Painting Inside Out

Doug Dawson at ALLI 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:33:00 +0000

Using Photographic reference to create Landscape ptgs in the Studio

Doug Dawson shows the textured paper from Wallis that he uses unless he makes his own.
Many papers and recipes for surfaces are available to Pastel Painters .

To begin , Doug practices all the steps - which in our hurry to get to work - we often bypass.
This means a SKETCH showing the big SHAPES and VALUES.

He likes to create Color Harmonies to begin on the tinted overall color ground. For Landscape
paintings ( primarily COOL ) he may begin with WARM colors , in a limited palette.

Notice the color THUMBNAIILS which are developed - to show the VISUAL THOUGHTS
that will continue to inform. We are seeing all the plans along the way.

The beginning marks on the pastel paper are Loose , Light and Varied , leaving lots of
room for more layers based on the preparatory work which is shown.

Following Doug's steps you can improve your Landscape Paintings from photo References

Enjoy,
Shelli Ardizzone

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 18:55:00 +0000

National Art League, Douglaston, NY is the setting for a weekend workshop

celebrating our favorite summer flowers .

Students and Flower Painters love this weekend tim to paint these blooms at their peak

of freshness and beauty . Sets ups are live, in lovely settings which inspire

beautiful interpretations .

Instructor Shelli Ardizzone, offers these workshops to unabashed Flower Painters

during the year and can be contacted at artzoneny@earthlink.

Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone

www.shellirobiner-ardizzone.com

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:37:00 +0000

Doug Dawson Workshop on the North Fork of Long Island NY

In 2011 , The Art Guild hosted renowned Pastellist/Oil Painter , PSA Hall of Fame awardee 2008, for a week of Workshops

This video revisits the historic Elderfields property, and other plein air locations in the Port Washington area.

Doug introduces us to thumbnail sketches for plein air, and asked participants to select 3 pastels which were used to create a painting using this limited palette,

Colors are overlapped, pressure , and mark making variety allow for creative possibilities heretofore unexplored by most artists.

This approach offers great flexibility for playing with color and mass . Students paintings created on site are shown in this video.

A NEW Doug Dawson workshop series for 2013 is offered by The Art Guild

for information email artzoneny@earthkink.net

Pastel Flower Demo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:54:00 +0000

Flowers and Soft Pastel are a favorite inspiration for making art

Beginning with a vine charcoal sketch an artist includes all the basic information-
orientation of the subject on the paper, largest shapes , angles , -
This is fast and specific information .

Massing in the colors of these larger shapes are the place to start .

Working from soft pastel ),using the side of the pieces ) filling all the major areas
with LOCAL color .

The wire mesh containers are the invention of PSA Hall of Fame artist Doug Dawson,
and a great way to have a small footprint wherever you work.
I arrange mine in 4 baskets , assorted by VALUES . Baskets are lightweight and I have
everything that I need to interpret my color vision.

Soft pastels are easily mixed by layering colors, as the forms develop.. I keep a container with all the colors I am using for this painting for the next session.

The artists "touch" "hand pressure" is light with the Art Spectrum middle value color is showing through as layer by layer are developed .

Edges HAPPEN, as the shapes are defined .
More color is added to positive and negative spaces .

Looking at the SET UP ( live in the studio, with appropriate Lighting ) .)is the way I prefer to work. Seeing the shadows and lights based on the direction of the light source both indoors and outdoors makes for a cohesive and dramatic resolution .

The contrast of the DARKEST DARKS and LIGHTEST LIGHTS create the clarity and drama of a painting

Flowers In February - Haven Art 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Shelli Ardizzones' "Flowers in February 2012 is a 3 day celebration of all levels, all media creating
art work from live FLOWERS.

In its 12th year artists gather to paint the freshest flowers from the Wholesale Market in NYC arranged into set ups spread over the 3 studio areas of Haven Art.

Haven Art is located in Port Washington , NY, and is a wonderful place to hold a workshop.

Thanks to all the 20 painters who attended over the 3 days, and created the parade of color, and different visions you will see in this slide show.

I am sending out the images as a slide show so you can ENJOY each image.

For additional information visit www.shellirobiner-ardizzone.com

Flowers in February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:50:00 +0000

"Flowers in February"2011

This Workshop celebrating the beauty of Flowers is in its 11th year.

