Just a note to tell everyone...

I've had the flu for the last couple of weeks.  Finally starting to feel better after seeing my doctor today.

IAPS Tenth Biennial Convention Important Information!!

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE THE LAST DAY FOR PRE-REGISTRATION IS 

MONDAY, MAY 6, 2013

If you have not yet pre-registered, we hope you will do so before this deadline, so that we can have your badge and information package available for pick up in Albuquerque.

After May 6, you cannot pre-register online or by mail, make changes or purchase additional classes or banquet tickets, until the registration desk opens in Albuquerque at the convention on Thursday, June 6 at 1pm.  Onsite registration fees will all be $5 higher.  There will also be a one day registration fee for $60 for Friday, Saturday or Sunday, only available in Albuquerque.

After May 6 we will accept cancellations - see cancellation policies and fees on the IAPS website at:   http://www.pastelinternational.com/CONVENTIONS/tenth/register.php#cancel.  We will also continue to keep waitlists for workshops and if a space opens up, we will contact the next person on the waitlist.  If you want to be added to a waitlist send an email to Susan.

If you have not yet purchased banquet tickets, we recommend you do so, online, prior to the May 6 cut off.  We expect to have a limited number of tickets for sale at the convention on Thursday afternoon but it will depend on availability.

If you have to cancel, want to be on a waitlist or need to contact me: susanwebster@verizon.net

IAPS 22nd Juried Exhibition and IAPS 2nd Master Circle Exhibition News

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The announcement emails are going out right now for the IAPS 22nd Juried Exhibition and the IAPS 2nd Master Circle Exhibition.

However many entries you submitted, you will get that many email notifications. For example, if you entered 5 paintings, you will be getting 5 emails, either/or acceptances/decline notices.

SO, please be sure to open ALL notification emails!!!

Maggie Price has passed away.

The art world lost a master today.  Founder of the Pastel Journal, President of the International Association of Pastel Societies, Teacher, Mentor to many, wife and mother.  I will miss you so much, Maggie.

In a message on Facebook from a few minutes ago, Maggie's daughter, Amy, wrote the following:

"This is Maggie's daughter Amy. Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, and condolences. Maggie was a wonderful mother, wife, sister, and friend. She was a great painter, teacher, author, and an inspiration to many. She will be missed more than words can say. In lieu of flowers please support IAPS new award the "Maggie Price Award for an Emerging Artist."  See www.pastelinternational.com for details on how to contribute.

Go forth and paint."

This says it all.

Artist: Kirby Sattler

Painting!! Stay tuned!! :)

When I'm not painting....

... I like to cut pastel papers, like Uart, Wallis, Art Spectrum Colorfix, and Canson, to different sizes and bond them to acid free foamboard or gatorboard (which I prefer) using a product called Grafix Double Tack Acid-Free Mounting Film (it forms a permanent bond).  I do this because I don't use mats when framing.

Grafix Double Tack Acid-Free Mounting Film is basically double-sided tape in sheet form.  Its bond is the strongest I have ever worked with and it holds forever!!

Double Tack is a bit tricky to work with so here is how I do it.

For example, I cut a 16"x20" piece of Uart, I also cut a 16"x20" of foamboard or gatorboard, and also a 16"x20" piece of Double Tack.

1.  Peel back about an inch of the backing paper at the top of the 16"x20" piece of double tack and cut it away.  So, you are left with the full sheet of double tack, but at the top is the exposed sticky part.  Don't ever pull off the backing paper from the full sheet!!!

2.  Position it (don't let the 1" sticky part touch the foamboard!) so that the 3 sides of the foamboard and double tack match up, and then press the sticky part of the double tack onto the foamboard.

3.  Lift the sheet up and away from the foamboard to expose the backing paper underneath.  Slowly pull it to expose the sticky part of the double tack and using a straight edge, SLOWLY use it to smooth the double tack down onto the foamboard so no bubbles form.

The first side of the double tack is now bonded to the foamboard.  The next steps will show how to bond the paper to the board.

4.  Peel the backing paper back about an inch and cut it away.  Position your pastel paper so that 3 sides line up perfectly with the board.  Be sure not to let the pastel paper touch the sticky part of the double tack while you're doing this.  When everything is lined up, touch the pastel paper to the exposed sticky part of the double tack.

