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Ava
Student Brag Alert
I introduced my teen and youth art students to the work of the the American 20th century artist, Jim Dine. Jim Dine has created a vocabulary out of subjects that are nostalgic, commonplace and universal, such as tools, hearts and bathroom robes. His work is both autobiographical and open to interpretation.
Below are some of the works the kids produced from that lesson. Pretty awesome!
Izabela
Katie
Kristen
Samay
Jack
Eli
Jacob
Lauren
Carmela
Annalise
Here is my sketchbook from this past summer's adventures to Verona, Venice, Lake Garda, Mantova, Giverny and Paris: 2016, Volume 4. (If you've missed my other sketchbook tours, I posted them in previous blog posts.)
On the list of the top five things I love you will find traveling, sketching, friends, family and enjoying food. These all came together during this trip. Color me joyful!
I hope you enjoy flipping through my sketchbooks. And if you have any comments or questions, don't be shy. For as much as I love painting big watercolor paintings, sketchbooks are my real source of daily creativity, my inspiration, my joy. I hope you enjoy!
A few years ago I had the privilege of interviewing some of my favorite watercolor artists, including the spectacular Mary Whyte! I shared these interviews in the Northwest Watercolor Society newsletters over the years. Now I'm dusting them off and sharing them again, with all of you. These featured artists are some of the rock stars of the contemporary watercolor scene. I hope you find inspiration in these interviews.
For the complete article, just click on the image of the first page of the interview below. Enjoy!
I've been collecting cameras for decades. Earlier this year I decided to start sketching my collection. I have a ways to go and I imagine I will be collecting cameras and sketching them for years to come. The sketch above is of a camera I inherited from my grandfather. I copied and attached a little note he had typed up about the camera's history. I found it in the leather camera case. A gem.
I do love Polaroid cameras and still have some Polaroid film I treasure.
I've photographed quite a few weddings with this trusted Canon Rebel XTi.
I have about a dozen more cameras, flash bulbs and projectors on my shelves. I look forward to the winter days ahead when I can cozy up to some hot chocolate and Baileys and sketch them.
I recently bought this light box and LOVE it. Hard do beat the price too. And at $36, it's the best price I've come across. Go get yours!
Tracing Light Box, AGPtek 17"(A4 Size) LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box For Artists,Drawing, Sketching, Animation
About once a month I plan a sketchbook field trip and invite fellow sketchers to join me for these art adventures. Today, about ten of us met at the wonderful Snohomish Pie Company downtown Snohomish. It was a perfect Autumn day: sunshine and bright colors everywhere so, despite the smell of baking pies, we headed out taking to the streets of Snohomish with sketchbooks and watercolors.
My sketch of downtown Snohomish
Another one of my sketches of downtown Snohomish
After a few hours we met back at the Snohomish Pie Company for lunch and to share sketches. Loved love the sketching, loved the camaraderie, and loved the pie!
Sketch by Emily Brown
Sketch by Beverly Anderson
Sketch by Anya Toomre
Thank you for joining me all!
I am thrilled to announce that I am working with World Tours Studio to offer several workshops and tours to Europe for 2017. I'm excited to share with you the Tasting Tuscany tour, focused on food, wine, art history and the good life. Come join me!
Here is one of the sketchbook on my shelves: 2016, Volume 3. (If you've missed my other sketchbook tours, I posted them in previous blog posts.)
I hope you enjoy flipping through my sketchbooks. And if you have any comments or questions, don't be shy. For as much as I love painting big watercolor paintings, sketchbooks are my real source of daily creativity, my inspiration, my joy. I hope you enjoy!
A few years ago I had the privilege of interviewing some of my favorite watercolor artists. I shared these interviews in the Northwest Watercolor Society newsletters over the years. Now I'm dusting them off and sharing them again, with all of you. These featured artists are some of the rock stars of the contemporary watercolor scene. I hope you find inspiration in these interviews.
For the complete article, just click on the image of the first page of the interview below. Enjoy!