On the north shore of Long Island , The Art Guild of Port Washington

home base historic Elderfields hosts this eagerly anticipated annual winter Event.

17 Painters , 3 Days, 14 Floral Set-ups , great Energy , and wonderful

paintings .

ENJOY

www.shellirobiner-ardizzone

New Cezann-esque Pastel still life painting

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:27:00 +0000

This is the original set up , I am inspired by a batik scarf a gift from an Indian student , the white plate with fruit and veggies, and a nod to Cezanne . I am using a sanded surface, Art Spectrum Paper which comes in various sizes.

Here I begin blocking in the colors, were I answer the question " what color IS this area. I am working loosely and lightly with NuPastels, all over the mid value paper. The entire painting will be developed at the same time , rather then only finishing one element at a time.

Clarifying my colors and and adding softer pastels for depth and variety of strokes, I use the side, and points of my materials, varying the pressure. Since I am working on a sanded surface, the base color comes through to give a more textured visual look which my goal.

I am not happy with the wine glass in the middle of the composition. How do I get rid of this element ? I am using a stiff brush to get rid of the pastel build-up, and re applying the table color , and scarf folds into that area, AS WELL AS, the shape of another pear. I now feel that more weight is needed in the lower left front of the painting under the white plate.

Further adjustments are raising the turquoise table line higher. This means adjusting the folds of the scarf, as well as a darker area under the table. Any color alterations are surprisingly possible at every stage of a painting. Brushing off the color, the surface of a sanded surface will allow for major surgery to a painting.

Memories of TAOS ,NEW MEXICO

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:39:00 +0000

From Taos NM-memories of '08

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Click here for flier

This is so great,

You are invited to join the "Mecca of the SouthWest" Plein Air Workshop in the places

you have always dreamed of painting - All arranged for painters by artist,

instructor, coach, and enthusiast , Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone,

Taos, Sante Fe, and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

August 21-31 .2011.

Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone with guide you, through the inspirational geography, and special

insider painting sites in Taos, Sante Fe, and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico..

ENJOY THE FLIER

DREAM THE DREAM

MAKE IT HAPPEN

email Shelli artzoneny@earthlink.net www.shellirobiner-ardizzone.com

Cumberland Art Center

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Fall Foliage Sept 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 21:20:00 +0000

This is the Cobalt property as a preview of the farm which is also

as Theater Scenic Painting School student Dorm .

Fun in the Fall , upstate NY

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Leaves in Fall, at Cobalt Farmhouse in White Lake, NY

I had such a great few days in the dorm/farmhouse at Cobalt in
September. When I arrived I realized that Fall had appeared in
the surrounding landscape. What fun, I did a lot of photography
and even did an underpainting for a Pastel.
Here is one of the Leaf pix.

Plein Air Painting In Coastal Maine 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:25:00 +0000

ACADIA WORKSHOP CENTER
Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone
Oil, Pastel or Watercolor
July 26 - 30, 2010

PLEIN AIR BOOT CAMP

Painting outdoors is absolutely NOT like studio painting. There is nothing like being IN your painting, IN the physical world, IN sun, wind, fresh air and IN the MOMENT totally involved. You cannot get the feeling unless you do it, and Shelli can help you find your way.

This is for studio painters who wish to challenge their comfort level and plunge into Plein Air in the best possible setting - with expert guidance in COASTAL MAINE.

LEARN THE ESSENTIALS of plein air painting as Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone takes you through the basics of color mixing with a limited palette, values and color clues, and selecting great compositions on-site, in gorgeous Maine vistas.

This PLEIN AIR BOOT CAMP workshop will also include a combination of demos and individual guidance, quick and extended studies, and group critiques that will increase your color awareness and expand your painting skills and confidence.

There will be optional evening studio time in the excellent facilities of the Acadia Workshop Center and local seacoast dining.

SHELLI ROBINER-ARDIZZONE is a Studio and Plein Air Painter, garnering awards in both oil and pastel media. She has organized painting workshops in San Miguel de'Allende, Mexico, Taos, NM, and Tryingham, MA. Presently, she is teaching at The Newark Museum, NJ, and various Long Island, NY art centers.

ALL LEVELS OF PLEIN AIR EXPERIENCE WELCOME!
Workshops run 5 days, M-F, unless noted otherwise. SUPPLY LIST to come.

TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit: www.acadiaworkshopcenter.com/Enroll.html

TO CONTACT Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone, visit: www.shellirobiner-ardizzone.com and at artzoneny@earthlink.net

FOR LODGING contact Jeannie at (718) 597-1414 or jrw.esptravel2@verizon.net

View a slide show from the 2009 workshop below:

Spring Upcoming Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:40:00 +0000

CUMBERLAND ADULT CENTER

Pastels: A Dynamic Approach with Super Results

Explore the radiant colors of soft pastel while experimenting with various papers and techniques. Learn the basics of composition and work with color, pattern, and light. Develop your unique artistic expression. Work from still life, figure, and reference material, at your own pace, in a very supportive atmosphere. Two models included in fee.

SHELLI ROBINER-ARDIZZONE

FA160-1 No Models. Seven Thursdays, March 11–April 29
(no class April 1), 1–4 p.m. Cumberland. RA $155 / SC $95.

FA160-2 Models. Four Thursdays, May 6–27, 1–4 p.m. Cumberland. RA $123 / SC $87.

Textured Surfaces NEW

Shelli will guide you through the process of making your own textured surfaces. These will make your pastel paintings richer because they hold more layers of soft pastel. Over the past few years, there have been many innovations in granular pastel surfaces, but finding a granular paper that pleases you can be expensive. If you would like to try an easy, economical recipe for making your own granular surfaces for charcoal, pastel, and mixed media, this class is for you.

SHELLI ROBINER-ARDIZZONE

FA196-1 Tuesday, March 9, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Cumberland. $35. No nonresident surcharge.

Paint Like Van Gogh: Palette Knife, Limited Palette & Full Spectrum Color

Expand your technique, color perception, and vocabulary. In this workshop for oil and acrylic painters, learn to use the palette knife for applied textural strokes. You will get clean mixes and easy application of color using only red, yellow, and blue. With this limited palette and your palette knife, you can create a full spectrum of colors. Armed with new skills, work directly from observation of the still-life setup.

SHELLI ROBINER-ARDIZZONE

FA125-1 No Models. Seven Thursdays, March 11–April 29 (no class April 1), 5–8 p.m. Cumberland. RA $159 / SC $99 / HS $99.

FA125-2 Models. Four Thursdays, May 6–27, 5–8 p.m. Cumberland. RA $128 / SC $92 / HS $92.

TO REGISTER

Complete the registration form by visiting
http://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/GNPS/Pages/adult/adult.html.

Mail: 30 Cumberland Avenue, Great Neck, NY 11020
Complete one registration form per person and mail with check(s), money order(s),
or credit-card information in provided envelope.
Submit separate check or money order for each course.
Cash not accepted for payment. Does not apply to Great Neck
Senior Center.

Fax: (516) 441-4937
Fax completed registration form(s).
Use MasterCard or Visa.
Does not apply to Great Neck Senior Center.

Phone: (516) 441-4949
Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.—4 p.m. (July & Aug. 3 p.m.);
Use MasterCard or Visa.
Does not apply to Great Neck Senior Center.

In Person: 30 Cumberland Avenue, Great Neck, NY 11020
The Cumberland Adult Center, is a block south of Northern Blvd.
and 11⁄2 blocks east of Lakeville Rd.
Does not apply to Great Neck Senior Center.

Cumberland Office Hours:
Mon.–Thurs.…9 a.m.–4 p.m., 7–8:30 p.m.
Fri.…9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sat.…9:15–11:15 a.m.

CLASSES BEGIN SOON. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Fall Upcoming Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:48:00 +0000

NATONAL ART LEAGUE DEMO NIGHT
OIL PAINTING DEMO
Friday, October 2

The evening is FREE, and ALL are invited.
*I will be offering a painting to be RAFFLED OFF to some lucky member of the audience.

I am invited to do an oil painting demo at the NAL from a flower set-up. I will be the FIRST Friday demo artist for October. I am looking forward to this evening and invite my students to attend what will be an informative and entertaining evening. I usually Demo in Pastel, however, as I also paint in Oils, I would like to offer this view of my Oil painting approach and direct painting techniques.

NATIONAL ART LEAGUE
OIL AND PASTEL WORKSHOP
Saturday, October 3rd
1-4 pm
ALL LEVELS WELCOME

I am excited to offer a Saturday class for those who are not available during the week. I am looking for new students NEW to me and NEW to NAL. If you have friends who are thinking of beginning to honor their inner artist, I will be happy to help introduce the concepts and joy of making art!

