Cathy Johnson Fine Art Galleries

Celtic Madonna...now in my new Etsy shop!

2011-12-30T10:50:00.002-06:00

"Celtic Madonna"
acrylic on canvas
8 x 10, unframed

The face has such a contemplative look, with an innocence shining through. She appears half hidden behind a screen of images taken from the Book of Kells.

I love faces and the range of expressions we show the world. This one is from my imagination, exploring acrylics as thin washes on canvas.

$150

NOW ON ETSY!
Just click the link to purchase

Contact me at Kate@cathyjohnson.info
if you prefer to pay by check. Insurance is included in shipping.

Noodler's Flex Pens

2011-12-18T14:05:00.000-06:00

I really enjoy my Noodler's Flex pens, and LOVE clear demonstrators, which are now more available...but I couldn't justify buying another pen unless I let some go.

So I've just put a couple of Lapis Infernos up on eBay--the ones I used to do the above sketches.

Take a peek--my ID is katestreasures, and the auction is here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350516416221. There's even a Buy it Now option, still less than new (which is a bargain itself!)

A CD reminder!

2011-12-13T09:25:00.000-06:00

We're no longer on Cafe Press, but we're producing our OWN CDs--much better quality control and personal service, now!

Please check out our catalog for books and CDs--there's still time before Christmas to order, with old favorites and best sellers being joined by some NEW offerings! Check 'em out...

This has been one of my most popular new offerings...

We DO have an Etsy store now, too, offering original art, prints, and handmade jewelry...please drop by for a visit, or add me to your circle! We're HERE.

New mini-class on watercolor pencils!

2011-08-18T12:20:00.004-05:00

Hi all--I've finally got a new class to offer you!

After lots of roadblocks and technical problems, rain on the studio roof (too loud to record videos) and cloudy days (too dark!), not to mention that cold that just wouldn't go away, I've finally gotten a new class ready to go, at your request.

You'll find lots of links, videos and extras...I hope you enjoy it!

Here's what you can expect:

LESSON 1

Making Your Mark - Exploring Watercolor Pencils

Application
Basic Techniques
How Many Strokes, and How
Much Water?
Layering
Color!
Exercises
Bonus Pages
Videos

LESSON 2

Making Your Mark - Getting Familiar With the Medium

Watercolor Sticks and Crayons
Opaque Colors
Color Wheels
Layering/Mixing
What WC Pencils will and won't do.
Resists
Demos
Exercises
Bonus Page
Videos

LESSON 3

Stepping Out!

Putting Applications to Work
Single Line/Single Color
Values
Solid Tones
Exercises
Bonus Page
Videos

LESSON 4

Mixed Media and Putting It All to Work

Finished Paintings
Mixed Media
Demos
Exercises
Take Five!
Bonus Page
Videos

QUIZ (just to firm up your thinking, there's no grade!)

EXTRAS:

Brushes and Watercolor Pencils

Testing Watercolor Pencils

All this for only $30, as are all my mini-classes!

You can find all the information and enrollment here:

http://www.cathyjohnson.info/online.html

(You may need to refresh or reload the page, I did!)

And of course, you can still find Quick Sketching 1 and 2 there, too.

Upcoming classes will be on ink and watercolor, keeping at artist's journal, nature sketching and more! Watch for them...and welcome aboard!

Best--

Kate

CD GIveaway...and the WINNER IS...

2011-07-14T12:20:00.004-05:00

...Capt. Elaine Magliacane!

Congratulations, Elaine, and thank you for entering. I've emailed you privately for your mailing address, but if you see this first, write me at kate@cathyjohnson.info!

And thanks everyone else, for responding so generously! I put all the entrants from both blogs together in one pot, shuffled them thoroughly, and let Joseph draw the winning name!

We finally solved the glitch problem (though I'm not promising I might STILL have missed a typo!), and we're rolling again.

If you want the CD, of course you can find it on my website catalog, and we'll be having another giveaway soon of the OTHER new CD, so watch for it!

Sorry for the delay while I deal with a dinosaur...

2011-07-11T17:45:00.000-05:00

I know I said we'd pick the winner for the CD today, but although J. said I shouldn't even call it a prototype because there weren't any glitches, I found to my dismay (from some kind person who BOUGHT one!) that there were, indeed. ACK. We thought it was done, honest we did.

So. The dinosaur is unfortunately my MovieMaker 2.6, which keeps hanging up and leaving things out. I've been working for two days to try to solve the problem...but unfortunately they're DIFFERENT things, each time.

And each time I go to fix it I find another typo...so might was well clean those up while I'm at it....

I've even uploaded a new version of MovieMaker to let it repair itself. That was yesterday...

I'm going to switch to a newer movie-editing software as soon as I get this one DONE (rats, thought I was!), but the project itself, pre-slideshow/movie IS finished--and there doesn't seem to be another software out there that can read it. (Believe me, I've tried!)

Soooo...sorry for the delay! Technical difficulties...

CD Giveaway!

2011-07-05T16:51:00.001-05:00

As some of you know, we've been working to solve the problem CafePress threw in our laps the other day when they announced they'd no longer be producing CDs--our biggest seller!

SO....Joseph's been doing some prototypes to see if we can do it ourselves (we CAN!), and because we've changed something here or there on the cover or on how the files are organized since then, we're offering these prototypes as giveaways!

Here's the first offering...my first in the Elements of Landscape series, Painting and Drawing Trees, with a slideshow, PDFs, jpegs, and other goodies.

Make a comment here on the blog, and we'll pick the winner next Monday! Free shipping, too. (I'm putting this on Artist's Journal Workshop blog too, but we'll compile names--we won't miss you if you sign up one place or another!)

Of course this and all the other CDs are available on my website, right now. After all these years, I'll be closing my CafePress store at the end of July, but the CDs will be available right here: http://www.cathyjohnson.info/cds.html

Who needs Cafe Press??

Cafe Press is doing away with CDs as of July 30th

2011-07-01T20:47:00.001-05:00

...and since they have been my BIG seller there, I'll be looking for a new home for the on-demand printing function that CafePress offered..

(If you know of a dependable option, I'd be delighted to hear about it!)

I discovered this when I was working on the two new slideshow CDs...I finally got everything working together and was able to finish a couple of projects that had been hanging around for a couple of years. As in this afternoon.

I went to Cafe Press to upload the new information--I'd already sent them the art last week--and to get the information sheet you mail with the master CDs.

They hadn't bothered to let any of the shop owners know about this change until I got an email, tonight, after calling them today to ask what was up.

SO. My CDs will still be available on my website...and they'll still be in my CafePress store until July 30th.

This has been one of my most popular new offerings...

And after that time, I believe I'll be closing the store entirely, so if there are any t-shirts, mugs, artist's t-shirts, clocks, greeting cards, post cards, messenger bags, aprons, or whatever that you'd been wanting, now's the time.

Eventually I will have an Etsy shop or a Volusion, or Zazzle, but for now I'm not up for continuing to pay CafePress a premium shop fee and their cut on goodies without having my bestselling CDs available.

The address is here: http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson and again, after that time, the CDs will be available on my website, but the cards, t-shirts, aprons and such will not.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have bought CDs there over the past years--it's been a real ride, and you have been MUCH appreciated!

