Author Archives: Artful me

We’re Having a Blog Party for Our New Creative Workshops Site

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Have you every been to a blog party? Well this will be my first one. Our new, wonderful Creative Workshops site where I have my on line classes, along with many other terrific teachers, is have a grand opening blog party. If you participate you could be the fortunate winner or one or more free classes.

Mastering Decorative Painting Basics part 3

Mastering Decorative Painting Basics part 3

Each teacher is giving away one of their classes for free to a lucky commenter!

The way to win is to leave a comment on any teacher’s blog post with this message. You’ll will be entered for a random drawing for a free class from that teacher.

The idea of the list is that you can follow the party trail from blog to blog, leaving a comment on each blog you visit, therefore increasing your chances of winning a free class from one of the teachers you leave a comment for! Now how cool is that?!

Every class giveaway will be different because the teachers are generously each giving away one of their own classes. Gosh, maybe a really lucky commenter could win multiple free classes!! Now THAT

would be awesome for the winner wouldn’t it!  Stranger things have been known to happen. 🙂

My free is class is actually all three of my Mastering the Basics of Decorative Painting classes!  You get the whole series.

See my on line classes.

To win the opportunity for a free class from me you must leave a comment on this post and only this post. It helps me keep track of everyone. The party runs Sept. 23-Sept.29. I will use a random number generator to choose the lucky winner and announce the name Monday Sept 30.

Once you leave your comment on my post then from the list below choose the next blog you have not visited and leave a comment on their blog post. Each blog will have this list so you can move through the party leaving your trails of comments everywhere and increasing your chances of a FREE CLASS!

Go, go, go…tell your friends!!!!

COME VIST US DURING THE BLOG PARTY!

This is a fabulous list!

Sara Naumann

Cat Kerr

Jodi Ohl 

Nancy Lefko

Cathy Bluteau

Mechelle Harrison

Elizabeth Johnson

Terri Heinz

Gaye Medbury

Dawn Meisch

Ann Butler

Gail Schmidt

Marilyn Harris-Mills

Nellie Wortman

Martha Lever

Summer Painting Excitement 2013

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We’ve had a fun and busy summer at Artful Endeavors filled with seminars, workshops, and classes all exploring new subjects and techniques.  I’ve added just a few photos here for our reminiscences.  Notice all the smiles.

Please check our seminar pages for more of out photos for Ros’ seminar and ArtFling.

Cat's Eyes

Cat’s Eyes

web-1

Our parent/grandparent and child class.

Colored Pencil Class

Colored Pencil Class

Cobalt and Hydrangeas

Cobalt and Hydrangeas

 

 

Night Vision workshop

Night Vision workshop

Cary painting

Cary painting

Our awesome Cary painters

Our awesome Cary painters

Our awesome artists.

Our awesome artists.

Paint Your Pet

Paint Your Pet

Donna-and-Jean

ArtFling 2013 Painting with Liz

painting

Summer ArtFling 2013

Playful-Color

Summer ArtFling 2013 with Gail Schmidt

Sunflower-group-hug

Ros Stallcup seminar

This Week at Artful Endeavors

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Artful Endeavors Update

 

I just got back in town this afternoon from teaching a terrific group of women in the DC chapter. We had good time painting and they treated me royally. We painted the leaf trilogy, chickadee and dogwood, and Under the Maple, so lots of techniques and lot of painting to do, but, they were up to the challenge.

It’s now fall with a little nip in the air, at least today. Our upcoming painting schedule is filled with fall and holiday projects.

 

I’m now reorganizing my “to do” list, so here it is:

  • ·         Paint upcoming class samples
  • ·         Continue to get all the information on our web site again and add on line payments
  • ·         Get our Kathie George seminar organized and registration together

Ducks-in-a-row

  • ·         Finish up projects for the State Fair and deliver between Oct 10-13
  • ·         Work on projects with our Cary group during this weekend’s retreat
  • ·         Figure out what to demo for the Litchford Health and Rehab residents on Thursday
  • ·         Enjoy the fall weather!