CUMBERLAND FALL CLASSES
PASTELS
Thursday, October 8
1 - 4pm

PAINT LIKE VAN GOGH-ALMOST
Limited Palette and Palette Knife Painting
DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER
Late afternoon class

ART LEAGUE OF LONG ISLAND
A COMMON THREAD:AN EXHIBITION OF PORTRAITS & FIGURES
MY SELF-PORTRAIT IS ON EXHIBIT
Opens Sunday, Oct 4
Reception 3 -5

For Information and to register email me at artzoneny@earthlink.net or call 917 723 3362

New Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:52:00 +0000

Pastel, 18" x 24", on Art Spectrum paper

It takes me a few days to settle in to a location before I feel ready to paint. Prior to that I traveled the countryside taking hundreds of shots for future reference, food shopped, and socialized on my annual August pilgrimage, I finally got busy on the Cobalt Farmhouse property.

I have painted this corner of the world often and continue to find it a beautiful, challenging, user friendly place to paint. The sky was totally spectacular, bubbling and erupting endlessly. I think I might have been better served to have concentrated on the sky only.

Having my creative juices flowing, it felt good to do some work in a beloved area with a lot of history for me. I have wanted to do this sort of experimentation with some rather toxic chemistry available to me in the Cobalt storeroom. These paints and potions for the scenic painting trade, are not in my studio anymore since I donated most of my
materials from my decorative painting years to Materials for the Arts. I picked from the vast array materials amassed over 20 years of teaching Theatre Arts. I worked outside to minimize my reactions to these materials, and wailed away.

Same fields, slightly different angle
Oil, 26" x22", on canvas

This canvas has been painted over now, 2 years in a row, not yet satisfied. I may do another from the painting itself. Working on site, I do feel obligated to paint what I see, if I redo it in the studio, I will be more likely to do a freer and colorful version.

First experiment, tinted shellas, aniline dyes, over-glazed, 12" x 12"

Tinted shellac and aniline dyes over-glazed with oil glazes,
12" x 16", on canvas

The morning sunrise (yes I was awakened by the color flooding my bedroom) was so great after days of grey weather that I ran out doors like a loonie to photograph it, The feeling remained and spilled over into the work shown here.

Tinted shellac and aniline dyes over-glazed, 6" x 9", on board

This is the painting for Artists Fellowship Fundraiser.
Small size canvases are no less problematic then larger ones.

Flowers In Summer, The Art Guild

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:49:00 +0000

July 20-24 2009: Plein Air Workshop on Mount Desert Island, Acadia, Maine

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:43:00 +0000

There were wonderful facilities at Acadia Workshop Center, a variety of weather conditions and a group of talented and enthusiastic participants for this painting intensive. I loved the area, and it was an intensely green world due to the heavy rain fall this June and July.

Meeting this challenge head on, I devised exercises in color mixing (limited palette). The objective was to learn to love and differentiate the "greens," increasing one's color knowledge by limiting the accessible and obvious solutions. Students actually increased their color knowledge when working from a warm and cool primary triad of colors.The vast potential and fun of creating the colors seen on site, exemplified the spirit and practice of plein air.

The color palette used consisted of; Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Permanent, Ultramarine Blue, and Cobalt Blue/or Phthalo Blue, and Titanium White. The student's work in oils shows the variety of color developed over the course of the week.

Reflection in a Tidal Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:02:00 +0000

These are inspirational photos of reflections in a tidal pool area which we had painted throughout the week. The challenge for the trip was the overly verdant palette of "greens". This was my first opportunity to do some work after the Workshop ended and I was still in the area.

Gestural pastel color sketch of the movements on Kitty Wallis on a sanded surface. Working directly on to the surface with a sketchy approach in color and line to find the dominant shapes and color areas.

Continued development of the theme in local color, trying to find the correct greens of the areas. I used primarily soft pastels and strong color for this sketch. The intensity of the visuals and the area cried out for bold color choices.

Adding more strokes of different color to form the matrix of shapes. The pine trees, the grasses, and the moving water combined to create strong dark and light areas of broken color. Everything vibrated and moved making it a perfect impressionist subject.

Close-up of area to show application and variety of impressionist color and strokes, I hope to do other paintings of this subject in more relaxed and colorful interpretations.

Water reflections as broken color strokes, as well as larger masses of color. Feeling a little "Monet" with this area of the painting.

Attention given to edges, watery feeling in the reflections, as well as grasses in the foreground area completes this pastel in the studio. I am looking forward to a series of the "Greens of July in Maine."

June Flower Power Encore at The National Art League

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:06:00 +0000

A bonanza of beauty and blooms welcomed artists entering the new 2nd floor studio at the National Art League. The occasion is Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone's 9th year of this popular spring "Flower Power" weekend, June 27-28 (added the 29th).

This festive atmosphere marks an annual celebration of color and joy for Flower Painting enthusiasts who gather and are inspired to create art which endures beyond the season.

Flowers are purchased by Shelli at wholesale markets, and presented in lavish set-ups, for painters of all media who look forward to this painting opportunity.

This popular workshop began in 2000 as a Memorial Tribute to honor Lisa Specht, mentor, instructor and past president of the Art Students League of NY. For many years the workshop was held at Woman's Studio Center in LIC. In recent years the Workshop has been presented at NAL, Great Neck Adult Ed., Cumberland, and at The Art Guild/Elderfields.

"Flower Power" celebrations now include , "Flowers in Summer" and "Flowers in February"

Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone is an NAL award winning artist in oil and pastel. She will be offering a Saturday Class at NAL 1-4, beginning in Sept '09.

To register or for more info, visit www.nationalartleague.org or call 718-224-3957.

Preview of Pastel Sunflower Demo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:59:00 +0000

A fall out from exposure to Jimmy Wright's pastel sunflower series and my upcoming demo at Suburban Art League on June 2, 2009.

I spent some studio time with a "curvy " model sunflower, and built it up on a Sabretooth pastel paper sheet. Working directly on the turq-blue paper, no under-painting, going to the soft ammunition, Rembrandts, Sennelier, Unison, Rowney (for highlights and line work).

Catastrophe with clogged nozzle of spray fixative !!! Which I hardly ever use. Lumpy spots of fixative everywhere on the surface, also spray killed that color. Faced it to the wall.

After 2 days, I looked at it and decided to work on a portion of the paper - "what the hell, it cannot get any worse"- pockmarked and flattened color, one step away from the garbage.

"Try to remember it is the JOURNEY, and this piece that is the story."

Well - it was an OK struggle, this time. The wonderful soft pastels can overcome the physical damage, if I can overcome my fear and continue to work the surface. Using a stiff brush to remove several layers, and start reapplying this magic medium that I love.

Voila, a smaller, kinder painting.

I like do a rehearsal Demo before my in-class Demo, to overcome my fear of working in public. I have no fear of speaking in public, however I hate to be exposed as when a painting does not go well. A painting going downhill fast is bad enough--to do it in front of witnesses is really disheartening!

OK, so this is on a sanded Art Spectrum Colorfix surface, under-painted with Alcohol and Pastel, (which I will also demonstrate ) a charcoal sketch, and soft pastel application of a Sunflower with "Personality".

Sunflower Pastel Demo

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:42:00 +0000

I try to do a rehearsal for my demos, in order to feel more comfortable with the subject and medium. This series is inspired by the recent article in Pastel Journal on the work of Jimmy Wright. He has brought sunflowers, long a favorite subject for painters of all stripes, into iconic celebrity status.

I have enjoyed them always as a part of a large casual bouquet. This painting will celebrate one sassy, shapely bloom. Here goes.

Pretreatment and Under-painting.
I am working on Art Spectrum Colorfix 1/2 sheet, a light yellow. This paper already has a medium sanded surface and can take many layers of pastel. Rubbing the side of several colors which are arranged in horizontal bands, I cover the surface.

Alcohol is brushed on and manipulated while wet, softened and made to resemble a wet water color. I enjoy working on a pre-treated textured paper because it challenges me color wise. It enables me to see the tone as a medium VALUE so that I can better judge which lights and darks are to follow.

The "portrait" of this sassy and curvy feminine form is drawn in charcoal with attention to the GESTURE of the stem and placement of the leaves. I am enjoying this shape very much and it feels like it will make its appearance onto the paper in an organic and natural way.

I see this Dancer in a Musical - and the color costume, greens and a crown of yellow. Unlike Wrights often tortured forms this one is happy and willing to show up and show-off.

The background gets more alcohol/pastel treatment and some side of the stick lightly applied color application/enhancement.

I am too much committed to the background and will not mess with it too much - on this piece. Building up using soft, also referred to DRY Pastels, Rembrandt, Sennelier, Schmincke, Unison, and Rowney as I am blocking in the darks of the leaves and the darks in the corona at the base of the flower.

Developing the drawing, and wanting to keep the feeling of this piece about the movement and personality of the flower as I see it. This looks "pretty" is that a bad word?

Some further enhancement of pastel in the background and a lot accents in the leaves to exaggerate the movement that Sunflower leaves actually have. They twist and turn in an amazing variety of shapes and lines, light and darker color. I am using warm and cool greens, and as well as various line colors. The stem is a riot of line and color striping.

This is the finished pastel, I shall call it "Struttin My Stuff" or something like that.

This is a closer view of the Sunflower strutting its stuff. I enjoyed this one, and I want to do more with other attitudes. Stay Tuned!

National Art League Award

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Nice happening, the National Art League Annual awarded me a Merit Award and the guy in the picture won Second Prize. Besides being a great artist, he happens to be my husband Joe.

This was truly a first for us, juried into the same show, and BOTH taking prizes.

This is the Pastel painting of mine that won the Marie & Frank Cole Award.

Spring Palette Knife Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:41:00 +0000

After my first exposure to a limited palette via this workshop with Morton Kaish, I have tried to keep my paint colors to a minimum and mix as much a possible. It is liberating to me.

I designed a class to teach this approach and have been teaching "Paint in the Manner of Van Gogh" at Great Neck Adult Education Center and The Newark Museum. My intention is to inspire direct strong strokes with the use of a palette knife and challenge the learning process as you learn more about mixing colors.

This is a special workshop taught by Mort Kaish at the National Academy in 2009. The triad of colors is Cadmium Yellow Light, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson and White. I am using acrylic paint on Masonite board toned with Ultramarine Blue acrylic.

Portrait of a Model, Over-Sized Head, Palette Knife, Limited Palette.

The charcoal sketch is painted over in black acrylic paint to facilitate fast drying. We are told to think of stained glass leading, where one area attaches to another, and is clearly outlined.

This is my finished outlined, leaded head.
The board is 24" x 18".

Beginning by premixing the paints for the skin tones, I begin to apply the strokes. It is an "apply scrape off the excess stroke". As one works the face, the under layers are drying and allowing for
additional color applications. There is a see thru effect, due to the scraping off of the excess paint. This is not about frosting a cake.

The "leading" allows you to separate the areas of the image. This provides clarity and acts as a road map. It also guides you toward selecting distinct colors and avoid too much blending. This is a new tool to most and a helpful approach to applying color.

Texture will inevitably occur as the under layers have been scraped. Acrylic paint allows for a lot of layering in 2, 3 hour sessions. You can see the variety of colored layers on the surface as they continue to build the form over the 2 sessions on this model.

The dark areas are mixed from the limited palette. I did not get to the background other then to make an outline.

The object was not a real likeness, but the color interaction and liberation of using the primary triad of color to develop all the colors needed. The "darks" are the most challenging because the value and color has to be deep.

I love this theory so much, it is my second time taking the workshop. Mr. Kaish has incorporated both the knife and brush in his own wonderful work.

Flower Painting Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone) — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:59:00 +0000

"FLOWER POWER ENCORE"
With Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone

A SPRING FLOWER POWER PAINTING WORKSHOP

June 27 - June 28
Hours are 9am - 4pm for each day
2 days of Flower Power, Flowers included: $110.

Join the fun celebrating the joy of Spring Flowers. A highly anticipated encore of last years great workshop at NAL. Shelli selects and arranges the Freshest Flowers for you from wholesale markets. There will be multiple arrangements and Great Set-Ups for your painting enjoyment. Artists should bring their favorite materials and a portable easel (in case we run out.)

Workshop will be held in the new 2nd floor studio of the League.

National Art League
44-21 Douglaston Parkway
Douglaston, NY 11363

TO REGISTER CONTACT:
Shelli Robiner-Ardizzone
artzoneny@earthlink.net
www.shellirobiner-ardizzone.com
(917) 723-3362