Been Busy!

Wow, it's been a while since I've written! I have been busy with classes etc. but I have been painting a lot as well. I paint on Mondays with the Woodlands Art League group and Wednesdays at Watercolor Society of Houston, then on Saturdays at Studio in the Woods. We are lucky to have some Wonderful models to do portraits and figure work from.
I did the Market Street show again this year on October 6th, sharing a booth with Liz Hill. We had lots of fun and sold some artwork too! My Sister was here which made it even more fun.
Thursday, November 29th I will be speaking to The Woodlands Art League (WAL) on the Betty Edwards book, 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'. (Also a class I teach at Montgomery College)
I'm still working on the portrait wall at the Mitchell Pavillion and have just gotten the photos of the new "Hometown Heros" for 2008. A never ending project! I have had an inordinate number of other portraits to add this year that it has gotten me a little behind with the weather and all. I still need to get the whole wall repainted as some of the older portraits are fading. I did manage to get everything clearcoated this Summer to protect what is there to keep it from deterioraiting further before I can get to it.
This time of year is always busy with last minute portraits to be done before Christmas, shows to enter and paintings to finish up! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
I will try to be back soon with some photos of new works and works in progress. In the mean time, I'm off to paint...it's Monday! Cheers, Tonya

Polly Hammett

I took a fun workshop with Polly Hammett. She is a well known watercolor artist in Houston who also does collage. I enjoyed the workshop but am not sure I will take up collage soon. I liked a few things I did, most are not finished. I'm slow I guess. Cheers, Tonya

More on the Kinstler Workshop

Kinstler calls himself a value painter. Each day we painted from a model and sometime in the morning Mr. Kinstler would come around and crituque our work before lunch. Then back to painting in the afternoon. It was such a great experience to paint all day surrounded with other talented artists and to see how everyone interpreted the model in their own way.

Kinstler Workshop and Richeson 75 Portrait/Figures show

Just got back on the 16th of June from the Everette Raymond Kinstler portrait workshop in Kimberly Wisconson. The workshop was hosted by the Richeson School of Art and Gallery. What really nice people they are! I would recommend taking a workshop there anytime.

first photo is me with Kinstler at the catalog signing at the opening of the show. That's my purse sticking out under my shawl. Next is me with my portrait that got in The Richeson 75 show. Upper right by my head.


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This is the first night at the opening of the show that coincided with the beginning of the workshop. That is one of the Richesons in the Blue shirt. More later, I was there all week. cheers, Tonya

trying to catch up and upload photos again!

Remember this painting? I finally finished it in April according to the date on my photo! I spent some time modifying the values and center of interest after discussing John Salminen's approach to abstract watercolors with my friend and fellow artist Diane St. Germaine


I am still working on the Pavillion portraits but the weather has not cooperated very much this year. The wall is in full weather and sun so when it is wet or too hot or too windy, I can't paint. I am now also in the process of trying to preserve the previous artist's work, as it is deteriorating very quickly. I am experimenting with painting over each fading portrait with a coat of outdoor acrylic varnish, in hopes of just stopping them where they are until I can get to each one and restore the colors.
I have more finished paintings but can't locate the photos on the computer at the moment. More later! Cheers, Tonya