.

4.  You're not getting any younger.

5.  You deserve a break today.

6.  Can't dance, may as well paint.

7.  Gotta start somewhere.

8.  Orange (and yellow) are the new black.

9.  A fun thing to do that won't add inches to those thighs.

10.  The election will be over and everyone needs a reason to celebrate that.  

Classes start this Tuesday, May 20 at 6 p.m. 
at News Auction Barn on Hwy 227,
Carrollton, KY.

Arrive about 5:45 to get your palette set up and be ready to paint by 6 p.m.

I supply all the supplies, instruction and inspiration.
You supply $40 (and your own apron or smock).

You will have this lovely 20" x 14" acrylic painting of Sunflowers.

Your inner Van Gogh is ready to come out.

Message me or leave a comment if you want to reserve your spot.
 

Friday, May 16, 2014

Fun Art Classes

Fun Art Classes

No stress
No mess
No Pain
All Gain

and Lots of Fun

 
Tuesday, May 20 at 6 p.m. we will have our first Fun Art class.
We will be painting the sunflowers on the left on May 20.

Tuesday, May 27 we'll be painting Geraniums and daisies on the right.

You can make your reservation and pay using the paypal button below.
You can also call me at 502-523-0663 to reserve your spot.
Space is limited.


Classes


I supply a 20" x 16" stretched gallery wrap canvas,
Brushes,
Paint,
Easel
Incidentals.

All you need to bring is a smock or apron.

If you could arrive about 15 minutes early, you can get your palette set up and ready to go.
I hope to have you and your lovely, (and it will be lovely) artwork on your way home by 9 p.m.

You will learn how to mix paint,
lay out a painting,
create depth,
several types of strokes to make petals and leaves,
shading,
highlighting, 
and how to have fun while creating.

I would wear something you don't care if you get paint on.  
(Maybe you're as messy as me.)

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

LearnTo Paint in Carrollton

Learn to Paint in Carrollton

I've thought about it for months.

I've talked about it on facebook.

I've talked about it with friends and family.

And. . .
Now, If you live in Carrollton you have the chance to take a group painting class.

I'll be offering beginning painting classes at News Auction Barn
Highway 227, Carrollton, KY  
on Tuesday nights beginning May 20 at 6 p.m.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to paint these sunflowers.

Sunshine Fields
 
This is a 20" x 16" gallery wrap canvas and I will supply everything you need to accomplish it, 
accept a smock or apron for $40.
You will have a finished painting to take home that night.

So call your sister, call your momma, call your friends and 
then CALL ME to reserve your spot.
502-523-0663

I can take your $20 deposit over the phone to reserve your spot and
 you can pay the rest the night of the class.

Space is somewhat limited, so get on the phone!

YES!
You really can paint this.

You'll have the option to change it up a bit to suit your taste,
but you can do it.

Look ahead on that quickly filling up calendar to May 27
and we'll be painting this little number at 6 p.m.
at News Auction Barn. 


Daisies and Geraniums

20" x 16" gallery wrap canvas and the very same fantastic offer.
$40 for everything you need to complete this painting in one evening.

This is a great group ladies night out, 
family reunion activity,
party,
or gee, I just want to learn how to do it!!!

Classes start at 6 p.m. and I'd like to have you out the door and on your way home
with your very own artwork by 9 p.m.
Yes, You can get it done in that amount of time.  

So Please give me a call to reserve your spot at
502-523-0663.
 Leave me a message if I can't answer right then.

We're gonna have a lot of fun!

 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Practice Practice Practice

Practice Practice Practice

If you want to get good at something,
there's only one way.

Practice, 
practice what you practiced,
work at it,
break it down and work at it,
practice,

REPEAT!

A lot of time in an artists life is spent practicing and learning.

So when someone asks me how long did it take you paint that,
I always answer in years,
because there was lots of practice that went in before what you see
on a canvas got there.  

But, having said all that, 
I love what I do 
and if all I ever do is practice, then I still learned a lot.

This is a practice piece I did of flowers in my yard.


I'm going to cut them apart and donate them to the Young Women's group at our church.

They are having an auction to raise funds for girls camp,
so they will have four small matted acrylic on paper to action off.  

They are about 5" x 7" each in an 8" x 10 " mat.


