Where Did It Go?

It’s been a busy summer around here! It’s hard to believe that summer is in it’s last half and autumn is peaking around the corner. We’re scheduling fall projects and planning for our holiday and Christmas painting!

Many of our painters have been in and out of classes this summer with vacations, and visitors, so scheduling upcoming classes has been a little slow. And, I’m sure you won’t be surprised, we change our collective mind. I am in the process of updating the class schedules now so keep checking back to see what’s coming.

Winter Lighthouse

Winter Lighthouse, a Keith Sluder design

We’ve just finished with our seminar with Ros Stallcup and it was even more terrific this year. All the paintings turned wonderful. We met with old friends and made new ones as happens each year. Our participants helped us come up with some ideas for next year, too. It’s always fun each spring to see what Ros created from our basic ideas each year as she paints entirely new projects for us. We’ll just have to wait to find out, and it’s always a surprise.  We have dates for 2017 so mark your calendars for July 19-22, 2017 and plan to join us. Seats this year filled up quickly so keep checking back for more details.

2016 Ros Stallcup Seminar

2016 Ros Stallcup Seminar

Our seminar with Mark Polomchak is coming up next, Oct 7-9. There are a couple of seats available for all 3 days. On Aug 1, next Mon, single seats will be available so if you want to participate for the 3 days, contact me this week. If you are looking for a single day, contact me next week before the seats are gone.  Pay balance or register now.

11253742_10153254406712898_3578189492983362431_nI’ll have news for you on our seminar with Kathie George very soon. I’m in the process of selecting projects from some new exciting painting from Kathie. Check back just a little later.

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Seminars at Artful Endeavors

We have some wonderful teachers traveling to Artful Endeavors to hold seminars for us this year.

French Country chair

French Country chair

Our seminar with Ros Stallcup is almost full. There are just a few seats available. Contact Liz regarding availability.  Register now!

Hummingbird

Hummingbird

We still have a couple of seats available in our seminar with Mark Polomchak.

Kathie George and I are making plans for our Nov seminar. Sure to be exciting.

Artful Spring

What a beautiful day with the sun shining and a nice breeze. I’ve been taking reference photo of the flowers beginning to bloom in our yard…. painting inspiration…..

We’ve been busy at the studio. This past weekend CADANC chapter of SDP had a seminar with Patty Stouffer and what fun they had. I painted a loose daffodil with them on Friday and enjoyed exercising my loose self. I was so glad to meet Patty and now have another painting friend! Love having these travel teachers visit to teach for us.

We’ve been working on the schedules and have new, exciting classes planned. Now I just need to get busy on painting samples so that you can see what’s coming.web-rose

Notes:
* Tue am class: We have not had the attendance for the Tue am class so I am going to take a break on Tue am. No class on Tue am May, June, July, and Aug. I’ll reevaluate at the end of the summer. This way I can schedule workshops on Tue am or use the time to paint.

Right now our Wed classes are small enough that anyone wanting to make up a class or work on an individual project can join us on Wed. Just let me know when you want to come. You can come 10-12:30p, 1-3:30, or 4p-6p.
I have updated the class schedules on the web site so be sure to check. I plan to post a newsy letter about once a month and try to not take up so much time on the computer. Watch the web site and Face Book for photos and updates.
I still have seats in our seminars with Ros Stallcup and Mark Polomchak. Details are on the web site. I just sent out the Mark Polomchak info. again.
Check out my on line classes at Creative Workshops. Cat’s Eyes and Sunning Turtles are new this year. I you can’t come to the studio to paint with me, this in a great option
Our seminar with Susan Crouch is next week! All participants should have received an email from me and one from Susan with a pattern. Let me know if you didn’t receive it. Be sure to check you spam folder first.
We have more watercolor classes coming up. Come join us. Check the web site for our schedules.
We have a portrait workshop with me scheduled for May 19 and 20th. If you would like to join us, find a photo that you would like to use and contact me by May 2. I’ll work with you on any level of experience, beginning portrait artist are welcome. It’s fun!
We have the John Gutcher Santa scheduled for May 26 and 27. And hope that the weather is good and we are all well and can finally have this class. Let me know if you can join us.

Class Schedule:
Tue 6:15p-8:15p Cary
Wed 10 – 2p. Raleigh
Wed 4-6p. Raleigh

Workshops and Seminars as scheduled.

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I have the new DecoArt paint colors and some of the new products at the studio!
Beautiful colors!

No classes Wed Apr 27, that next week. We’ll be getting ready for our seminar with Susan!

No Tue am class Apr 26th. No Tue am classes May – Aug.

Hope to see you painting with us soon.

Liz

Fantasy Flower Patricia Reichenbach design

Fantasy Flower
Patricia Reichenbach design

To-Do List

The first of the year is a time for me to check my to-do list to see what ideas first  inspire me for my upcoming art work.  Some ideas sit on the list for awhile until the time comes when it just seems to stand out and say “it’s my turn now”.  It’s so much fun to look back at my lists. Some ideas are instantly inspiring and some ideas make me wonder what I meant by that.  I’m dragging out my list this month so stay tuned to see what’s coming up.

Our classes have their to-do lists also. Some ideas stay exciting and some fall by the way side. Here are a few ideas on our list for this winter:
more batik, I have lots of Kathie George’s patterns to chose from

Tjap

Tjap

more Tjaps

Sherri Nelson wren

another skyscape

Pet portraits

My Annie

My Annie

more watercolor!!!

playing with colored pencils

paint your own landscape from your photo

Landscape reference photo

Landscape reference photo

Kathie George’s rooster with pastel pencil over watercolor, or maybe another subject, same technique

Rooster Liz MIller CDA

Rooster Liz MIller CDA

Portraits!

