Workshop in Tenants Harbor , Maine July 18-20 , 2017

         Come join me and fellow artist  Barbara Aras for a Watercolor Workshop in beautiful
                                                            Tenants Harbor , Maine  
                                                             July 18-20     9am-4pm

       Barbara and I have joined forces to teach you fundamental watercolor principles using a limited palette and lots of fun exercises . We will start each day in our sketchbooks getting those creative juices flowing and our brushes wet and warmed up .

We will then work with our easels and watercolor paper to work on exercises and develop our painting.  Weather permitting we will also get to experience painting en plein air .  This promises to be a fun filled workshop giving you lots of personal attention , demos and opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and go for it in an encouraging  atmosphere with other artists . Space will be limited to ensure personal attention .  

The cost of the class will be $175 . You can find out more details and sign up on my website at  Dianeklock.com   If you have any questions please contact me or Barbara  and take a peek at Barbara's work at BarbaraAras.com   Till next time " Keep your brush wet and your sketchbook by your side "  and enjoy this beautiful day the Lord has made . 

Sketching, Painting and Teaching

 It has been a busy summer for me full of travel , family , sketching , painting and teaching ; all the things that I love.
  The show in Tenants Harbor , Maine was a wonderful success and a huge thank you to all who came by. Barbara Aras and I are planning another one next July and Lord willing will add on a sketching / painting workshop as well if we can get enough people that might be interested in that adventure for next year. Painting and sketching up in that area of New England is fabulous. A painting everywhere you look.
    I just finished teaching a wonderful class at The View in Old Forge , NY . A wonderful facility in the Adirondacks . A fun class full of students, excited to learn. I loved teaching them and am grateful for the opportunity to do so.
  I continue to fill up sketchbooks and go through lots of watercolor paper . My big stretch this summer is once again trying to getting comfortable painting with a 1/2 sheet of watercolor paper ( 15"x 22") , sounds easy , right ? not exactly . It has been a huge challenge for me but getting easier the more I try. Below are two I have done recently .

This one titled   Lower Manhattan was just juried into The 40th Annual North East Watercolor  Exhibition and will be available to view at the Kent Art Association  in Kent , Connecticut from October 23 through November 6.

             Felix Stowe Ferry Dry Dock is the  second 1/2  sheet "15x22" I have done this summer. I did it from a smaller painting I did on location as well as my photos in memory of my recent trips to the UK the past few years. I am missing this Fall 's adventure but hope to get back there some  day to paint the beautiful countryside.

I hope you all keeping your brushes wet and your sketchbooks by your side. It has been so rewarding for me to see some of my students posting their own work online and one even getting into a show , Awesome ! Till next time enjoy this beautiful day .

Tenants Harbor , Maine Art Show JOY and COLOR on the Peninsula

           Fellow artist Barbara Aras and I are having an art show in Tenants Harbor, Maine
                                 

                                                                   Presents

                                                  Joy & Color on the Peninsula

                                       Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday 10 am-4 pm 

                                                             July 15, 16, 17

                                                 14 Watts Avenue, Tenants Harbor

                                                   - next to the Odd Fellows Hall -

If you are in the area for St. George Days  on the Peninsula please stop by.  Here is a peak of a few pieces I am bringing .

Back to my sketchbook and brush , until next time enjoy this beautiful day. 

From Tenants Harbor to Boston my sketchbook goes

Getting ready for a show in Tenants Harbor July 16-17 but that hasn't stopped me from sketching along the way , Lol !  I  left after the Tenants Harbor preparations for a sketching workshop with  Shari Blaukopf  in Boston . I love sketching and painting with other artist and loved her class. Here are a few sketches I did from that workshop.

These are very fast sketches , I was focusing on the movement, color and busyness of the Farmers Market.

Fast and loose adding very little detail . This one was sketched in just a few minutes as we had a time limit.

Sketching quickly is a very useful tool when doing an urban scene,  there is so much going on so you want to just capture your impression of place . The watercolor washes were done afterwards.

This one was  done in bits and pieces  while waiting for class to begin. I focused on one person and moved to the next as people came and went.

Our first day was spent at a park in Newton , MA.

 It is always fun to be able to sketch or paint with other artists . I  love seeing everyones work  and it is always fun to see what each artist focuses on.  Next time I will post a few things about the upcoming show in Maine. Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day. 

Sketching in Tenants Harbor and Port Clyde Maine

I have been traveling with my sketchbook by my side , full of joy and excitement ; this time to Tenants Harbor and Port Clyde  , Maine . Sketching on location is  exciting and thrilling . A good way to explore  an area and come home with a book full of memories that photos and post cards can't come close to .

