Art Class

I lead an Oil and Acrylic Painting workshop at the Reston Community Center (Reston VA) every Wednesday from 7-10. Here is a picture of several of my students working on an exercise in portraiture. Portraits of children are especially difficult sometimes because there are no definite lines in the face and the features are still very close together. This photo shows three works in progress from the same reference photo.

Sketch Group

I have found a good life drawing class at the McLean Community Center, McLean Virginia, every Tuesday from 7 - 9:30. It's a good idea for any artist to spend some time each day practicing.

In the nude sketch shown here, there is nothing particularly interesting from a "final painting" viewpoint. The pose is awkward, the model a bit past her prime. But the lighting — ah, the darks and lights. Objects can be rendered in many ways. We learn to draw, often, using a line as the guide to the edge of an object, but the edge is defined (or lost) by differences in tone or contrast. And the objects flow from one to another, and into the surrounding space. Using shading to define the edges and their relation to other spaces gives you a better appreciation of the composition. Now, that is not to say that line should be abandoned. Not at all. Just another way of looking.

Plein Air Painting of Tractor, Riverbend

A couple of weeks ago, I went with two friends down to Riverbend Park where I discovered this lovely little tractor. I roughed it out on site and took a photo. Brought it home and did some finishing touches, edge painted it and put hanging wire on the back. And, voila, it’s ready for the next show. Or for sale! Anyone need a tractor. I will be putting it up on the eBay store.

Yellow Sunflowers

I'm promoting this painting "Sunflowers 2010" on eBay auction. It's oil and 16 x 20, side-painted so it can be hung with or without frame, and wired on the back. Visit my store and see other new work.

I have set the auction starting bid low on this painting for several reasons:

First, setting the starting price lower than the usual sales price makes a game of it.

Secondly, I really do want to find homes for all my "children."

Third, even artists have to eat! haha

I hope you'll go and look. Even if you don't buy, if you put it on your "watch list" it'll stimulate interest. That's a large part of promotion, after all, getting people to pay attention!

Great Falls Painting accepted in the April Art League show

This is a fairly small (11 x 14) Plein Air (outdoor, on-site) painting done in 2006 of Great Falls, Virginia. I personally like the "Japanese" feel of the rock masses. This painting won "First Place" in the annual League of Reston Artists show (Aug 2008) at the US Geological Survey and has now been accepted in the very prestigious Art League of Alexandria show held monthly at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. It will be on display in the gallery during the entirety of April, 2010. The painting is beautifully framed in a plein air gold frame and is very affordable. (hint hint!)

New exhibit - Coulter paintings

During the month of April, 2010, I am exhibiting two paintings in the League of Reston Artists "founders Show" in the Rose gallery, Reston Community Center, Lake Anne Plaza. "Splash," oil, 20 x 24, $600" and "Vale Schoolhouse," oil, 16 x 20, $400. Both paintings were awarded Honorable Mention.