A sunset series Inspired by color

I painted this sunset live on periscope.tv/michelecoopart about an hour ago. I wanted to experiment with some new Daniel Smith watercolors. The colors are listed as the Shirley Trevena set.

Earlier, in my morning class at the gallery, I combined some of the new colors with some of my own in this demonstration.

I think it's a good idea to work in a series as you experiment with new colors, comparing their properties to those of your accustomed pigments.

I never copy a photo reference. It is sadly lacking, compared to the real thing. However, this photo is what inspired my ongoing sunset series.

Two new paintings from our UK trip

I painted two watercolors from our recent trip to the UK this past summer. They were offered during my Annual Studio Open House on Saturday.

Village corner, Dobcross original watercolor by Michele Cooper - Available

After the 2016 urban sketchers symposium in the city of Manchester, some local artists offered to show us around a village in the countryside. I was charmed by the village of Dobcross, near Oldham and Uppermill. Having streets with names like Lark Hill Road, ivy covered brick and stone houses and window boxes overflowing with summer flowers, how could you not be enchanted?

"Red Car, Dobcross, UK" original watercolor by Michele Cooper -- sold

Congratulations to the Studio Open House Prize Winner!

Thanks to all who attended my Annual Studio Open House on Saturday. It was wonderful having you there to see where I work, to visit for a while and to offer you our hospitality.

One of the highlights of the day is at 5:00 pm when we have a prize drawing. The winner may choose a studio credit of $100 or a painting chosen by me for the occasion. Then we celebrate with wine, cheese and good conversation. Maybe even another prowl around the studio.

Congratulations, Shar! She chose to apply the studio credit to this original piece, "Red Car, Dobcross" from our UK trip.

Incidentally, we defused the Lancashire cheese bomb and it was delicious!

I highly recommend their 2 year aged cheese with a nice Pinot Noir, some grapes, dates, nuts, art and friends.

22nd Annual Studio Open House Today

Welcome to my studio! We are open from 10 AM to 7 PM today.

Gallery entrance to my warm, cozy studio. There's another room full of artwork in the studio, too!

Come visit a real working artist's studio. Choose a painting for your collection or as a gift for someone special.

Visit with the artist, Michele Cooper, other artists, collectors, students and friends any time from 10:00am-7:00pm today.

Special events:

There will be a drawing for $100 studio credit at 5:00 pm at which time the Lancashire Cheese Bomb will be defused and consumed!

Refreshments: Wine, Cheese, Chocolates and Nibbles

Periscope Watercolor Demo Today

Just finished this watercolor on periscope.tv/michelecoopart Showing a few tricks with a razor blade, white gouache, white ink, spatter and wet embossing. 

Silver light, the moon

Casting shadows as

Birches catch the soft snowdrops

-m. cooper

Thanks for watching to those who were there. If you missed it, the replay is available.

The Great Wall of Art

Built by beginning watercolor students in just two days, the Great Wall of Art is up this afternoon at Kirkland Arts Center.

We had a great time painting watercolors together this weekend. Superb work, everyone!

And here's a view from a second floor window after lunch today!

Beginning Watercolor Workshop Today and Tomorrow

After an introduction to basic watercolor methods, my students brought leaves from outside into the studio and painted these! Aren't they great?

Everyone is off to lunch, but you can see that they have begun building the Great Wall of Art!

We are definitely making inroads on the first pad of watercolor paper! Return for updates tomorrow!

When does Inktober End?

 

Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November.

All the rest have thirty-one,

Except for February alone,

Which hath but twenty-eight days clear,

And twenty-nine in each leap year.

And then, of course, there is Inktober

With as many as it takes me 'till it's over!

So, obviously, I am still catching up on random days I missed for Inktober 2016. Never fear! I am determined to finish up all 31 "daily" prompts. Procrastinators, soldier on!
Here's a tree for Day 14.

So here's one for Day 21 and Day 22, from the prompt for Big and Little. I thought it would be fun to draw a big baby elephant and a small adult mouse.

And then, here's another for the prompt "One Dozen" conveniently provided by my butterfly collection. These are all supposed to be Pacific NW varieties. I usually do all my InkTober sketches in black and white, but it just seemed wrong to rob these butterflies of their color. Besides, by Day 24, I am absolutely DYING for color!