And watch this space for news of where we end up!

quick sketching with a waterbrush

2011-03-09T08:58:00.002-06:00

Thought you all might like to see this, if you haven't seen it elsewhere...

Two Original California ACEOs in watercolor

2010-11-15T16:39:00.000-06:00

Two original watercolor ACEOS by Cathy Johnson.

Choose one or both--they'd make a wonderful set, displayed together.
All are of San Francisco's Ocean Beach one perfect autumn day.

I was asked to speak at the Sierra Club's first international gathering in 2005; it was exciting and wonderful, and afterward, breathing a huge sigh of relief, we went to the ocean and played like children in the surf.

------------

ACEOs are a fairly new phenomenon, but I've been fascinated by these tiny paintings for several years. Because of their small size and affordability, I've been able to own original paintings from several artists whose work I admire a great deal.

ATCs are artist trading cards, and that's how the movement started out--but many people who were not artists wanted to collect these little jewels, too. So ACEOs were born--still the size of a playing card, but "artist cards, editions and originals"
were created to meet this need.

Some ACEOs are prints and some are tiny original works of art, as are these.

(To appreciate the detail, click on the images to see them even larger-than-life--on your screen they will look larger than they do in reality.)

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I had to laugh at this one--all along the beach are signs saying "dogs must be kept on a leash." Here's yet another dog who can't read!

"Beach Walk"
ORIGINAL watercolor
on archival paper
3.5 x 2.5 inches

The boy and his dog were so free...I loved watching them.

"Beach Walk"
$20

"Pacific Dreaming"
ORIGINAL watercolor
on archival paper
3.5 x 2.5 inches

Can't you just hear the gulls calling? The headlands are soft with a fog off the ocean; the sound of waves pounds the short. It's primal...

"Pacific Dreaming"

$20

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San Juan Capistrano Arches

2010-11-15T15:42:00.001-06:00

"San Juan Capistrano Arches"
9" x 12"
ink and watercolor on paper

My husband and I went to this wonderful place in Sourthern California for a day trip honeymoon...and I never wanted to leave! I could have stayed there and painted for weeks...the history, the beauty, the ambiance of the ages...it really spoke to me!

It was the perfect day.

This painting is now available on Etsy...please click the purchase information below for more information.

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MINI-DEMO

Ballpoint pens have a silvery, graphite-like quality that lends itself beautifully to capturing textures. Most of the newer ones are archival, though some of my 35-year-old ballpoint pen drawings have turned to a lovely, atmospheric sepia.

Here, you can see the texture possible with repeated lines and a lighter or heavier application...really, very much like a pencil drawing, but a bit stronger and easier to paint over with watercolor washes.

I've used glazes to suggest the textures and shadows, mostly with burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.

A bit of spatter suggests aged stonework and adobe, as does the drybrush work, below...I loaded my brush with ultramarine grayed with a little sienna and just allowed it to touch the texture of the paper, using the side of the brush rather than the tip.

I was very pleased with the resulting vignette...

--------------

This painting will come to you unmatted and unframed for ease of shipping; I wrap with care and send via Priority Mail for most dependable shipping.

$95

Click here to purchase

Sketchbook Confidential available for Pre-Order

2010-09-23T16:19:00.001-05:00

I had almost forgotten, with everything else that's been going on that I was included in this new book from North Light, now available for pre-order! There are 40 artists involved, and I'm really looking forward to receiving my copy!

No idea why they chose that title...it's not THAT kind of "confidential!" <:-P

Here's a larger version of the cover:

Or click the image below to find out more--unfortunately it doesn't tell WHO those 40 artists are, and I'm as much in the dark as you are. We'll ALL be surprised!

And nope, this isn't my new book on keeping an artist's journal--that will be out in the spring of 2011.

BUSY!! But a sale on this CD...

2010-09-05T11:24:00.012-05:00

It's been a wildly busy summer, what with a new North Light book and building my own small shed/studio (you can find my blog on that subject HERE.) but I'm finally back to eBay and thinking of offering classes online again. (I'll announce when I decide what and when! If you haven't already, please subscribe using the form at right.)

So here's my latest offering, a sale to kick off the season! (I'm also clearing out art supplies I don't need...be sure to check my eBay ID, KATESTREASURES!)

ON SALE! Cathy Johnson's "Watercolor Workshop" offers how-to tips and demonstrations for artists on a data CD. This CD is an edited and expanded version of Johnson's popular online workshop, in CD form.

You'll find it HERE

These are the same lessons we use in the popular Watercolor–Online! workshops, with additional PDF files added for the CD.

Now, for your convenience, the lessons are available on a CD you can use anywhere–at home, at school, at work or on vacation, any time you have a computer with a CD drive and Adobe Reader available. Use the lessons on your own, at your convenience, and at your own speed–the information is all there, just for you. We hope you enjoy it!

Whether you're a beginning artist, an old hand looking to brush up, or just looking for some fresh ideas, this tutorial CD may be for you! Just pop in your computer's CD player and GO.

Fully illustrated...

You'll find PDF-format articles on:

6 fully illustrated lessons

Lesson plan outline

Welcome and how-to

Supply List

Self-critiquing

How to stretch paper

Recommended Reading

Feedback from online students on this series

...AND MORE!

4th art tip CD is out (and has been for a bit!)

2010-06-10T12:51:00.002-05:00

Ooops, forgot to mention that I got the 4th art tip CD up on my CafePress store
and my website.

Here's the info from my website catalog:

"Art Tips Tutorials 4"
from Graphic/Fine Arts Press (Data CD)

This CD takes us to 100 tips, the fourth in the series of how-to, inspiration, information and more. These tips for artists are compiled here for your convenience -- take with you for use anywhere, on your laptop, lunch break, vacation, Internet Cafe, wherever! No Internet connection necessary. Make art wherever you are, with inspiration and guidance from artist/author/teacher Cathy Johnson, contributing editor for The Artist's Magazine and Watercolor Magic, author of The Sierra Club Guides to Sketching and Painting in Nature, and 7 North Light books for artists.

These are compilations of the free art tips on my website, for the convenience of those who can't always be online or who prefer not to browse, and as such, I keep the prices down!

And of course watch for NEW art tips on my website--the next one will be #105. Go to http://cathyjohnson.info and subscribe to my newsletter full of info and great links to artist sites, tutorials and more, or look at right on this blog for the signup form!

"Tryst Falls"--a plein air watercolor

2010-02-25T10:20:00.003-06:00

"Tryst Falls"
A Plein Air Watercolor on Archival Paper
9" x 12"

Painting on the spot offers many delights and challenges. Beauty is all around us, filling our eyes and souls, singing its siren song--"paint me if you dare"! Details crowd around us, clamoring for attention; the light changes rapidly. The wind picks up, or dies and suddenly we're hot!

I love the challenge, and some of my favorite paintings have been done on the spot--and sometimes I'm just not quite happy with what I've done. Just because you've started a painting on the spot doesn't mean it's set in stone and Must Not Be Touched. Satisfaction in the end result can be important, too.

I often put a painting aside for a few hours...or days...or weeks. If I'm still happy with it, that's marvelous! If not--by then I can usually tell what I need to do to come closer to what I responded to originally.

In this case the waterfall was glorious--sparkling, roaring, moving with energy that could move mountains--but my original painting was overdone and dull. I washed back the edges to form a vignette and focus the eye on the waterfall (as you can see in my art tip #93!), and added more color for a lively sparkle.

I featured this painting on a recent art tip on fixing watercolors--you can find it on my website at http://cathyjohnson.info, at upper left. (If you're not already getting my Art Tip announcement newsletter, you can sign up there, too--we're up to Tip # 100, believe it or not!)

This is one of my favorite places to paint--I've done many of the falls and environs, and have yet to be bored...

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Mini-demo

I used a combination of techniques for the waterfall itself--liquid mask, painting around, and lifting the mist at the left with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and clear water. Make sure to blot away the loosened pigment quickly!

Here, you can see I used a bit more scratching, with a sharp craft knife to give a bit of sparkle. You'll want to use a good strong paper if you plan to do much lifting or scratching...

I used the Mr. Clean eraser, which is actually a fine-grained manmade sponge found in the household cleaning department of your grocery or discount store, to make a softened vignette effect on the final painting. It draws the viewer's eye into the center of interest, where I kept the lightest and darkest areas, as well as the most detail and action.

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This painting is offered unmatted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US. Insurance included in the shipping cost

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I love painting on the spot; it's always a challenge, and I see things I can't, in a photograph. I share some of my love for this kind of work on my CD that was done mostly in the Shenandoah Valley, where my husband used to live.

I'm glad I captured some of that spectacular scenery, and the wonderful memories...

It's $15.99 + shipping, if you'd like to explore the wonders of painting on the spot--or of the Shenandoah Valley!

Autumn Lake, Ray County--SOLD

2010-02-17T13:42:00.005-06:00

"Autumn Lake, Ray County"

9" x 12"

watercolor pencil on archival paper

This is a hidden lake on a private holding in Ray County, Missouri. My friends and I had secured permission to explore, hike, sketch, and photograph, and we came across this beautiful spot. The leaves were gone, but the still water reflected a pristine sky and lakeside reeds glowed as if on fire!

I hope it finds a home with you...

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Mini-demo:

I chose watercolor pencil for this, since I could sketch in those graceful bare limbs with my pencil point, then soften them with clear water to suggest the tiny twigs you barely see from a distance...

I varied the color a bit to give the impression of the different types of trees.

The clumps of reed were like soft down-filled pillows! I know they had provided cover for waterfowl, frogs, and fish, spawning near the banks.

This painting was originally done for by North Light book, Watercolor Pencil Magic, now out of print. In order to meet the demand, I produced an expanded version of the book, Watercolor Pencil Workshop on CD, restoring one whole chapter that had to be edited from the book for space reasons; the CD is in PDF format, and has bonus reading. We use this CD for my online classes!

The CD is $15.99 + shipping--you can find it here, if you like:

New journal-keeping CD is finally done...

2010-02-17T11:04:00.000-06:00

Hooray, just got word that my newest CD, "Keeping an Artist's Journal" is up on my CafePress site!

It was a lot of work, and a lot of angst--Lesson 5 got lost somewhere between my ancient computer and the new one kateslover got me before Christmas, and we just found it last week. I edited it, put the bonus reading together in one document, and got it off to be mastered.

I've kept a journal for 35+ years, and it's been one of the most profoundly important things I've ever done for myself, helping me to celebrate milestones--and everyday joys!--deal with anxieties, plan paintings, face my fears, record details of nature, write first drafts of my books, keep a travel journal, collect recipes, and love my friends, family, and animals. I feel lost without my journal!

Over the years, I've written about journaling in Country Living Magazine, Personal Journaling, The Artist's Magazine, and Watercolor Artist as well as in my books--especially Creating Nature in Watercolor and the Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature...and am just waiting for a new contract from North Light to do a NEW book, just on the subject.

Some of the "bonus reading" articles on the CD are edited forms of those earlier published articles...as you can tell, I AM committed to this concept, and shared a great deal about that on the CD.

I recently finished teaching on online class, also called Keeping an Artist's Journal, that this CD is based on--my students were amazing. They did terrific, thought-provoking and inspiring work, and what we ALL learned was so gratifying. Wow, what a rush...

There are 5 fully illustrated lessons in PDF format, along with lots of extra material! I'll get it in my website catalog as soon as I have my own copies in hand, but for now, it's OUT there. Finally!

New Super-simple, Quick & Easy Bookbinding CD

2010-01-31T09:27:00.006-06:00

NEW--for ARTISTS, JOURNAL KEEPERS, SCRAPBOOKERS and other CRAFTERS!

Have you ever been frustrated with the paper in commercially-bound journals? Wished you could have paper that would take the mediums YOU like? Wanted a different size or format than you could find in the stores?

I'm delighted with the reception of my easy bookbinding CD--I did it in conjunction with the online class I taught in November and December, and the students really seemed to love it!

This one makes it easy and fast, if you're not ready to jump into full-scale bookbinding. You can STILL have exactly the paper, size, and color you want.

You can find it HERE in my website catalog, or in my CafePress store, along with all my other CDs for artists--slide shows, how-to demos, plein air, and copyright-free photos for artists.

This one includes accordion fold books, folders that use a single sheet of paper, ring-bound journals and much more--including making cover papers and your own bookcloth!

Lots of hints and tips for those who want paper they love to work on without having to learn about stitching signatures and all that--though that IS fun, and I love it!

The cost is $15.99 (plus shipping) and it will save you many times that over buying sketchbooks, while offering the satisfaction of having JUST what you want--and of course having made it yourself.

Give it a try!

My new book is out!

2010-01-28T12:52:00.001-06:00

It got into the stores, onto Amazon, and into buyers' hands about a month earlier than expected, and the reviews have been really good!

Above is one of my favorite step-by-step demos from the book, from a visit to in the Blue Ridge Mountains, back before we were married.. Gorgeous area...we drove through clouds and watched that subtle, beautiful sunset over the mountains...
You can order from my website and get a signed copy (click on the title of this post, above) and of course Amazon has it as well--click here for details, including the Search Inside option...Watercolor Tricks & Techniques: 75 New and Classic Painting Secrets

(Just remember to hit "surprise me," you can see a lot more of a book that way...)

I did animals and people, too, of course, and also some whimsical pieces like childhood toys and a goofy doll I designed years ago!

There are step-by-steps on both of these, too...my little friend Fiona and my beloved Merlin...

Cooley Lake Sunset, plein air

2009-10-09T08:16:00.000-05:00

"Cooley Lake Sunset"
a plein air landscape
9" x 12"
Watercolor on cold press paper

Sunset at the lake is pure magic, even in winter. I worked from my car in the rapidly chilling air as I watched the resident Canada geese come in for the night, chatting companionably to one another. Cooley Lake is an old oxbow of the Missouri River, slowly succumbing to the inevitable eutrophication process of filling in with mud and decaying plant matter, becoming ever shallower. It is a Missouri Department of Conservation natural area, now, and open to the public, a lovely place to watch birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, and spend time with your sketchbook or paints.

I chose prismatic colors the capture the chilly winter light, and worked very fast--darkness comes so early in midwinter!

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Mini-Demo

Sometimes you don't want to take time for resists to protect the lightest areas in a painting; when the light is changing so rapidly it just was not an option, so I painted around the sun's path on the water, using a bit of drybrush work to enhance the illusion of the sparkle of light on water. A few "ripples" added with a darker gray-blue and a small round brush reinforced the feeling of the still water.

You can see the prismatic color, above--I used mostly yellow ochre, cobalt blue, permanent rose, and a touch of granulating manganese blue hue. I was careful to preserve believable lights in the distant pools, as well, painting in the shape of the land once the first washes were completely dry.

A small round brush used barely wet with color and just skimmed over the surface of the paper suggested the bare trees in the distance, while wet-in-wet worked to capture the warmer distant shore.

And the winner is...

2009-09-05T10:57:00.005-05:00

We did the drawing for the free CD in this posts just now, and #2 is the winner--that's Leslie Reid Brasher, congratulations, Leslie!

Thank you all for all the wonderful comments and visits...

I'll probably do a different one next time, so if you're TOO disappointed, you can click on the CD in the column at right. If you were one of the people who commented, I'll give you a 10% discount--the offer's good for the next week!

(And of course it's always available in my Cafe Press store, along with all the other CDs for artists...)

This was fun! And again, Leslie, congratulations! I've written you privately for your mailing address...

Autumn ACEOs

2009-09-03T01:38:00.002-05:00

Three Autumn ACEOS
2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
watercolor on cold pressed archival paper

Take one or choose them all--they work together as a set, but each one will stand alone, as well. Of course I will be happy to combine shipping if you want the set!

Note: Silhouettes is SOLD...

"The Watcher" peers out from between the grass stems--wary, or simply curious?

"The Watcher"

$20

"Silhouettes" explores the grace and variety of grasses in late fall and winter.

"Silhouettes" (this one SOLD, and thank you!)

"Brother Crow" appears aloof, but come a step closer and he's OFF!

"Brother Crow"

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I've been fascinated by the tiny paintings called ACEOs for several years, and because of their small size and affordability, have been able to own original paintings from several artists whose work I admire a great deal.

ATCs are artist trading cards, and that's how the phenomenon started out--but many people who were not artists wanted to collect these little jewels, too. So ACEOs were born--still the size of a playing card, but "artist cards, editions and originals" to meet this need. Some ACEOs are prints and some are still original, as are these.

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

Three Winter Night ACEOs--SOLD

2009-08-31T09:50:00.004-05:00

ORIGINAL

watercolor on gessoed paper
3.5 x 2.5 inches

That was fast! All three of these are going to a good home, to be displayed together. Thank you!

--------------------

I was experimenting with painting with watercolor on paper treated with gesso--it makes a beautifully malleable surface and creates effects not possible any other way. I've used a variation on this technique for decades--it's exciting, unpredictable, and allows a great deal of lifting and restating. I did a large painting with this technique for my latest book, and this little card-size painting just for the experience.

I had prepared two sheets of good watercolor paper by slathering it with gesso, with loose, random strokes to encourage a variety of textures, even patting it with my hand here and there while it was still wet. Once the gesso dried, I painted over both sheets with watercolor, which sits on the surface and makes wonderfully interesting textures. I used one sheet for the larger painting in the book, and found particularly interesting passages that would make good backgrounds for the ACEOs. I cut them to size, then painted the tiny landscapes on them, lifting where necessary and flooding in the cadmium orange on the one with the owl.

A great exercise for the imagination!

----------------

I've been fascinated by these tiny paintings for several years, and because of their small size and affordability, have been able to own original paintings from several artists whose work I admire a great deal.

ATCs are artist trading cards, and that's how the phenomenon started out--but many people who were not artists wanted to collect these little jewels, too. So ACEOs were born--still the size of a playing card, but "artist cards, editions and originals" to meet this need. Some ACEOs are prints and some are still original, as is this one.

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

And again, a huge thank you to my buyer, whose excitement and enthusiasm are contagious!

A NEW CD GIVEAWAY!

2009-08-28T12:49:00.004-05:00

Hi all! This was so much fun and had such an amazing response last time, I decided to do it again! I'm offering another Watercolor Basics CD, FREE, to the lucky winner.

This time we'll draw from the first 50 people to post here! (Please be sure to include your name or some way to contact you privately if you win.)

Above is one of my favorite paintings on the CD--done on the spot at Rocky Hollow Park, but still with a variety of techniques you'll want to explore.

This CD is full of information, examples, paintings, and step-by-step demos in PDF form--you can print them out to read whenever or wherever you are!

There are also lots of exercises to familiarize you with basic techniques and skills, or let you brush up if you haven't painted for a while! Even old hands have told me they've picked up some new info.

There are 14 in-depth instructional PDFs on the CD, plus a mini-catalog, artist's bio, and more...

Below are three new examples of the art you'll see:

Watercolor Basics normally sells for $16.99 on my website catalog--feel free to click the link to learn more about it!

I'll have Joseph draw the winner's name next weekend, and ship it to you Priority Mail at the first of the next week.

Good luck, and hope you like it!

Watkins Mill Sunday--plein air sketch

2009-08-25T11:11:00.003-05:00

Detail, below...

Cooley Lake House--originally in The Artist's Magazine

2009-08-25T11:05:00.011-05:00

"Cooley Lake House"
9" x 12"
watercolor on cold pressed paper

Did you ever have one of those times when everything just went right--things fell into place, your tools behaved as you wanted them to, and the colors of the world just sang to you?

That's how I felt when I did this painting--it just worked, for me.

The beautiful, honest old farm house with its broad, inviting porch is no longer there--it was on a new Missouri Department of Conservation acquisition, Cooley Lake Wildlife Area, and it was considered to be an "attractive nuisance," liable to be a danger or a target to vandals. I'm glad I painted it and its old barn before it was gone.

This is on an old oxbow of the Missouri River, before the channel moved, perhaps in the 1953 flood; what a view that would have been from the house! We've been there many times to watch the herons, ducks, and thousands of snow and Canada geese. It's much quieter now, as eutrophication has filled in the lakes until they're quite shallow, but it's still a great place to paint.

---------------

Mini-demo

While watercolor is still quite damp, you can use the handle of an aquarelle brush, a cut-up credit card, or your fingernail to push color out of the way to make lighter areas.

Here you can also see a bit of spatter, some wet in wet work and even a tiny bit of salt to make the texture of the rough grasses whispering in the wind...

A figure, carefully painted, suggests the quiet and isolation. I scratched a bit of detail in the upper edge of the grassy area, can you see it?

Drybrush work with varied greens made good foliage; I connected the leaf masses with fine, dark lines to show the trunks and branches.

And the winner is....

2009-08-08T13:16:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all of you who entered the drawing for my tutorial CD, above! You may have seen it in THIS post and I really appreciated all of you who visited and threw your hats in the ring!

I assigned numbers as the requests came in, made little slips of paper with each number on it, shuffled them well and had Joseph draw the winner from HIS old Scots bonnet--

And the winner is..........Jesse/Joan, in Las Vegas! Congratulations! Joan (or Jesse?) you sent me your email address, so I'll write you there for your mailing address.

---------------

I WILL be doing this again in the next few weeks, so keep watching this space...not sure if it will be the same CD or another one.

Someone asked if they could still get a CD if they didn't win, and of course you can! There's a link at right, or they're all on my CafePress shop, here: http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson

Thanks, all, for the wonderful response!

Stunned at the giveaway response!

2009-08-04T19:17:00.002-05:00

I had no idea the response would be so overwhelming--I'm humbled and amazed!

Sooooo...I'll be doing this again in a few weeks, with this or another CD. So do check back and thank you SO much, all who have left comments.

Watch for the winner on Saturday!

A Watercolor Basics CD Give-away on my Blog!

2009-08-04T12:49:00.008-05:00

This CD is just chock-full of information, examples, and step by step demos--lots of exercises to familiarize you with techniques and skills, or let you brush up if you haven't painted for a while!

There are 14 instructional PDFs on the CD, plus my bio, a mini-catalog, and more...

I just discovered I have a few extras of this CD, so I'm giving one away to the lucky name I draw from the first 30 people to post here! (Please include your name or some way to contact you privately.)

Below are three examples of the art you'll see:

Watercolor Basics normally sells for $16.99 on my website catalog--feel free to click the link to learn more about it!

I'll have an impartial party (oh, OK, Joseph!) draw the winner's name over the weekend, and ship it to you Priority Mail at the first of next week.

Good luck, and hope you like it!

Wren Sketch

2009-06-10T09:31:00.001-05:00

"Wren Sketch"
4" x 6"
watercolor and ink on paper

This is a quick gesture sketch of a wren we saw near home, singing its bold little heart out! And sometimes ALL you have time for is a quick scribble, with a bit of color added later, from memory.

I found much more on the little wren--a Bewick's wren--in my bird books and online--and posted it in our Sketching in Nature blog, HERE.

If you love nature and enjoy learning about it, feel free to join us at Sketching in Nature--it's an international group blog of terrific artists, learning from the best teacher there is, Nature herself. It's here: http://naturesketchers.blogspot.com/

---------------

Watch for our next mini-demo here, later in the week!

---------------

This painting will come to you unmatted and unframed for ease of shipping; I wrap with care and send via Priority Mail for most dependable shipping.

$20

SOLD, pending arrival of check

"Desert Storm"

2009-06-05T14:21:00.001-05:00

"Desert Storm"

original watercolor pencil on paper

9" x 11 1/2"

I updated this post, since I rediscovered a demo I did for it! People seem to enjoy them, so I added two new detail shots and put the demo below. It seemed especially appropriate since I'm in the middle of teaching my online class--on watercolor pencil.

I've done several workshops for the Nevada Watercolor Society, and a field trip into the desert with my sister and brother-in-law brought me to this beautiful redrock outcropping with the storm lowering over it near Mt. Charleston. The colors of the high desert landscape were intensified by the storm...rich blue shadows in the still-snowy mountains, the burnt sienna of the redrock, and the gray-green of sage and other desert plants. I love the scent of the desert, and the coming of rain intensified that too--fresh, spicy, wonderful.I wish I could share that with you as well...

This is an original work, using the versatility of watercolor pencils , done on cold pressed paper. It was a challenge, but all painting worth doing IS...

This was originally in my North Light book, Watercolor Pencil Magic--it's one of my favorites--so I put it on my new CD, Watercolor Pencil Workshop...it's part of Lesson 3.

---------------

MINI-DEMO

Here, you can see the progression from dry pencil on paper to the first washes--you can do the pencil work in the field and not worry about carrying water with you, if you like. They're lightweight and versatile...

The careful application of clear water softens and blends the pigment on the paper...I was careful not to blur the edges where colors touch,where I preferred a crisp edge. I let this dry before adding the foreground layers.

I DID want a soft edge to suggest clouds--you can see I kept the application of blue pencil much lighter in that area, then was careful to blend softly.

Scribbled marks worked well to suggest the desert scrub...dots here and there suggested smaller plants. They blended just enough...

--------------------

$125

Pay immediately via PayPal (button below) or contact me if you prefer to pay by check.

This painting will come to you unmatted and unframed for ease of shipping; I wrap with care and send via Priority Mail for most dependable shipping.

"Window on the Past"--SOLD

2009-06-04T10:48:00.008-05:00

"Window on the Past"
5" x 7"
original watercolor, marble dust and polymer medium
on archival cold-pressed paper
matted

(Click on the image to see it larger...)

There is something both inviting and mysterious about a window, particularly one that has looked out upon the world for so long. This is an adobe window in the American Southwest, set into the thick walls that help keep the intense desert heat at bay.

I did this small painting to explore some techniques for my upcoming revision of
my 20-year-old North Light book,
Watercolor Tricks & Techniques: 75 New and Classic Painting Secrets

I tried out some of the new texture mediums, and then decided it would be more challenging and interesting to invent my own--so I borrowed some marble dust from a friend who paints with pastels, and mixed it into matte polymer medium for a somewhat rough texture, then painted it onto the paper and allowed it to dry.

Rough strokes approximate the texture of my subject.

--------------

MINI-DEMO

The polymer medium sits on the paper surface, and allowed me to lift color with a damp brush, blotting away the loosened watercolor easily as you see here on the edges of the window frame.

I lifted more color to suggest the glass in the broken window, then used an Exacto knife to scratch the sharp edge of the glass, below--I was delighted with the way this helped suggest the dark mystery beyond.

Here, I chose granulating paint--Ultramarine Blue--which settled unevenly into the marble dust-created texture. When all was dry, I scraped paint away from the surface here and there to show the weathered quality of the old building and used a bit of spatter to further add the sense of great age.

It is a very atmospheric little piece!

----------------

Most of the paintings offered here are unframed, both to save on shipping charges and to allow you to suit your own taste and decor.

Doing so allows me to keep the prices down
and puts original art in the hands of more people!

Changes...for the better!

2009-06-03T18:29:00.001-05:00

Hi all...

I hope you like all the new changes on this blog...I wanted it cleaner and more open, and finally took time to resize the banner and simplify the sidebar information. I'll keep working on that for a bit till I get it where I want it, but I do hope it makes it easier to see the art and to navigate, as well!

I'd be delighted with your feedback on this, too...

Miss Lara and the Yatates-SOLD

2009-06-03T10:22:00.004-05:00

"Lara and the Yatates"
8" x 10"
ink on Bristol vellum

Yatates are wonderful Japanese traveling paint kits--they have been in use for well over 400 years, and were part of a Samurai's basic equipment. Yatates come in many shapes and sizes--I have four in my collection, all thought to be Edo-era, 1603-1868. They are FUN to use in the field! Mine were all quite inexpensive, considering, and are made of brass and copper--virtually indestructible, though I DID panic when I left one of them in a restaurant in the next town! They had no idea what it was, but they kept it safe in the office till we could get back over and retrieve it.

There is ink-saturated cotton, silk or sponge in the bowl, and the hollow handle holds a brush for writing or drawing in the Sumi-e style.

Here's a photo of the same two yatates...lovely, aren't they?

----------------

MINI-DEMO
detail from the ink painting above

It just seemed right somehow to use the Sumi-e brush and paint without preliminary drawing with pencil, as the Samurai might have done. I do find I tend to hold my breath a lot when I work that way, though!

Brushes of this sort often come to a lovely point so they are good for drawing, writing, or painting...I just paid close attention to shapes and relationships as I worked, using the tip of the brush for lines and details, and the body of it for Miss Lara and the soft gray shadows.

I diluted the ink with water for the halftone grays on the yatates, but left it full strength for our beautiful black cat, Lara. (She was named after the heroine in Dr. Zhivago, since she too was shot and thrown into a snowbank to die. My husband's daughter found her, rescued her and brought her back to health.)

--------------

Most of the paintings offered here are unmatted and unframed, both to save on shipping charges and to allow you to suit your own taste and decor.

Doing so allows me to keep the prices down
and puts original art in the hands of more people!

,

Mini-demo

2009-06-01T13:43:00.003-05:00

Hi all...well, I'm amazed at your response already, so I thought I'd show you what I mean...I put it on this post http://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2009/06/waiting-for-first-snow.html, on the painting that sold already, but I had the detail shot of the upper right part of the painting...

This is what I had in mind, more or less. I hope the italic and ------- lines set it off a bit.

Suggestions welcome, for doing that, though!

Gallery blog idea--tell me what you think!

2009-06-01T11:03:00.003-05:00

Hi all...I've been thinking I might try to include a mini-tip when I post a painting, just a bit telling how it came about, or what technique was used where. Would this be of interest to you?

Maybe I'll try to find a place to do a poll on Blogger, but meanwhile, please do leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Best--
Kate

Waiting for First Snow--SOLD

2009-06-01T10:01:00.005-05:00

"Waiting for First Snow"
9" x 12" image size

original watercolor on archival cold pressed paper
framed and matted

I began this painting as a demo at one of the Art Crawls in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and continued to develop and refine it later, at home. Everything seemed to fall together, as it sometimes does, and I had it matted and framed.

This will be on my new watercolor CD, since I took demo shots of it...

---------------------

MINI-DEMO:
detail from upper right on the painting above

When I want to make an area lacier and open up some light, as in these distant trees, I use a sharp blade or X-acto knife to scrape back to the white paper. I scraped the trunks and branches into the damp wash--bruising the paper makes darker lines.

---------------------

This one found a home quickly, THANK YOU!

$350
SOLD

Miss Rags

2009-05-29T12:04:00.001-05:00

"Miss Rags"
9" x 12"
original watercolor pencil on archival paper
unmatted

Miss Rags is my oldest cat, almost 13 now; I hand raised her from a kitten and she is STILL a spooky little thing! She doesn't like you to reach for her, she'll come to YOU--and then she's just as loving as can be.

I've sketched and painted her often over the years, and this is the latest--I'm teaching a watercolor pencil class online, and I wanted to experiment with loose, washy effects, drips, and spatters--I was very happy with the results.

You can read about the creative process on my LiveJournal blog, if you like--just click on the subject line for this post,
or visit me at http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/384153.html !

Most of the paintings offered here are unmatted and unframed, both to save on shipping charges and to allow you to suit your own taste and decor.

Doing so allows me to keep the prices down and puts original art in the hands of more people!

$75

Cyclamen

2009-05-29T11:52:00.002-05:00

Cyclamen

8" x 9"
mineral-based watercolors on archival paper
unmatted

I enjoy painting wet-in-wet from time to time, and wanted to explore some of Daniel Smith's mineral-based Primatek paints--especially some of the more colorful ones!

I needed to experiment with these paints for the new North Light book I'm working on, a revision of my 1988 Watercolor Tricks and Techniques,
and I've just discovered you can pre-order the upcoming
Watercolor Tricks & Techniques: 75 New and Classic Painting Secrets
on Amazon! (Click on the link above to take you there, if you'd like to read more.)

This is the proposed cover...I'm pleased with it!

For the cyclamen painting, I obviously wanted to do something other than the earthy browns, blacks, grays and siennas of many of the mineral paints, and was pleasantly surprised by these. This used Rhondonite Genuine, Natural Amazonite, Serpentine Genuine, Sodalite Genuine, and Purpurite Genuine. It was an interesting experiment...

-------------

SOLD, and thank you!

Most of the paintings offered here are unmatted and unframed, both to save on shipping charges and to allow you to suit your own taste and decor.

Doing so allows me to keep the prices down and puts original art in the hands of more people!

"Waiting for the Storm"-SOLD

2009-05-22T11:19:00.007-05:00

Well, wow. I did this little painting for the current North Light book, the revision of Watercolor Tricks & Techniques that I've been working on for the past year. I plan to use it on a new CD of demos, when I get the chance, too--I shot step by step pictures of it all along the way.

You can read more about it on my original blog, the Quicksilver Workaholic, here: http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/377929.html

It's been ages since I got anything up here--I've been so busy with the book and the online classes--and it's SOLD already!
(Since it was bought by a friend for a gift, I'll keep the details private!)

Thank you! (Now I'll have to get MORE new things up! *G*)

"Maine Morning, Early"

2009-03-01T12:25:00.002-06:00

"Maine Morning, Early"
Watercolor Pencil on Bristol
5" x 7"

I did this little watercolor pencil sketch to capture that sense of prismatic light you see on a foggy morning in Maine. The foreground was dark and sharply defined; the dock in the middleground had more subtle values. In the distance, the tiny island looked ghostly, rising out of the fog. I used the primaries--red, yellow and blue--to suggest the glow as the sun began to burn the moisture out of the air. You can almost hear the foghorn...

This was originally done for my North Light book, Watercolor Pencil Magic, now unfortunately out of print. (You can get my updated and added-to CD called Watercolor Pencil Workshop, though, on my webpage at http://cathyjohnson.info –check the catalog section!–or on CafePress, here: http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson –there’s more information, more art, and a whole new chapter on the CD!)

$65

"Puzzled Kitty"

2009-02-17T13:22:00.001-06:00

"Puzzled Kitty" study
5" x 7"
ink and watercolor
on archival hotpress paper

The ink lines were done a great speed, before my cat moved--he looked at me as if to say "what, AGAIN?!" Those of you who have seen my many images of Merlin in my Flickr album, here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cathy-johnson/, will recognize that look!

Amazing how the quick watercolor washes give the image volume and form. This one was also done as a demo for my upcoming North Light book.

$45

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down and to allow you to choose your own colors and styles to suit your decor.
It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

"Thirsty" cat sketch

2009-02-14T13:45:00.001-06:00

"Thirsty Cat"
sketch
ink and watercolor

This quick little gesture sketch caught my cat in the act of drinking--I was exploring the use of water-soluble ink and watercolor for my upcoming North Light book, Watercolor Tricks & Techniques, to come out in 2010.

I love the explosive quality of the lines, and how they can be softened with clear water to suggest volume!

Above are a variety of experiments with the same pen...