 

That should get me through the next week and a half.

 

More notes:

  • ·         Our last cat and pumpkin key ornament class is this coming Wed at 5:30-8:30p. Our young painters could do this class also.
  • ·         Wed 10am we start the Candy Canes.  There’s still time to join us.
  • ·         No Tue evening class this week. Next week is our first night at DU Salon in Cary.

 

Our terrific new Creative Workshops site is up and running. 

To celebrate we’re having a blog party all this week where you visit the teacher’s blogs and can leave a comment for a chance to win free classes as well as see their wonderful work.  Check out my blog to get started and for links to the other teachers. Remember to leave a comment.  What fun!

 

Register now for our seminar with Kathie George, Nov 11, 12, & 13!  

Cat in the Snow

Cat in the Snow

 

I hope to see you at the studio soon.

 

Liz

New Look for the Web Site

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Have you tried accessing the web site recently? We were down over the weekend until this am! Not good. It looked like I was going to have to start all over designing another web site but my server team came through for me. Thank goodness. Now I just need to adjust the web site so you may see some changes over the next week or so.

Meanwhile, back in the studio I completed my latest paintings.  Here is Noggin coming up starting tomorrow morning. He was a sweet cat that I picked up on the road after he was hit in the head by a car, thus the name.  Ginger Edwards asked for the photo that my husband had taken of Noggin to paint and teach. She then sent me the painting, one of my treasures. And now here is my version of Ginger’s painting of my husband’s photo of Noggin.

web-Noggin-finished-cw

 

August Class Update

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Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to remind you that there are no classes this week. I’m taking a little time off to catch my breath after our terrific seminar with Ros. We had a great time and have lots of ideas for next year’s seminar.  I’m keeping a list of those of you who are interested in Ros newest book coming out in Aug and who can pick them up at the studio. Anyone not local can order from Ros’ web site.

 

Ducks in a Row Mixed Media with powdered dyes.

Ducks in a Row
Mixed Media with powdered dyes.

Now it’s time to register for our seminar with Kathie George coming up in Nov with 3 awesome watercolor and mixed media fun paintings. Kathie is always coming up with something new.  Check the web site for details and to register.

 

Classes start again next week so be sure to check the web site for upcoming classes. We’re holding a parent-child class on Tue 8/6, 1p-3p, painting the Bodie lighthouse. There’s still time to join us. All supplies are included and no prep. If you missed this painting just adults are welcome also.

 

We’re painting the Iris on Tue evening in Cary, but if you want to paint it in Raleigh, we’re working on it on Wed afternoons, 2-4p.

 

There’s still a little time to register for my Rope Swing class at the ArtFling, Aug 18. Please contact me by Aug 7 so that I can be prepared for you. Gail is excited and packing to come join us.

Garden Shed

Garden Shed

 

Our Trudy Beard, Garden Cottage has been reschedule for Aug 28, 6-9p so there’s still time to join us. This is the 4th

session in our basic techniques series and anyone can join us.

 

We’re planning another basic techniques series for fall during the day, Tue am probably. Let me know if you are interested and I’ll add your name to the list.

 

Exciting new info: Creative Workshops is moving to a new site and Gail has been working hard to make it terrific and simple to navigate.  We’ll be on the new site in Sept so if the current site is down just check back later, Gail’s at work.  So my on line classes will have a new home.  You can still join my on line classes at any time so be sure to check me out at Creative Workshops.  I’ll be working on new on line classes this fall.

 

You can register for Artful Endeavors classes on the web site/on line or by check.

 

Be sure to check for schedule changes, you know we’re good at rearranging.

 

See you at the studio soon!

 

Liz

 

 

August at Artful Endeavors

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A few important notes for you:

·        We’re painting with Ros next week so there are no regular classes.  The following week I am taking off for a short break to catch my breath.  Classes will resume on Aug 6 & 7.  Tue open class resumes on Aug 6. Let me know if you plan to join us.

