The week in review 5/22/21

Happy Saturday to you, hope you're having a good one. I spent today weeding the garden, followed by an ice pack. 

It's that time of year when I have to return to pastel if I want to have my annual Super Summer Sale. This year I'll be adding small oil paintings done on paper. They actually look like pastels if I substitute my usual 50/50 linseed/OMS (odorless mineral spirits) medium with cold wax. Watch for these in July through my DailyPaintworks Gallery. Select Category view and there will be a special category called Annual Super Summer Sale. This annual event usually sells out.

In one of my recent posts I mentioned that I am returning to mentoring. For now, it will be online only. To begin I'll advise you how to improve your paintings via email. Later in the year, I may add Zoom mentoring and eventually may return to the in-Studio private sessions of the past. I'm getting additional track lighting in the studio this week for more options about how to use the space.

1. Tell me your primary goals (I want to work looser, I want more light in my work) and send jpgs of your paintings and the reference photo for each. 

2. I'll copy the image of your painting, rework using PhotoShop, add text to explain what and why and send it back to you beside your work so you can compare and easily see the suggestions.

Email me if you're interested. barbaranewton@comcast.net

On the easel today is an 18x18 inch pastel rework on sanded paper. After brushing off most of the old pastel painting I used a grayscale photo as my reference to apply thin oil paint with OMS as the medium for the foundation. You may remember me referring to this as an oil-wash but when I say that I get lots of inquiries asking what an oil wash is.

After letting it dry for a couple days I apply pastel on top of the oil wash. I love this process and still consider pastel my primary medium. It is about 90% complete so I'll set it aside and look at it with fresh eyes in a the coming weeks.

I completed the oil painting that was on the easel in my last post. Titled "Verve," it received a very warm welcome on my Instagram page. To those who have emailed me about purchase, it is drying quickly and will be available soon.

"Verve," oil, 24x24 ©2021 Barbara Benedetti Newton

 

On the easel 5/16/21

 

This painting has been in progress for about six months. This week it had another radical change and once again, I'm letting it sit...thinking about it. More to be done to finish it, I'm just not sure exactly what yet.

On the easel, mentoring

ON THE EASEL

If you remember my post of April 13th, here is what happened to that painting since then. I'm still working with the bowl scraper instead of a brush. Sometimes I add cold wax medium, sometimes I don't. For this one I'm using a 50/50 mix of OMS and linseed oil as the medium. I'm letting this dry a little; thinking about what comes next.

MENTORING: I have mentored some of you, both online and in person. With the onset of the pandemic, I put mentoring on hold. I guess I'm back, in some form, due to this great opportunity for you. Note: I'm not the only mentor is this offer! There are others to choose from. 

I’m writing to let you know of a great opportunity through Puget Sound Group of Northwest Artists (PSG). Last month, the membership requirements in this prestigious organization (founded in 1928) were revamped. Membership is now open without a rigorous jury process. PSG meetings are currently by Zoom, we have an online gallery - SAVOR, an upcoming online Summer Sale and our Great Annual NW Art Exhibit in September 2021.

To introduce this change, PSG is offering a FREE critique of eight of your paintings by one of our five mentors.  Join us and schedule your free critique. Here is a link to the Mentor page. If you have questions about PSG or about the critique, I’m happy to answer them. Happy painting to you! 

Treasures for You

"Treasures" is on stretched canvas - an unusual ground for me but one most oil painters prefer. I'm offering Treasures for my May Auction at crazy-low pricing in an effort to Spring clean my studio! Please consider it as an addition to your collection. 

"Treasures," Oil, 10x8 inches, unframed
See the Auction