Last year I visited one of my best friends who recently moved from London to New York (Hi Linda!). I had an amazing week of exploring and sketching New York with her. Here are a few of my sketches from that great getaway week.
I hope you enjoy.
"I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen"
Frederick Franck (1909 - 2006) Dutch American sculptor
Here is one of the sketchbook on my shelves: 2016, Volume 1. (If you've missed my other sketchbook tours, I posted them in previous blog posts.)
I hope you enjoy flipping through my sketchbooks. And if you have any comments or questions, don't be shy. For as much as I love painting big watercolor paintings, sketchbooks are my real source of daily creativity, my inspiration, my joy. I hope you enjoy!
Amongst the things I love: sketching, travel, cooking, living well. So I've created three tours for 2017 and I'm hoping to have you sign up for (at least) one of them!
This is the third tour of 2017: a wellness retreat to my hometown of Verona: daily yoga lessons, some cooking classes, some olive oil tastings, some cheese, some wine, some touring, and lots of joy.
To register click here.
Salute!
Student Brag Alert
At one of the schools where I teach junior high and high school art, I introduced students to the work of the wonderful Italian artist, Amedeo Modigliani, with his graceful long necks and elongated faces. Below are some of the works the kids produced from that lesson. Pretty awesome!
Happiness is an angel with a serious face. - Amedeo Modigliani
I am so grateful that I found Annie, a student and friend of mine, who is willing to scan all my sketchbooks, which in turn has allowed me to make Flipagroms of them and share them with you. Thank you Annie for taking my sketchbooks home, by the piles!
Here is the next sketchbook on my shelves: 2016, Volume 2. (If you've missed them, I posted my earlier sketchbooks in previous blog posts.)
I hope you enjoy flipping through my sketchbooks. And if you have any comments or questions, don't be shy. For as much as I love painting big watercolor paintings, sketchbooks are my real source of daily creativity, my inspiration, my joy.
A few years ago I had the privilege of interviewing some of my favorite watercolor artists. I shared these interviews in the Northwest Watercolor Society newsletters over the years. Now I'm dusting them off and sharing them again, with all of you. These featured artists are some of the rock stars of the contemporary watercolor scene. I hope you find inspiration in these interviews.
For the complete article, just click on the image of the first page of the interview below. Enjoy!
Victoria, B.C.
Last Friday I met up with 11 kindred spirits, travelers and sketchers, and headed to Victoria, British Columbia for a long weekend getaway. Here are some of the sketches I made. Traveling with friends and my husband, sketching, and exploring our world. Pure joy!
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller
The details for the 2017 Sketchbook Adventure to London and Bath are all buttoned down!
Space is limited! To register, go to http://charlenecollinsfreeman.com/world-tours/.
In one of my watercolor classes we have been exploring color combinations for mixing up good skin tones. The joy of it is that there are so many skin tones, it's hard to go wrong.
And serendipity put the wonderful book, The colors of Us by Karen Katz, in my path that same week. Geared towards children, this boldly illustrated book is a "positive and affirming look at skin color, from an artist's perspective."
It's enchanting and I recommend it for all the artists out there, young, old, and in-between.
It is eye opening and heart expanding. And it's about a seven year old artist.
Through the eyes of a little girl who begins to see her familiar world in a new way, this book celebrates the differences and similarities that connect all people. - Amazon
A joyful read!
Last year I went to Washington D.C. with my daughter, Cassi, and her choir class for the Festival of Gold at the Music Center at Strathmore. Until I pulled out my sketchbook, I was just another chaperone. But once the kids saw me sketching I became the coolest adult on the trip. True story.
Here are a few of the sketches from that wonderful trip. Thank you Cassi for loving me enough to actually want me to come along. Love you!
One of the things I love most is sketching. Another is traveling. Put them together and I'm in heaven. Yesterday I returned from a week at sea with a group of sketchers. We cruised, we sketched, we ate (a lot) and we drank cocktails. It was truly a slice of heaven. Alaska is absolutely beautiful.
Here are a handful of the sketches I did during the workshop. And to those of you who came along, thank you for joining me. It was a joy to share this experience with you.
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller