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down and to allow you to choose your own colors and styles to suit your decor.
It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$30

Pygmy Goat Sketch

2009-02-14T13:34:00.006-06:00

"Pygmy Goats"
sketch
graphite and watercolor
on archival paper

I love goats, always have. We had 4 when we lived on the farm, close to 30 years ago, and I still miss them! Their strong personalities and agility and curiosity never failed to amuse me...

We were taking a ride in the country one day when I saw these, climbing high on a Vermeer bale, and screeched to a halt to sketch them!

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

"Dusk on the Blue Ridge"

2009-02-13T23:31:00.003-06:00

"Dusk on the Blue Ridge"
9" x 12"
watercolor on archival cold-pressed paper

We took a ride through Shenandoah National Park, stopping to sketch, paint, and photograph the natural beauty all along the way. When it came time to do a painting for my upcoming North Light book, Watercolor Tricks & Techniques (publication date Feb. 2010) I had to take the challenge of this beautiful, ancient mountain range as night fell and the clouds gathered against the horizon.

As always, you can click on the image for a larger version, optimized for the web.

The view is unsurpassed there--visit http://www.shenandoah.national-park.com/
and you'll see how special this place is.

Funny, I've had a long relationship with this area before I ever saw it. The Irish side of my family lived near there in the 1750s before the long migration to North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and finally Missouri. And I once wrote a script for Marty Stouffer's nature program on TV, called "Shenandoah Springtime." We still own a videotape, so we can watch it whenever we're homesick for the mountains...

My husband's house was in Front Royal, Virginia, at the mouth of the National Park's Skyline Drive...gorgeous country for an artist! (The house is for sale, now that he's move to Missouri! It's here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9506220@N08/sets/72157606054864435/, and what a great studio it would have been!) We have our memories, though, and our paintings of the mountains.

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$300.00

San Juan Capistrano

2009-02-10T10:30:00.001-06:00

ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR

5" x 7"
archival CP paper

I was much taken by the Mission at San Juan Capistrano--I think I could have sketched and painted there for days. Here, you see the shadowy view through one of the buildings, a cool refuge within thick adobe walls. It's a place rich with history and feeling--explore it in person if you can, or check out their website: http://www.missionsjc.com/

This one was done as a demonstration for my upcoming North Light book, the 21st century version of Watercolor Tricks & Techniques. (The original version was done in 1988--many new techniques, materials and surfaces since then!) See what techniques you can discern here...

I only had time for this one sketch on-site, in my journal, and of course it's not for sale:

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$175

"Merlin Listens"

2009-02-10T10:15:00.000-06:00

ORIGINAL SKETCH
graphite and watercolor on
hot pressed archival paper

Merlin appears in many of my paintings and sketches--this quick little 5" x 7" caught him listening to the scratch of my pencil on the paper, ears back and alert even while pretending to sleep.

I added watercolor washes later, to suggest his lovely coloring.

This sketch is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$35

Lots of new directions--including Facebook!

2009-02-04T13:46:00.005-06:00

As you can no doubt tell, I've been very busy going off in all directions! I started a new Flickr group pool for artists who keep field journals, sketch in nature, and otherwise learn from their own observations--since that's how I started out, I wanted to return to my roots--as it were! And invite others to share, in the process...

That group is here, and feel free to join us if you work in nature: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nature-sketching/ Look around, see what others have posted, and if that's what you're interested in, jump into the pool!

That group joins my other outdoor Flickr pool for artists who enjoy the challenge of painting or sketching on the spot. It was begun 6 months ago, and now has nearly 400 members worldwide. It's Painting Plein Aire--it's here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/plein_aire/

I joined Facebook a few months ago to keep up with my far-flung family and friends (say THAT fast three times!), and yesterday started two similar groups there. The plein air group is here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1474146429&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=59207016873&ref=mf (at least I HOPE that long URL will get you there!) and the sketching in nature group is here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1474146429&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=47729652724

I will get back to paying attention to new work here soon...VERY soon! Meanwhile, I wanted to let you know what I've been up to, and invite you to join me. It should be a great ride, with the wonderful artists who are already involved...

Playing with an Amazon Store

2009-01-19T09:52:00.004-06:00

I've been wanting to do an Amazon store for some time, where I could recommend books and other goodies--art, nature, creativity, art marketing, and yes, even cooking, since we've been doing the "Starving Artists in the Kitchen" series on my original blog, here: http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/. So I decided to keep my original layout--the one I use here!--and tweak it to show books (and more, of course!)

If you click on the image, it will get big enough to see, I think. Let me know what you think?

The store is now online at astore.amazon.com/httpcathyjohi-20--I'm having a blast adding my favorite art books in addition to my own work--as I get the chance, I'll write brief reviews to tell you why I recommend this particular selection of books!

"Poorhouse Road"

2009-01-09T13:56:00.001-06:00

"Chicken of the Woods Fungus" nature study-SOLD

2009-01-08T14:02:00.001-06:00

2009-01-07T14:00:00.003-06:00

"Beauty and the Beast"
collage and ink
off-white pebble-textured mat,
gold frame
8" x 10"

The image of the princess and her beast is from a 19th Century book of fairy tales;
the text is my own

"Beauty and the Beast
in imagination if not in fact--
He, so strong and strange,
as if another species entire--
And we, so fair and frail
and yet, somehow... Mistress"

$65

This one is framed and glazed as you see above; it will be insured to ship to you.

"Japanese Iris"

2008-12-18T11:16:00.004-06:00

ORIGINAL
watercolor on Fabriano cold pressed paper
8 1/2" x 11"

I was staff naturalist and contributing editor for Country Living Magazine for many years--through the late '80s and much of the '90s, writing my own nature columns and illustrating the words of others.

This painting was one of a series of iris varieties done for that magazine; after all these years, I am finally ready to find good homes for some of these!

This painting is offered un-matted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$100

Gift the gift of original art!

"Potash Mountain, New York's Fourth Lake"

2008-12-17T14:39:00.000-06:00

ORIGINAL ink and watercolor
7" x 7"

This little painting was used as a demonstration in my Ink & Wash mini-demo on YouTube--you can see it here: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=tZQN9zuVg1g&feature=channel_page along with my other art-related slideshows.

(I was going to insert the video and then realized how slow that
would make the download for you!)

New York's Fourth Lake is a glorious place to camp--I did sketches and paintings for my newest North Light book, Creating Nature in Watercolor--you can see it at right or "look inside this book by clicking the Amazon link, here:

Creating Nature in Watercolor: An Artist's Guide

This painting is offered unmatted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$45

Gift the gift of original art!

Sold, and thank you!

2008-12-14T10:39:00.004-06:00

I'm delighted with the response this blog has gotten--thank you SO MUCH, it's wonderful to be able to design a new "sold" montage! I'll leave it in the sidebar and update it when necessary, and when I get a chance take down the posts that have these images in them to make room for newer work.

You won't have to scroll through so far, perhaps...

And again, thank you. I am delighted and touched by your comments and your support.

"Crow Barn" ACEO

2008-12-14T08:57:00.000-06:00

ORIGINAL watercolor
3.5 x 2.5 inches

I'm offering three of these, shown together above. (To appreciate the detail, click on the image above to see them larger-than-life.) These were painted about the same time and would make a lovely set--please look around!