Tom's Mom

Tom’s Mom

 

 

 

 

Wow, I’m excited with all the possibilities for this year. Plan to join us.

I’m Back and Inspired!

I’m back from business research/photo trip otherwise called vacation. We had a great time and I took lots of reference photos of waterfalls, water, clouds, and more. Now I’m inspired and ready to start painting something.

I’m here for classes to resume this week and we have lots happening in the next few weeks.
We’re working on the Dorothy Dent fall scene in our Wed classes, but have a workshop on this same design on Friday, 10-3p. If you have missed it let me know quickly so we can get you into the Fri workshop.

web-Autumn-Dorothy-Dent-finThen on Saturday is our Pet Portrait class with lots of pet enthusiasts ready to work on portraits. I’m looking forward to seeing all the animals take shape. I’ve seen the photos to approve them and we have some terrific designs about to happen.

Halloween weekend Mark Polomchak is coming to teach for our chapter of the Society of Decorative Painters, CADANC. So it’s an exciting watercolor weekend planned. There are still a couple of seats for Sat and Sun available if you would like to join us. Mark is awesome and this will be my first opportunity to paint with him.

116And then Kathie George is here, Nov 16, 17, & 18 for our seminar! Kathie is always such fun and she is always introducing us to new techniques and products. What in the heck do we do with sanded paper? Kathie will show. There are still a few seats available if you can join us. There’s more information on the web site and you can register there also.

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Then we have more holiday painting coming up in Nov, a Santa, ornaments, watercolor, and silver! So plan to join us.
I’ll get the web site schedules updated this week so please check them for what’s happening before Christmas.

More later!
Liz

Flock of Chickadees

Once a month our students want to work on watercolor skills. We started with specific techniques, not necessarily something to frame but to learn and prepare ourselves to take our upcoming watercolor workshops. And we have all greatly improved and are pleased with our growing skills.  The students are requiring me to learn more just to stay ahead of them and I’m enjoying the journey.

Our latest project was a Black Capped Chickadee in the style I learned from Susan Crouch. I was pleased with my painting and very pleased with my student’s efforts.

So from a proud teacher here are the student’s paintings.

Black Capped Chickadee, Artful Endeavors Students

Black Capped Chickadee

Ho Ho and Howl-loween

I’ve been busy developing the concepts, designing, and painting new classes for our Sept schedule. Of course lots of my inspirations come from our terrific students who are always wanting to learn and explore.  And who come up with challenging ideas.

Since the holiday season always comes upon us quickly our students have encouraged me to bring out the holiday designs.

We’ve started the Halloween painting with Midnight Howl, a spooky Shirley Wilson design. We’re painted this in one class and will begin it in Cary next Tue evening, Sept 8.  There’s still time to join us.

MIdnight Howl

Midnight Howl

And then there is always Santa!  Everyone get an opportunity to paint this whimsical fellow, a Shirley Wilson design also.  Shirley Wilson’s Star Santa

Shirley Wilson's Star Santa

Shirley Wilson’s Star Santa

Classes start:

Sept 16, Wed am in Raleigh, 10a-2p.

Sept 22. Tue, 6:15-8:15 in Cary

Oct 3, Sat, 10a-2p Raleigh.

And then there is my watercolor Black Capped Chickadee.  I’m learning more and more about watercolor and enjoying them very much. We’ve wanted to paint a bird in Susan Crouch style and here is my version. I was very pleased with this one.

Class starts Wed am, 10-2p, Raleigh.

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Our Floral Still Life intensive workshop is coming up soon, Sept 26 & 27 to be exact. If you haven’t registered yet. We’re almost full.

Liz Miller CDA

Liz Miller CDA

We love to have you join our Sept learning opportunities at Artful Endeavors. I’m learning so much and am excited about sharing with you.

Come join us!  Liz

Wow, That Was Quick!

Our seminar with Susan Crouch is now full and I’m not surprised because Susan is such a wonderful, sharing artist. We had such a great time last May and learned so much.

And registrations for our seminar with Kathie George are coming in quickly.  Reserve your seat now so that you don’t miss out.  Register Now!

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Susan Crouch Seminar April 2016

Registration is open for our seminar with Susan Crouch, April 28, 29, and 30, 2016!

Our 2015 seminar with Susan was wonderfully educational and we all learned a lot.  Our watercolor paintings turned out beautiful and we are excited to have Susan back with us for 2016.  Susan is a wonderful teacher and beautiful artist.

From our 2015 seminar

From our 2015 seminar

Susan Crouch Watercolor Workshops 2016

Level: Beginner with basic watercolor skills / Intermediate

With a focus on light and color, we will explore ideas for interpreting the subjects of nature in watercolor. You’ll learn a step-by-step approach for planning your composition that includes working with photos, creating a value pattern, and selecting colors for your painting. Possible projects include flowers, birds, or other animals. Drawings and reference photos are provided so you can paint along as I demonstrate – or if you prefer, bring you own reference material and paint the subject of your choice. Each year new demos are created to provide practical experience with various subjects and watercolor techniques.

More details.

Register Now!web-susan-and-Merry-K
Susan lives in North Carolina where she has been painting in watercolor for over 20 years. She is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina and her artwork has received numerous awards. Susan has created designs for the Dayspring Division of Hallmark Cards, and her paintings have been selected for publication in Splash 12: Celebrating Artistic Vision and Splash 14: Light and Color (North Light Books)
Susan’s techniques are featured in her DVD, Painting in Living Color: Carolina Morning (Artist Palette Productions). In addition to teaching workshops, Susan has exhibited in juried outdoor art festivals throughout the Southeast.
www.susancrouch.com