        I did these quick sketches using a Canson Montvale field sketchbook  7x10  , a ultra fine Sharpie marker and a small limited watercolor palette , sometimes a water brush  and other times a small travel round brush.  Keep your supplies limited and light .  I did this sketch very quickly while my husband was looking at a map  to our next location. The watercolor wash was done later while back at our hotel. Quick, quick and quick , just getting the essence and sense of place. This is Christmas Cove , ME

 This one was done at the Marshall Point Light House in Port Clyde , ME    The same process standing with my sketchbook on my arm and answering a few questions from onlookers. People will really be interested in what you are doing and I encourage them to give it a try every chance I get .
 

  One of the reasons I tend to sketch fairly quickly , ok very quickly is I am not usually on my own when doing this so I try to be respectful of those traveling with me . On your own you have more freedom to sketch at your own speed and be as detailed as you like. I happen to prefer quick sketching with just enough detail to say what I want .

I sketched this one of Tenants Harbor from our hotel window . Like Danny Gregory says " Art Before Breakfast " I actually did quite a few sketches before breakfast on this trip.

This one I drew as we were waiting for the full moon to arrive . It was a fabulous moon that night. 

I will leave you with this one of Port Clyde . My friend Barbara and I went sketching and then painted the afternoon away.  Next time I will share information on a show I am having with Barbara Aras in Tenants Harbor in July . Talk soon and I hope you are keeping a sketchbook of your own.

The Joy of Watercolor Sketching NYC

                                  The Joy of Watercolor Workshop NYC   
 
                                                      June 6-8 , 2016      9:30-4 pm  

     I would love to have you join me if you happen to be in the NYC area. I am excited to teach and hopefully inspire others to give watercolor sketching a try . I will give you simple  instruction , using a minimal supplies to get you started in this new adventure and help you simplify the business of the city during the way. I will do demos and give personal instruction to help you on your own art journey . Please contact me for further information or check my website         Dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com
   
  I hope you have  been painting and sketching as much as you can . I am finding I am doing more and more with my timer  and 30-45 minute windows  as life has been busy. It is amazing how much you can accomplish by weeks end. My sketchbook has become  my best friend during these busy days and during my travels and I am getting used to being watched while sketching on the bus but thrilled I am taking advantage of that smidgeon of time God had provided .
  In other news I am busy getting ready for a show in Tenants Harbor , Maine July 15 -16 if you are in the neighborhood please stop by.

Remember this sketch from my last post . It has found a new home .  I hope you enjoy this beautiful day the Lord has made and you are learning to take advantage of the short periods of free time you have to sketch or paint. Talk soon.
   
 

Plein Air Watercolor and Watercolor Sketching in NYC June 6-8, 2016

Where does the time go ?  It has been over a month since my last post and I have been busy as ever working with new students . It has been both a privilege and joy for me . I just love when I get to see students  having A HA ! moments succeeding where they thought otherwise.
    We covered both working in watercolor and sketching in ink and watercolor . Fun !
   I will be teaching a Plein Air Watercolor and Watercolor Sketching Workshop on June 6-8 from 9:30 - 4 pm   if you are interested. You can get more information on my website. dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com Some of you may remember Steve Hall from the UK was doing this class but unfortunately he had to cancel so since I have the time already blocked out , I decided to do the class myself. I hope you will be able to join me .

Here is a lower Manhattan scene done with a sharpened stick and permanent ink with a wash of watercolor over it . I hope you can see the quick spontaneous sketch come through , so much fun to do.

Here is the same view , this one done with just a brush and watercolor .  I hope you enjoy seeing and comparing them , see you next time.

How I love gray days

    This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it  ; the verse I was thinking  of as I was walking to bible study this morning . This rather gloomy looking , misty , cool day on the streets of NYC , but how I love these days .
      Having just returned from sunny Florida and a workshop focusing on values ( tones of gray ) walking down the street was a delight . There were grays everywhere , warm ones , cool ones , light ones , dark ones and here is the part I love ,  pops of color , red lights, yellow taxi cabs, blue umbrellas  everywhere.
     I learned in Florida how little color you need to make a painting work , it is the values that hold the painting together . Here is a peek of a painting I did in class . Not planning on skipping color any time soon but sure did love the lesson I learned . Enjoy , and I hope you will take time to look closer at your surroundings on the next gray day that comes around.