Three allum in a vintage vase.

Iris in an antique milk bottle


Close up of the allum


Close up of the iris.

The auction will be Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m.
at
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
508 Main St, Carrollton, KY  41008.

They will have some great baked goods, crafts and my four small paintings.

Might get a pretty good bargain here
and help some girls get to girls camp.

Thanks for stopping in today to look at my art.

 

Friday, May 2, 2014

Fun Art Tools

Fun Art Tools

I'm still on the campaign trail for my son in law Eric Stewart,
for Logan County, OH Family Court Judge.

But, while I'm driving my grandson Caleb, 14, around the county,
giving his spiel, hanging door knocker signs, and posting big signs,
I am also improving my drawing skills.

I bought this really cool pen/brush from Pen-Tel
and I've been using it in a little journal I bought to document the campaign.

The pen comes in 3 widths and had bristles that are in a fine point.
The ink just flows from it so smoothly.
 It comes in 3 widths and I have a medium point.

The drawing on the left was some gingerbread from a beautiful Victorian home here,
and the church is further down the street.

The pen is less than $10 and is worth is just to play with.

Stay tuned for more on this fun experiment. 

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Extension Art

The Art of Extension

The Carroll County Extension Agents are having a celebration
for 100 years in extension and they asked me to help them by painting them a tree.
This tree is going to be part of their timeline,
as they place leaves on the tree for agents, 4-h'er's and volunteer leaders.
If you have served in the Carroll County, KY area of 4-h in any form,
you should drop by this week and put your leaf of the tree.

The tree is starting to take shape.
It's on two sheets of 4'x8' plywood covered with batting and flannel.

 Working on putting in some grasses at the bottom.

 The trees branches will form the timeline for 100 years of Extension.

 Checking it out to see if we're even sort of symmetrical.

Working on the highlights.
The tree is mostly black with some other colors thrown in for some depth.
Then I highlighted with cad yellow, cad orange, burnt sienna, Indian yellow and hookers green.

Adding lots of distant branches and limbs so you can hang lots of leaves on it.


Here's the finished tree.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.


Monday, April 28, 2014

Theatre Art

Final Production

My granddaughter Kelsie is getting ready to graduate from high school.

She has belonged to a homeschool theater group and been in 8 productions.
This last weekend Kelsie was in her last production with Center Stage Productions.

She has grown up in this group in many ways, particularly theatrically.

The final production of Ramona Quimby 
was this past weekend and next weekend.

She played the part of Aunt Bea.

You'll see she is nothing like the "Aunt Bea" we all think of from Andy Griffith.

Told ya she didn't look like "that" Aunt Bea.


Here she saves the day by bringing "Whopper Burgers" for dinner.


They built a 3 story apt. set for a few scenes like this.
 The kids do everything from building the sets, sewing the costumes, doing the make up and hair, props, lighting, music, and all the acting.

Two mothers started this group years ago and are stepping down after this production.
Their kids are grown up and no longer in the club.

Many kids have had some wonderful experiences including my Kelsie.

 Kelsie gets married in this scene.

She looks beautiful here, 
but we are no where near ready for this scene.


I love this photo.

 CSP puts on their productions in the historic Holland Theatre.

At the end of this production CSP will have donated $100,000 to the Holland Theatre.
It has been used by the Save The Holland group who have been restoring this fabulous theatre for a number of years.
Click here to see more about this historic theatre.


A hilarious moment by Miss Kelsie.


Ramona and Aunt Bea.
This young girl, Ramona, is 11 and is in her first production.
She is quite the actor and hopefully she'll audition for the community theatre group associated with the Holland. 
Kelsie has brought our family much joy and pride in all her endeavors.
She's off to college in a "few short months"
and we'll let you know when that decision has been made.
She's got some pretty interesting options open to her right now.
Thanks for stopping by today.
 
 

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About Me

My photo
Ghent, Kentucky, United States
I'm a nature artist and I love to paint old barns, rivers and lakes, trees and fence rows and flowers. I work almost daily. You can purchase paintings by contacting me at slgraves6@gmail.com and there is also a tab across the top of my blog for available paintings and one for small paintings with buy now buttons. You can also purchase through my Etsy shop using the name of Fine Nature Art. . Thank you so much for stopping by.