5.  At the other end, away from where the 1" was exposed, peel the rest of the backing paper away from the sticky part of the double tack, and using a straight edge, slowly press down every couple of inches to bond the paper to the board so no bubbles form.

6.  Turn the whole thing over onto a flat surface and gently press all over the back of the board to make sure the whole thing is bonded.

There!!  You have a permanently bonded a piece of pastel paper to a piece of foamboard, or gatorboard.  Now all you have to do it paint the painting and frame it using spacers, no mats!!

I'll post some photos soon.

Nite!!

Chattanooga, TN - CALL FOR ARTISTS

CALL FOR ARTISTS : 1st Annual SCENIC CITY PAINT OUT - a week-long Plein Air Event in April 2013

Shuptrine's Gold Leaf Designs is excited to announce Chattanooga's inaugural Scenic City Paint Out, an opportunity for artists of all skill levels and mediums to capture the natural beauty of the area and to attend various workshops during the week of April 12-19, 2013 - which is part of a city-wide SPARK event. For each painting entered, prizes will be awarded for Best in Show, 2nd and 3rd place by a panel of jurors. Includes a week long admission into the Reflection Riding Nature Center, access to painting at Rock City on Lookout Mountain, and a special day at The Hunter Museum of American Art.

Cost: $55 per person

Visit http://shuptrines.com/scenic-city-paint-out or call 423.266.4453

The start of a new painting

Alcohol wash over soft pastels on Ampersand pastelbord, 16"x12 starts the beginning of my newest painting.  It will be a very simple composition with lots of color :)

Scenic City Paint Out (Chattanooga, TN)

CALL TO ARTISTS – NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS – Shuptrine’s Gold Leaf Designs is excited to announce Chattanooga’s inaugural Scenic City Paint Out, an opportunity for artists of all skill levels to capture the natural beauty of the area and to attend workshops during the week of April 12-19, 2013 – which is part of a city-wide SPARK CELEBRATION event. Each artist can apply for scheduled weekly events and unlimited access to the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, a designated paint out day at the Hunter Museum of American Art and tour with a Hunter Museum curator- all for a $55 application fee. The Scenic City Paint Out also provides, for an additional fee, various workshops taught by award-winning and nationally renowned artists to encourage all participants to enhance their skill levels.

On Tuesday, April 16th, The Hunter Museum of American Art will allow The Scenic City Paint Out artists to meet at the museum for a special tour by chief curator, Ellen Simak, then paint out on the covered veranda terrace until the end of day. All participants will have admission to the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center throughout the week. Reflection Riding is dedicated to the study and conservation of native plant life. Designed in the picturesque style of Frederick Law Olmsted, the park is meant to enhance the natural beauty of the landscape. Other areas that the participants will be painting from will be scenic views from Lookout Mountain, Rock City, the river gorge, and the downtown skyline. A portion of the proceeds from the Paint Out will support both Reflection Riding and The Hunter Museum of American Art.

All artists, regardless of skill level, are encouraged to participate in the Paint Out, and any choice of medium is welcome. Download your application, apply, receive your itinerary, workshop overviews, and learn about other fun happenings during Scenic City Paint Out. Please contact Shuptrine’s at 423-266-4453 or theworkinggallery@goldleafdesigns.com for application requirements, and more information and to find out how to participate. For each painting entered, prizes will be awarded for Best In Show, 2nd and 3rd place artists by a panel of jurors.

To learn more about Reflection Riding, or The Hunter Museum of American Art, please visit http://www.chattanooganaturecenter.org/www/docs/8.495/driving-loop.html & http://www.huntermuseum.org/. To help support the efforts of Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, a non-profit organization, visit www.chattanooganaturecenter.org/www/docs/102.

FOR MORE INFO...... http://shuptrines.com/scenic-city-paint-out

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, A Moment in Time, Soft Pastels on Wallis Professional, 16"x16"

It's finished!!  The photo doesn't pick up half of the colors I used in this.  There is purple in the lower sky and deep aqua up in the left corner.  The ground glows as if lit by moonlight and the boat is just so vibrant.  Wish you could all see it in real life.

