Saturday, June 9, 2012

Mixed media painting Class Shots , term three. Great results , plenty of creativity pumping out.





These first shots are from the pupils work during classes and during their 4 week exhibition at Essence Cafe in Ngongotaha.
Pieces are available for sale for very reasonable prices until  the end of June and five works have sold already.
 New  pieces are going up as fast as they can make them.

The next intermediate/advanced class will start on Tuesday the 17th of July and I also have a beginners class starting on Monday 16th July.

Ring me now on 3463435 to book your space.
 Numbers limited to 8 people per class.


Here are some photos of some of the pupils and their works all these people in one way or another have gotten out of their comfort zones to attend art classes and in some cases to exhibit.

The 7 pupils worked on a variety of  paintings which included plaster of paris, wax (encaustic), acrylic on recycled timber,  acrylic on canvas and collage.

Some of them  worked using inspiration from cutting edge Mixed Media art books and Sommerset Studio and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines.


One of Debbie's works out of my favourite artbook called Art at The Speed of Light by Pam Carricker.

Wax and Plaster of  Paris. Images  from the amazing book Plaster Studio By Stephanie Lee and Judy Wise.

These works ar on exhibition and display until the end of June at Essence cafe in Ngongotaha.

Attention to detail and an eye for aesthetic design.

Debbie with her Plaster of Paris work in monochromaic colours. 
Debbie is the adult pupil that I have had for the longest time.
 She likes to come to class because it motivates her to do the work as we set goals  and have some great conversations about art and processes. 
Debbie is an adept hanger of artworks during exhibitions and I believe she is ready to start exhibiting in Dealer Galleries if that is the track she would like to pursuue. 
Debbie is also an excellent muffin maker. 



 Heather works intuitively at the moment on pieces of re-cycled wood with wax .
 Treasures just pop out quickly and magically;  she is really in the flow which seems to have accelerated since I have been running the classes from my home studio. 


Heathers,  Faith Work. 
This work has sold. 

We will be doing a large session on wax next term, I have a new little mini oven for heating it up and the pupils  have all bought heat guns.
It's going to be aromatic and exciting.
I have ordered the wax from my special secret supplier.




Heathers little cow creation on recycled wood, complete with lichen, begging to be sold..



Three  of these works have sold already in the exhibition, well done people.



Hilary's oil pastel and wax on board painting sold almost instantaneously, I think she could  do a series in this style. 
I'd suggest Summer, Winter, Spring and Autumn . 
This  represents her first artwork sale and she was very happy when I informed her. 
.


Hilary likes doing landscapes with textures, often from views from her home overlooking  Lake Rotorua.
She enjoys working in layers and produces bright, vibrant paintings.
She likes to paint for her own enjoyment and sees it as good therapy and time out from her busy life. 
Hilary recently reached out of her comfort zone to make a portrait that really sang.
Her work has improved in leaps and bounds since she has been coming to my classes over the years. 


Hilary's  artworks at Cafe Essence in Ngongotaha.

Ruby's plaster of paris and wax works.
Ruby runs a U3A Art Appreciation Group and is a prolific producer of sunny, vibrant art. 
She can always be relied on to complete any homework that I set and is willing to take risks and get out of her comfort zone to explore new techniques.


Ruby working on a colourful landscape.


Beginner pupil Lynette's first work . Lynette, did really well with the colour mixing  and brush control.


With my special beginers guide to doing self portraits, Lynette came up with this portrait of her mother when she was young. 
Really well done, I think she should keep on doing them. 
After a thousand she will have well and truly mastered them. 


Great tones to form depth and roundness of form.
 She was planning to give this to her mother and I'm sure her mother would just love it.

Pamela with the beginning of her poppy painting.
 Pamela usually works in water colours so it has been a great learning curve for her to use a different medium.
Pamela has been to a number of my water colour painting classes in the past and is a very supportive pupil with positive and uplifting things to say about my lessons and artwork.
It's  nice to have such a bunch of upbeat and dedicated  people around me,  I am blessed.

Laura was a new American pupil.
Sunny person; a pleasure to have in the class.
This lesson is a mixed media beginner work focusing on line and texture.

Laura at work.

Laura with her graphic outlining work, focusing on brush control, line work and the interplay of positive and negative space.



Laura, Heidi and Moira with their textured masterpieces;  these three worked really well together. 
They were  upbeat and worked quickly and diligently, sparking off each other. 
The synergy was really evident in this class. 
It's  gratifying as a teacher to have people performing so well and above all having fun and enjoying  the process.



Moira with the beautiful egg shell blue colours.




Heidi wth her Hundertwasser inspired creation.
We first put aluminium foil on the canvas and then black paint and used scratch back methods.


Moira with her Aboriginal inspired birds.

Heidi is  just starting to get back into her art after a break. 
 I can see really that it is what she needs to be doing. 
She has the drive and determination to keep on with it. 
 Setting up buddy systems is a great way to keep  your motivation high.

My classes really are often like buddy systems.
So if you need some extra encouragement in a safe, friendly and creative environment with a live practising artist.
  Someone who believes that everyone has a dream inside them waiting to be materialised, with 18 years  professional experience.
  I am your art making coach

Ring up and enrol and pay your deposit today as numbers are filling fast.
07 346 -3435
If a group is not your thing, I am available for personal,  one on one coaching.
Prices and availability on application. 


 If you are one of those people who has always wanted to do it; get out of your comfort zone, get up off the couch  and give art making  a go this year. 
  You will be surprised at the  little miracles that occur in your life once you tap into the  force of creativity that is within us all. 
Remember it's more about the journey than the end result and be prepared to make a lot of mistakes because it is through the mistakes made that you will learn. 
I used to have a tutor at Art School who said  to me, " Janet, you learn more from your mistakes than your successes" 
Believe me I  made plenty of those and so you can rely on me to be empathetic when things don't  go quite according to what you see in your minds eye.
 If you get a 10th of what you envisage, you are doing well. 


Ready to photograph your amazing artwork and to give helpful critiques which work to your individual strengths. 

I have well over 50 lessons in mixed media that I can set,or if you have your own ideas that need development and critiquing , I can help with that too. 
I have hundreds my own art and mosaic works on display and in visual diaries  that I am creating  for your viewing inspiration. 
I am always buying cutting edge art books which you are welcome to look at during class. 
Feed your eyes with inspiration of  others, adapt them and fly.


Rotorua Mixed Media Artist and Teacher Janet Keen with my Angel and Owl illustrations. 
 These are the beginning of a suite of works that are going to contribute towards  my Mixed Media Painting book. 

Universe bring it on. 
  I am also contributing towards a travelling exhibition with professional artists Lyn Hathaway and DeAnne Lawford-Smith in October 2013.



Creative Quotes of the Day
A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.

2 comments:

Jill Blevins said...

I just loved looking at and reading this post. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

teri said...

Setting the creativity free... such a gift you share with others.