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

$20

"Silos" ACEO

2008-12-14T08:55:00.000-06:00

ORIGINAL

watercolor
3.5 x 2.5 inches

I'm offering three of these, shown together above. (To appreciate the detail, click on the image above to see them larger-than-life.)

These were painted about the same time and would make a lovely set--please look around!

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

$20

"Fencerow" ACEO

2008-12-14T08:30:00.000-06:00

ORIGINAL--watercolor
3.5 x 2.5 inches

I'm offering three of these, shown together, above. (To appreciate the detail, click on the image above to see them larger-than-life.) These were painted about the same time and would make a lovely set--please look around!

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

$20

"Geranium in Sun"

2008-12-12T09:46:00.007-06:00

ORIGINAL

gouache on toned paper
9" x 8"

The warmth of summer sunshine is particularly welcome as I look outside to chill December overcast! The geranium on my back deck begged to be painted last August as I took my coffee there one morning.

This is artists' gouache (opaque watercolor)
on black archival paper--the bright flower really pops.
(You may click on the image for a larger view, if you wish.)

This painting is offered unmatted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

$75

"Vassmer's, Windy March Day"

2008-12-11T11:21:00.004-06:00

ORIGINAL
watercolor on Saunders Waterford paper
7 1/2" x 7 1/2" (roughly)

This is another in the series I did at Vassmer's old dairy. The historic farmhouse shown in my recently sold painting on this blog has now fallen victim to an arsonist.
But the barns are still there, and I will go back to sketch and paint them, again and again.

Waterford paper is rich and heavy, beautiful to work on. The cold pressed surface had just enough texture to work well to suggest the lacy foliage of the
ancient cedar trees on this winter day.

There are notes on the painting in my Flickr album, if you are interested in how I worked--click on the title, above, and it will take you there.

$150

This painting is offered unmatted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail, in the US.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

Give the gift of original art!

"Ravenflight"--watercolor on Yupo

2008-12-11T10:39:00.009-06:00

9" x 12"
ORIGINAL
watercolor on Yupo surface

Nevada's arid desert captures my imagination--each time I visit, I make time to go to Red Rock Canyon or the Valley of Fire--both are spectacular! In this alien landscape, any sign of life is a welcome one. Ravens thrive, as do coyotes, lizards, snakes and spiders...

This watercolor was done for my latest North Light book, a revision of Watercolor Tricks & Techniques done 20 years ago. There have been many new materials and techniques in the intervening years, and I am enjoying the exploration.

"Ravenflight" was done on Yupo, a plastic surface that allows some wonderful, fresh effects as well as ease of lifting. I was delighted with the effects here.

$140

This painting is offered unmatted and unframed to keep costs down. It will come to you carefully wrapped via Priority Mail.
Insurance included in the shipping cost

Give the gift of original art!

"Winter Owl" ACEO/ATC- SOLD

2008-12-05T15:14:00.007-06:00

ORIGINAL

watercolor on gessoed paper
3.5 x 2.5 inches

I've been fascinated by these tiny paintings for several years, and because of their small size and affordability, have been able to own original paintings from several artists
whose work I admire a great deal.

ATCs are artist trading cards, and that's how the phenomenon started out--but many people who were not artists wanted to collect these little jewels, too. So ACEOs were born--still the size of a playing card, but "artist cards, editions and originals"
to meet this need. Some ACEOs are prints and some are still original, as is this one.

I was experimenting with painting with watercolor on paper treated with gesso--it makes a beautifully malleable surface and creates effects not possible any other way. I did a large painting with this technique for my latest book, and
this little card-size painting just for the experience.

People are collecting and displaying these tiny paintings in ingenious ways--framed and grouped together, piled in baskets, in scrapbooks--however they want!

I hope the idea allows you to own an original work of art--get your feet wet...

SOLD, and thank you!

Fiona, step-by-step and NFS

2008-12-02T10:02:00.005-06:00

I did a step by step of this detail of a larger montage on my other blog, on Live Journal. I thought you might enjoy the process, and a glimpse into an artist's mind.

It's here: http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/363604.html

And yes, this one is not for sale...

"Autumn"

2008-12-02T09:34:00.004-06:00

"Autumn"

original watercolor pencil painting
9" x 12" on archival cold press watercolor paper

In the fall the hill behind my home turns to stained-glass glory, especially when the late afternoon light slants through the old neighborhood to strike the highest trees with fire. The near tree always looks dark in contrast, further reminding me of stained glass...

I had to try to capture that beauty.

This painting will come to you unmatted and unframed for ease of shipping; I wrap with care and send via Priority Mail for most dependable shipping.

Insurance included in shipping cost.

$65

Pay immediately via PayPal (button below) or contact me if you prefer to pay by check.

"Orange Julius"

2008-11-28T09:41:00.005-06:00

"Orange Julius"
Prismacolor colored pencil on Canson MiTientes paper
unmatted

Julius is a ginger moggy who survives on his cuteness. He is a laid back, good-tempered creature who only bestirs himself to be demanding when it's mealtime!

He is also very beautiful and loving, like many orange tabbies...here, he curled next to my computer as I worked, just wanting company. I've drawn and painted this sweet animal many times, and I'm sure I will again...you can find his image in my Flickr set
on cats and dogs!

$85

insurance is included in the shipping cost

"Lobsterman"--sold

2008-11-26T11:11:00.007-06:00

"Lobsterman"
original, matted watercolor on paper
9 x 12

I taught a workshop at Maine Coast Art Workshops (in Port Clyde, Maine, at the time) and have been captivated by the coast of Maine ever since. The early morning fog, the scent and sounds of the ocean, the people up and about, working in the early morning...

This boat was no longer in use, but in my mind's eye I could see the skipper there on the deck, surrounded by the lobster traps nearby.

This one will come to you matted in archival matboard in a neutral off-white, ready to frame to your personal taste.

Buy immediately via PayPal (button below) or contact me at Kate@cathyjohnson.info
if you prefer to pay by check. Insurance is included in shipping.

2008-11-25T14:36:00.002-06:00

"Flame Flower"

original watercolor on paper

8" x 7-1/2"

This was done in watercolor and liquid dye watercolor; the vibration between the lovely velvet center of the poppy and the silk-like leaves was what caught my eye--once I got past being stunned by those vivid colors!

Just the thing to counteract the chill...

Fabriano cold-pressed paper
archival

This painting will come to you unmatted and unframed for ease of packaging; I wrap with care and send via Priority Mail for most dependable shipping.

Insurance included in shipping price.

$65

2008-11-23T12:14:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my fine arts gallery, online...
it's been a long time coming.

I've been a working artist for 35 years or more, and my paintings and drawings are in corporate and private collections in America and abroad. Prices here will range across a wide spectrum, depending on medium, size, and whether or not the piece is framed or glazed--and truthfully, on more personal and subjective reasons as well.

All images are original unless otherwise stated. They are signed works of art, and all are available for sale.

My "everything else" blog is here:

http://katequicksilvr.livejournal.com/

please feel free to visit for more on art and life.