Tulip Day

My extremely modest ‘rows’ of tulips

 I’m thinking about our daughter in California today, whose favorite flower is the tulip. When she was a child, our family would go out to the fields where thousands of tulips made a colorful patchwork as far as you could see. We were allowed to park along the roadside then. Kodak would choose a particularly dramatic view and build a platform for anyone to climb up and get some great snapshots.

Today we are under “shelter at home” self isolation because of the Covid-19 pandemic.  California has not been under this quarantine as long as we have. I have been self in self isolation since March 28! If that is what it takes to protect ourselves and others from infection, then that is what we’ll do!

In the Skagit Valley they are already clipping off the tulip heads to promote the development of the underground bulbs. We are discouraged from venturing out to the tulip fields and causing traffic problems for the locals. So today I offer my modest little “field”.  I’ve left them to bloom beside the road for those on neighborhood walks to enjoy. Later today, difficult as it will be, I will cut these flowers down so that they will grow and propagate next year. I am pleasantly surprised that our feral rabbits haven’t already munched these down!

Again! Despite warnings to stay out of the rows, the studio mannequin can’t resist stepping in to get a few selfies.

Watercolor Tulips

Looking back at another spring season full of tulips and time spent on the deck with watercolors.

Painting watercolor tulips in the sunshine out on the deck.

I divided up my Arches 140 lb. CP paper with painters’ tape and drew with a Micron waterproof pen.

I love the way natural light infuses the shadows with color! 

New Online Watercolor Classes Coming Up

I see the studio mannequin is busy taking selfies for his zoom profile.

My interactive online watercolor classes are about to launch! We will be starting in May. 

If you’re interested DM me on Instagram @ michelecooperart or leave a comment here on my blog. 

Even though we are apart, we can still paint together. 

See my free watercolor demonstrations on my YouTube Channel here. 

Hip Hop Handwashing Song

Here’s a fun hand washing song for all ages that will make you smile. 😄 Watch the classic performance from “The Wedding Singer.

Screen shot from “The Wedding Singer”

If you wash your hands through “try to move your feet” and rinse them off, you should be up to 20 seconds.

i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop 
the rock it to the bang bang boogie 
say up jumped the boogie 
to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends 
are gonna try to move your feet
see i am wonder mike and i like to say hello
to the black, to the white, the red, and the brown,
the purple and yellow
but first i gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie
say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
let's rock, you dont stop
rock the riddle that will make your body rock
well so far youve heard my voice 
but i brought two friends along 
and next on the mike is my man hank
come on, hank, sing that song

source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/w/theweddingsingerlyrics/rappersdelightlyrics.html

Mountains and Wordsworth

Original Watercolor by Michele Cooper (15x22”)If you follow my instagram or Facebook art page, you have probably already seen this painting and the following quote. I include it here for those who haven't seen it yet.

Mountains can reflect emotional influences, so as to lift the spirit and powerfully affect for good the moral life of humanity. William Wordsworth expressed this in his poem "Tintern Abbey", published in Lyrical Ballads (1798):

Therefore am I still
A lover of the meadows and the woods,
And mountains; and of all the mighty world
Of eye, and ear, well pleased to recognize
In nature and the language of the sense,
The anchor of purest thoughts, the nurse,
The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul
Of all my moral being. 

Watercolor Class Winter/Spring 2020

UPDATE: MARCH 20, 2020 ALL CLASSES ARE POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
UPDATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

Wednesday, March 11, night class at Skagit Valley College is cancelled until further notice.

Friday, March 6 Intermediate watercolor class is postponed. King County Health has issued an announcement asking for people 60 and older or anyone with underlying health issues not to go out and so that means many of us. Also anyone who’s pregnant 🧐

I am sending you a link to that announcement and you’ll probably see it on your nightly news tonight. 

https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/March/5-slowing-the-impact.aspx

Presently, I am not aware of anyone that we are associated with who has this virus. So stay healthy, take care of yourself and I will check with you before class next week.

UPDATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
Session 2 of the Guilded Gallery watercolor class is cancelled. Because of under enrollment due to caution regarding community spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) we are canceling watercolor class previously scheduled for March 5-April 2, 2020. It is hoped that this epidemic will have passed sufficiently to allow class to resume sometime in April. Meanwhile, I trust you and those close to you will stay calm, safe and healthy.
Please subscribe for further updates or follow me on Instagram @michelecooperart.