I will be teaching a  Joy of Watercolor Workshop in Litchfield CT    March 22-23   if any of you would like to join us please let me know as I have a few spaces left.
 

My Workshop Teaching Schedule ....Ready For Spring

Hi there , I finally have all my workshops scheduled and confirmed so I wanted to share them with you all.  Please let me know if you are interested as I would love nothing more than to be able to inspire a new student or encourage my fellow artists to grow .

    The Joy of Watercolor Workshop    March 22 - 23 ,2016  Litchfield CT  Class will be held at the First Congregational Church of Litchfield  ...contact me if interested dianegklock@gmail.com  or look at my website www.dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com

Come learn the joy of watercolor . We will paint with a simple palette , do lots of fun exercises while learning sound foundational principles of good painting and paint handling techniques. We will be painting from your photos and the exercises I will give you to do . We will also cover the importance of having and using a sketchbook . 

The Joy of Watercolor Workshop    April 13-14 , 2016  Litchfield CT  Class will be held at the First Congregational Church of Litchfield  ...contact me if interested dianegklock@gmail.com  or look at my website www.dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com

Come learn the joy of watercolor . We will paint with a simple palette , do lots of fun exercises while learning sound foundational principles of good painting and paint handling techniques. We will be painting from your photos and the exercises I will give you to do . We will also cover the importance of having and using a sketchbook .

Sketching With Ink and Watercolor    April 15, 2016

Come explore the excitement of watercolor sketching . Watercolor sketching is a wonderful way to record your day or your travels . We will start in the classroom and then venture out after lunch to sketch in and around the Green in Litchfield   

IContact me if interested dianegklock@gmail.com or look at my website www.dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com

The Joy of Watercolor Workshop   Old Forge , New York   August 30 ,2016

I will be teaching this one day workshop sponsored by the Central New York Watercolor Society . We will work with a limited palette while learning about shapes , values and foundational principles ,to make better paintings and  help you to grow as an artist. Please contact the View Arts Center , Old Forge, New York 315-369-6411

 Steve Hall  Workshop   Steve  is a  UK watercolor artist who will be conducting a plein air watercolor  workshop in  New York City  June 6-10 2016  If you are interested in attending please look at my website www.dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com for additional information or email me directly at  dianegklock@gmail.com 

My New Timer and Workshop Announcements

Hi, hope you are sketching and painting away but if you still haven't gotten back into a routine I thought I would share one of my Christmas presents with you , a brand new timer.
      I know so many of us have trouble finding time to paint . I can only share what works for me and that is planning ahead . We all have time to do what we love or need to get done ,  to watch our favorite tv show , get a haircut , go to the dentist ,you know what I mean but when it comes to painting and sketching we tend to do it after all the other stuff is done and many times don't get to it at all. I am guilty of this all the time.
      I have found that planning to paint, sketch or have an artist date with myself  two to three times a week works pretty well most weeks and when it doesn't I don't beat myself up about it , life happens so I just know  God had a different plan for me that day.

I keep my sketching stuff handy and my easel always set up in the corner of my apartment as well as a  working sketchbook I can grab to try something out that comes to mind. On days when I have decided to paint . I do a few quick sketches to plan my composition, a value sketch and set my timer for say 30 or 60 minutes  when I am ready to paint and go for it.  ( This is doable for 1/8 to 1/4 sheet paintings ) With your painting planned ahead in your sketchbook you will know the clock is ticking so stick to your value sketch and get in and get out. The results will be fresher paintings with little fussing because you don't have time to fuss. Lol !  I hope this has encouraged you to set up a working area if you don't have one , get a sketchbook to keep near by .

Workshops ....

Steve Hall    He is a  UK watercolor artist who will be conducting a plein air watercolor  workshop in New York City  June 6-10 2016  If you are interested in attending please look at my website Dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com for additional information or email me directly at  dianegklock@gmail.com 

Diane Klock     The Joy of Watercolor Workshop    March 22 - 23 2016  Litchfield CT  Class will be held at the First Congregational Church of Litchfield  ...contact me if interested dianegklock@gmail.com  or look at my website Dianeklock.fineartstudioonline.com

Come learn the joy of watercolor . We will paint with a simple palette , do lots of fun exercises while learning sound foundational principles of good painting and paint handling techniques. We will be painting from your photos and the exercises I will give you to do . We will also cover the importance of having and using a sketchbook . 

Diane Klock     Sketching on Location  Date to be announced...... Enjoy this wonderful day. See you next time.