·        We have lots of fun painting planned for Aug so be sure to plan ahead.  You can register for all the classes on line or at the studio.

wolf

wolf

·      

  Wed am starts the Wolf on Aug 7 so be sure to get your prep this week. He’s a handsome fellow I think.  Register now.

·        Wed pm continues with Basics on Aug 7 with Trudy Beard’s Garden Shed.  We’ll be using lots of good refresher techniques and finishing a delightful painting in our 3 hrs.  Anyone can join us for some painting fun.  Register this week.

·        Wed afternoon, 2p-4p, painters are working on the Iris in our open class. If you want to paint this beautiful design join us either this week, tomorrow, or Aug 7 .  Get your prep this week.

·        Our Cary classes are moving in Aug. So far we are painting the Iris at Linda’s house.  If you are interested in joining us

Iris

Iris

starting Aug 13, contact me to register and get directions.

·        ArtFling update:  If you can’t resist joining us for Gail’s Gelli Print class, and I hope you can’t resist, please register by July 30. Gail needs to order our Gelli mats so that we’ll be prepared.  Plan on joining my nostalgic, misty morning, Rope Swing class too. I won’t teach this project again for at least 6 mo. So don’t pass up this opportunity.  Don’t’ forget to register by July 30.  Did I mention that you should register by July 30?

Gelli Class

Gelli Class

·        It’s also time to register for the Cobalt and Hydrangeas if you haven’t do so already. This will be the last time I’ll teach this project for about a year.  Register by Aug 23.

·        We’ve schedule another parent/child class for Aug 6, that’s Tue afternoon, 1p-3p. We’re painting a light house! Plan to join us. Register by contacting me by the end of July.

 

Hope to see you at our air-conditioned studio in Aug!

Liz

 

Liz Miller CDA

Artful Endeavors

200 Sawmill Rd, Suite 201

Raleigh NC 27615

artfulendeavors@raleigh.twcbc.com

www.artfulendeavors.net

919-847-4101

Practice Tips For Strokes and Line Work:

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Practice Tip For Strokes and Line Work:

Stroke practice

Stroke practice

It’s more fun to practice stroke work if you give yourself the project of creating different stroke borders. Each time come up with a different border using various brushes, strokes, and embellishments. Save these borders as future reference. Explore your creativity with borders and stroke embellishments.

You can use any paper for practicing your strokes and line work.  Some paper is very porous and has a lot of drag to it so just use plenty of paint.

One good idea for practicing is to use “write on” transparency film which you can find at any office supply store.  The film will stroke very smoothly and you can just wipe the paint off if you do this before it dries.  If you would like to save your practice for reference all it to dry.  These sheets will fit into sheet protectors to keep in a notebook.

Transparency film is good for trying out colors or placement for something like a ribbon or a stroke border.  Place the film over your surface, paint with a possible choice of color or technique, and see if you like it or want to try something different.

Enjoy practicing.

Liz

Our Paint Your Pet class

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Our awesome artists.

Here are  the paintings our awesome students created today in our paint your pet class. Each student brought a photo of a pet to work from. We started learning about common elements such as eyes and noses and worked from there.  I think they painted some wonderful animals.

Melissa's cat.

Janet's dog.

Mary's dog.

And here is my painting of Rocky that I completed today. He’s a handsome fellow.

Rocky by Liz Miller CDA

Rocky by Liz Miller CDA

From My Easel

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How I spent my 4th of July.  No computer, no phone, no students and the fireworks were on my painting.  Here’s the result of a glorious day of painting.

This class is coming up in August.   We’ll learn about developing our center of interest using color and line.

I love the colors in this painting with the reds supporting and bringing out the greys of the wolf.  The lines created by the limbs and twigs brings your eye to the center of interest, the wolf’s face and eyes.  We’ll use glazes to bring out the color harmony and details to enhance our center of interest.

Plan to join us if you want some exciting creative time.

wolf

wolf