floaters, readers, and too much sun . . .

Sketching on the dock. After several days, Martin was looking for a little shade, so he made his own.  Reading was popular for some, most chose to be floating, swimming, jumping in or diving and coming out on the dock only long enough to drip-dry and get toasty enough to get back in the water. 

Some of the family on the dock.

 As you might guess, everyone came out for breakfast and dinner!

behind the scenes . . .

Painting Venice

The image above was shot in 2003 in the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's shop on Dexter. It was part of the set for the society's production of The Gondoliers that year. The town was saved, since it could be stored flat. Venice was painted on a series of 8' plywood sheets. Scenic Designer, Nathan Rodda, comes up with the most amazing things!

Last week Venice was updated in the society's Crown Hill shop. Parts needed to be retouched, always necessary when they have been in storage. In the process Nathan wanted some areas of the town to be made lighter as if caught in sunlight. Some of the shadows in windows and doorways were made darker, to make them feel closer to the audience.

And an extra surprise — the top of the tall tower was remade . . . seems someone was carrying it across the room and forgot about the ceiling fans. Ceiling is high, but so was the tower.

The spatter paint looks a bit strange here, but it actually makes the town look much more three dimensional under theater lighting. (Shot before the windows, and last two doorways on the right, were made darker). Click image to enlarge.

Michael Crow working on the 'stone' platform. Steel fittings have been mounted to two identical platforms and short wooden 'posts' have been mounted to the steel fittings, thus stabilizing tall column structures to be added at the theater.

Dress rehearsal Tuesday night - columns are set in place, Venice is hanging in the shadows here. If you are in the Greater Seattle area — come see the show!

The Bagley Wright Auditorium at the Seattle Repertory Theater

Seattle Center Grounds • 155 Mercer St • Seattle

Matinees at 2:00 pm:  July 13, 14, 20, 21, & 27

Evenings at 7:30 pm:  July 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27

click here for ticket information

N.A.W.A. 124th Annual Exhibition, NYC

Deruta Camellias

11 x 12 1/8  |  oil on panel

The National Association of Women Painters is the first professional women's fine art organization in the United States. The group was founded in 1819 by five innovative artists who named the organization the Women's Art Club. In 1913, they changed the name to the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, and in 1941, they renamed the organization the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. 

Many recognized women artists have been associated with N.A.W.A. including Mary Cassatt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Isabel Bishop, Alice Neal, and Miriam Schapiro. I consider it an honor to have been chosen for juried membership in 2010.

Deruta Camellias will be in their 124th Annual Exhibition to be held at the Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Art Gallery in NYC, August 27 - September 28, 2013.

Sophia & Annalisa

Sophia

10 x 8  |  oil on panel

I have just finished this painting! In the several years since painting her sister, shown below, I have lost track of how many attempts I have made at painting Sophia. None of them made my heart sing . . . that is until this one. And I really do like it!

Annalisa

10 x 8 | oil on panel

Click on image to inlarge.

Ballard & Call Fine Art Gallery | features Marilyn Farrell Webberley

Gallery owners held private reception in my honor the evening before the exhibition opened. They invited people I grew up with, some I hadn't seen in many years. It was a wonderful evening! The flowers were sent by a friend who was unable to attend.

Donna Roberge Nozel, Clark County Arts Commissioner

with a card showing images of my work in the US Embassy residence in Tel Aviv, Israel, in the US Department of State AIE program.

Sharon Ballard and Maquita Call | gallery owners

. . . and a great group of friends!

Friends

9 x 12 | oil on panel

Both are good company and very fun to paint. The painting captures the feeling I wanted. As I was going thru my image files yesterday, I came across another painting from years ago. Thought it would be fun to post here, since it is the same person. 

12 x 9 | oil on panel

Sketching with Friends again . . .

The artists on this day are Ambika, Indira, who also work up close at times, and Kara.

A late lunch followed sketching. Then a walk along the Sammamish River Trail, onto the North Creek Trail to the University of Washington Bothell campus, past the sports fields and on up the hill into town and back to the car.
Next came dinner and a Jane Austen movie in the living room. Another great day!

Yesterday's Sketchers

Giuliana, Gala, Sophia and "Charlie,"a friend visiting from Germany. They all arrived with their sketchbooks. We sat around the kitchen table for several hours, then had a late lunch. A wonderful day!

Coffee Shop sketching again . . .

Another walk ended our walk at our favorite coffee shop (January 28 posting). This was last Friday, February 8, 2013. Two people were just leaving two of the prize comfy chairs by the fire when we arrived. We quickly added our coats, then went to the counter to place our usual order at the end of a crisp-afternoon walk—a tall decaf mocha and a tall chai latte/no water.

The first sketch is the view across the room. The second is along the front windows. I loved the way the person in the rose sweater sat. She was reading something and every time she moved, her body formed fun patterns to sketch. The next figures on this page have been at this shop almost every afternoon I have stopped by. They always sit by the windows, always visit quietly and are always busy with hand work . . . making things. They are also fun to sketch.

Across the room again. The floor was just mopped and people are busy with their laptops and books. This place has become quite popular with students from two universities and a community collage near by.

more Coffee Shop sketches . . .

Monday afternoon I arrived in town too early for a meeting, so went in to the corner coffee shop for a while. Almost every customer was totally focused on a laptop or cell phone. Five Apple laptops were behind me and one Dell and one no-idea were at tables on the far side of the room. The comfy chairs across from me were occupied by the cell phone and chatty folks.

I think this man went to sleep over his Samsung. 

The two ladies were still talking when I left — 

and everyone was far too busy to notice me. The best way to sketch!

Coffee Shop Sketching . . .

 Our favorite walk these days is along the Sammamish River trail in Bothell. Yesterday afternoon we walked between showers. The sky was bright white and mist filled the air.

We walked along the river, then took the North Creek Trail and continued onto the wet lands. The trees along the creek looked like they were made of gold. Soon the wood will turn a soft rose just before the leaves arrive.

We finished our loop walk going thru the UW Bothell campus, into town and back over the river to our car.

On the way home we stopped at a favorite coffee shop and took the empty couch in the front corner. From there I could see many people busy with books and laptops. A great place to sketch!

After a while the people sitting in the large chairs in front of the fire, left. We took their place and I had a group of "new models" to add to my book. I have posted a few of them.

Celebration! A Traveling Exhibition moves to Seattle . . .

Women Painters of Washington's Traveling Exhibition has moved to its second venue, the Women Painters of Washington Gallery in Seattle, where it will remain on view through February 22, 2013. 

Women Painters of Washington Gallery

Columbia Center  |  701 Fifth Avenue  |  3rd Floor Atrium

Seattle WA 98104  

206 624-0543

Photos are from the opening reception earlier this month.

Full Focus | Celebration! The Women Painters of Washington

KBTC Public Television's Emmy Award winning documentary series Full Focus takes a thoughtful and in depth look at the arts, history, people, places and events that make Western Washington such a special place to call home. This week's feature — Tom Layson's Celebration! The Women Painters of Washington.

Images from KPTC Television's video:

Celebration! The Women Painters of Washington

The program showcases WPW's Celebration! A Traveling Exhibition in it's first venue, The Schack Art Center in Everette, WA. Included are interviews with some of the artists, closeup views of many paintings,  a visit to the next venue, the Women Painters of Washington Gallery in downtown Seattle, and interviews with several artists in their studios.  Click here to see video.

The exhibition's opening reception in it's second venue is this Thursday. Please stop by if you are in the area.

Women Painters of Washington Gallery

Columbia Center Building

701 5th Avenue, Suite 310
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 10th, 11-2pm