Update: Name Change

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, A Moment in Time,

Soft Pastels on Wallis Professional, 16"x16"

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, A Good Harvest, Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 16"x20"

It's finally finished!!!

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, A Good Harvest,

Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 16"x20"

THE 22nd IAPS JURIED EXHIBITION

THE 22nd IAPS JURIED EXHIBITION

DEADLINE MARCH 22
June 5-9, 2013 • Reception June 5, 5-7 p.m.
Hotel Albuquerque • Albuquerque, New Mexico

To enter, click here:

http://www.onlinejuriedshows.com/Default.aspx?OJSID=128

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, Marshy Oasis, Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 12"x16"

Finished!!

©2013 Paula Ann Ford, Marshy Oasis,

Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 12"x16"

WIP

I started this tonight with a shockingly strange underpainting.  The sky was pink, the trees were blue, the mid ground was purple, forground was orange, and the water was cornflower blue (as you can see by the photo below).  I washed all those colors in with rubbing alcohol to get rid of all the white dots (started with a white piece of 12"x16" Ampersand Pastelbord).

I had intended to use those colors, but because I wasn't used to using that much color, mid way through I brushed it all off and went for more local colors....you know, my comfort zone.  Gosh, I wish I knew a bit more about color.

Anyway, it's almost done.

My beautiful studio pastels...

Mostly all clean and looking pretty :) . . . .  just sayin

(p.s. that painting back there is covered with tracing paper)

SOLD!!

I just heard that a couple of my paintings sold at Shuptrine's Gold Leaf Designs!! YAY!!

 Peak, 20"x16"

and

 Spring Dreams, 5"x7"

So excited!!

I joined the Pastel Society of Colorado today :)
What a great group of artists!!

I must paint...

But, I must also study.  Taking some time off to fill my brain.  Will paint soon.

Cleaning ... Yuck

I've been cleaning my studio, so once it's done, there are no more excuses not to paint.

My Thirteenth Year

Thirteen years ago I started painting to make something beautiful for my eyes to see. Today I still paint to make something beautiful for my eyes to see, and hopefully others will see the beauty also and be moved by it as I am.

Thank you so much Dick Blick!!!

Pastel Journal, February, 2013, back cover!!

WOW!! I didn't know it was going to be this big!!!

My Painting

"Vintage Ski Hill"

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Rising Sun, Soft Pastels on Uart 400, 12"x14"

Finally finished.

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Rising Sun,

Soft Pastels on Uart 400, 12"x14"

The IAPS 21st Juried Exhibition

The IAPS 21st Juried Exhibition - 2012 Web Exhibition

is up for your viewing!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!

Such a beautiful show!!! 

****Click here to see the show**** 

First Place
Michele Poirier-Mozzone
Connecticut Pastel Society
Glide
.

Riverbend - Water is a pain in the butt sometimes!!

Oops....this one got washed off.  If I hate one of my paintings, it gets washed off, no matter how many nice comments I get on it.

On to the next....

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Fall Colors, Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 7"x5"

Finished tonight.  I love autumn...the colors, the smells, the cool air.

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Fall Colors,

Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 7"x5"

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Memories, 6"x6"

One of my newest pieces.  I enjoyed painting such a beautiful scene.

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Memories,

Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 6"x6"

Austin Prod. 1984 Sculpture

I have the most beautiful Austin Prod. acrylic sculpture of a horse and foal. It is marked Austin Prod 1984 (hard to see the end of the year). I don't know the name or artist. It is frosted and just beautiful. The other day one of my kitties was playing and knocked it off the table and it broke into 2 pieces. I am so heartbroken!! Does anyone know of a place here in the US or in Canada where I could send it to be repaired? I love the piece so much and the break is good and clean that I think it could be repaired. Thank you

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Breath of Blue, Soft Pastels on Art Spectrum Colorfix, 6"x6"

Did this this afternoon.  The photo looks much warmer than it really is and the clouds are NOT yellow!!

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Breath of Blue,

Soft Pastels on Art Spectrum Colorfix, 6"x6"

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Decision, Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 8"x10"

Just finished this little piece.

©2012 Paula Ann Ford, Decision,

Soft Pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 8"x10"