Painting Watercolor with Michele Cooper, Wednesday 6-9pm
Skagit Valley College, Mt Vernon
Winter Registration: 360.416.7638
January 22-March 11, 2020

• Spring Quarter 
• April 8-May 27, 2020

Watercolor with Michele Cooper at A Guilded Gallery, Thursday 10am-1pm
Stanwood, Camano Island 
Winter Registration: (360) 629-2787
Series 1: January 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20

Series 2: March 5, 22, 19, 26, April 2

Intermediate Watercolor, Friday 10am-1:00pm
Kirkland Arts Center
Winter Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
January 24-March 13, 2020

Introduction to Watercolor Workshop
Kirkland Arts Center
Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
March 14 & 15, 2020
Saturday and Sunday (10am-4pm)

Intermediate Watercolor Friday 10am-1:00pm
Kirkland Arts Center
Spring Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
April 10-May 29, 2020

Find me on Instagram @michelecooperart
linktr.ee/michelecooperart

My USK workshop is open for early registration on Feb 29

On location sketch 2 years ago. See what’s new this year. Come sketch with me on Saturday, May 23, 2020

Urban Sketchers Seattle is excited to announce the 2020 USk 10x10 Workshop Program!

The USk 10x10 program is a worldwide initiative to offer educational workshops wherever sketchers live. Launched in celebration of Urban Sketchers’ 10th anniversary in 2017, the program brings a variety of courses on urban sketching techniques, approaches and media. This is the fourth consecutive year that USk Seattle is participating. With 15 workshops scheduled, it’s our biggest program yet!

Warm up exercises and getting to know our materials

Come sketch with me on Saturday, May 23, 2020. My workshop is #7, entitled “First Steps into Urban Sketching” and is designed for those who are new to urban sketching. Here’s a link to a review by Jane Dillon Wingfield.

Registration begins Saturday, Feb. 29, 9 a.m.The cost for each 3½-hour workshop is $60 through our “early bird” date, March 27, 2020. After that date, the price is $70 per workshop. Registration will be processed by the event management website, Brown Paper Tickets. Please see the program schedule and workshop details and read the FAQ for registration information (link below).

http://seattle.urbansketchers.org/p/seattle-usk.html

Handmade "Specimen Slides" for Junk Journals

Screen shot from my new video on making specimen slide embellishments ala ArtyMaze

I just announced on my IG account that I have a new video uploaded on my YouTube craft channel.

Here's one of the freebie frames with my own butterfly insert and a napkin collaged pocket.

I made this napkin collaged pocket with lace, button, paper quote, sewn muslin and my own original specimen slide.

I think my handmade bead (made from rolled magazine paper and glass beads) looks a bit like a chrysalis, don't you?

See my Instagram feed @michelecooperart
Watch the video on how I make these at MicheleCooperCraft on YouTube.

Something to do before January Watercolor classes begin

Now that the holiday season is winding down, you may be looking for a project or two to refresh your watercolor skills before our usual class schedule resumes.

As always, daily sketching and painting will keep you busy and be an enjoyable way to get your art skills going again. Charlie O’Shields has his January prompts ready at doodlewash.com. Here’s what he says about next month:

“January is the start of winter and the days can be a bit dark and gray. Thankfully, with the help of a sketchbook, a bit of creativity, and lots of lovely color any day can be made bright and beautiful. So, this month is a celebration of colorful things from flamingos to macarons. And a wonderful chance to practice with color, try new mixes and have a totally delightful time in the process!”

Another option is to join a Facebook group that inspires your watercolor creativity.

      Two Facebook groups that I enjoy are Watercolor Enthusiasts

      And 30x30 Direct Watercolor 

Each of the other two above mentioned FB groups have challenges of their own.       

1. The challenge at 30x30 Watercolor is to paint directly without any preliminary drawing.  This group is the home base for a participatory art project started in 2019 and hosted by Marc Taro Holmes and Uma Kelkar.

2. Here’s what Watercolor Enthusiasts did for their December Challenge:

    “Here comes our DECEMBER CHALLENGE! Let's get creative, take out your brushes and paint "Magical Forest". The winning entry will be published as the group's banner. This time it is also a Member's Choice: a winner will be chosen by the number of "likes" given by members.”

Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/136128046842511/?ref=share to see the winning artwork.

Pen Envelope and lunch with a Friend

A friend from urban sketchers wanted some pens like the ones I use in my sketchbooks. So we arranged to meet for lunch, sketch, chat and then I could hand off the pens to her.
Here’s the sketch I did during lunch.

And here’s the little surprise I made for her to keep the pens. She liked it so much that she said she’s using it on her next trip to India.

The envelope was made of heavy decorative card stock. I sewed all around the liner with my sewing machine.
 I attached a sari silk ruffle and button closure with elastic wrap.
The button was attached with two decorative brads. 

 I included a postcard and notepad inside the envelope

I made a curly paper clip dangle with an elephant and three silver bells.