Hangar Art News

Carnaval de Venise - a project in aquarelle

2012-03-12T22:01:00.003+01:00

Lots of great work again last Tuesday...! We have started a project inspired on Lesley Bufton's visit to Venice - where the carnival happened to be in full swing!! She had exciting pictures - that unfortunately were a bit too small yet gave us plenty of ideas and we found what we were looking for on the internet. Some of us worked on their own pictures:

Brigitte Jansen on her way to finish another very interesting and deep aquarelle!

Most striking is the mask but also interesting that she has used lots of salt on the hat, with a refined effect (much salt gives little dots, a few grains give big shapes)

Lesley Bufton started on an ambitious - and very cool - picture of an 'Arlequino'...

Helene van der Kroft created on a composition of two masks...

And then there was teamwork! We are making two really big paintings - with 4 artists. This means constant communication, on sizes, measurements and colours, quite a challenge!

Liz Douglas and Edith Alborni started a wonderful picture in flaming colours... They hope to be joined by two more painters coming Tuesday...

And the second team painting by Sandra Seymour-Dale, Anna-Karin Fast, Cathie van der Stel and Marina Kulik

It already looks super if you ask me - coming Tuesday we'll try to finish most of the work and you can actually check all this out on the next Café Culture (Wednesday 21 March), when we'll exhibit them - and more aquarelles - in the Hangar!!

Smart use of cling film

2012-03-05T19:28:00.002+01:00

Sometimes it is such fun to use other materials in your aquarelle! For instance: cling film. It gives an effect that would be hard to create with a brush, it is lively, spontaneous and you can never be completely sure what it ends up like... Mmm sounds like aquarelle watercolours! It is a great way to fill up a background if you want it to be interesting but not too dominant. Many have experimented with it and last week Agnès tried it for her 'collage girl'

Make a wet -in-wet background, with lots of pigment(s) and put wrinkly cling film on it.
Let dry (in the air, don't use a hairdryer) carefully take the film off and behold the result:

Collage Girl by Agnès McLaughlin

At the same time Roly worked hard and steady on his own -perfectly drawn!- boat:

Roly Bufton's yacht

He is visiting her this week so high expectations for an all-inspired finishing of this project...

Brigitte finished her original scarf - she has now achieved mastery in folds and stripes!

Brigitte Jansen's bedouine-like image of a scarf

There is also a lot of good work in progress - Cathie van der Stel started the last part of her series of sea beasts - a lobster (they really come in spectacular colours but this one is coloured according to Cathie's imagination...), Mieke van Papen began with an abstract looking jellyfish, Edith Alborni worked on a picture of a running leopard, Lesley Bufton almost finished a very happy painting of a couple of ducks (or geese?) and Lies Timmermans started a promising graphical nude... I hope to show you all that next week!

We finish with Edith Alborni's creative take on last week's subject:

Edith Alborni

Still Life Drawing

2012-02-29T18:05:00.001+01:00

On Monday, Pim put together another of his beautiful compositions.

And take a look at some of the results:

Still Life 10 - by Brigitte

Still Life 10 - by Lucia

Still Life 10 - by Marijke

Still Life 10 - by Neville

Graphical Nudes in Aquarelle

2012-02-27T22:19:00.001+01:00

Cathie van der Stel

The aquarellistas embarked on a challenge last week that is now halfway and looks interesting as well as totally beautiful! We worked from sixties pictures of women with light and shadow projected on their naked bodies... Here are the first results... amazing don't you think!

Agnes McLaughlin

Anna-Karin Fast

Edith Alborni

Liz Douglas

Mieke van Papen

Brigitte Jansen

Georgina Hole worked on one too but didn't get so far because she also finished her Parrots:

Lies Timmermans returned from Switzerland (with the sun) and started with these lovebirds to get back into the groove! She'll join in on the graphic project tomorrow...

And last but not least Liz Douglas finished her view on Plascassier

PLAYING WITH COLOUR

2012-02-24T22:05:00.000+01:00

Last Monday the abstract group had a session where everyone played with colour. The idea was to put a LOT of paint on the canvas, two - three - four- colours and then move it around with a palette knife. Sounds easy - but It's not. You don't have much time to think about composition and if you mix your colours too much they become grey or a murky brown.

Below you can see some of the artists at work.

Anne-Marie, Carina and Marie Helen at work

Karin at work

And below are some of the results from the Monday session. The work continues this coming Monday.

Sue with her creation

Marie Helen's work

Carina's work

Barbara's first work

Anne's work

Merete's work

Barbara's second piece

Tatiana's work

The work continues this coming Monday !

Moving Models

2012-02-22T12:14:00.003+01:00

Live drawing on Monday 20 February

Last Model drawing session we started with a new kind of 'warming up'. We usually start with a couple of very quick poses, where our model stands still for a minute and then assumes another pose.

This time we kept the minute, but our model Melissandre turned a little bit after each minute, where the idea was to superimpose the drawings. There are various versions as result, but everyone participated and felt it was a good exercise! We will definitely repeat it next time - and then our model will not turn but move slightly. Imagine the difficulty for your brain: 'catch the pose' in a minute and keep track of the movement...

Below some of the drawings - they are not made with the intention to create beautiful pictures - but for study purposes! And they still 'move' don't you think?!

Neville Moray

Marijke van Schijndel

Wim Teunissen

Lucia Gualtirie

Sandra Seymour-Dale

Claudie X

Georgie Hole

FYI: the idea for the superimposing comes from an excellent book, recommended to me by Neville. It contains 20-something very interesting drawing exercises. I have ordered it and will from time to time 'steal' some of the ideas - of course not without mentioning the source:

"Drawing Projects: An Exploration of the Language of Drawing"
by Mick Maslen. The paperback version costs £14.74

OK - and then of course we also drew longer poses, below two that I happened to take a picture of:

Betty Schep

Marij van Schijndel

Aquarelle - Tuesdays - 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2012-02-20T22:14:00.001+01:00

Tuesday 14 February

Last week we got together in the Hangar to have a break from Valentines day, work on a variety of paintings, discuss our work and ideas, drink verveine-menthe-orange tea and listen to music. As you can imagine we had a good time - and what came out of it was better than good!

First of all - the last work on the miniature/enlargement project was finished:

Brigitte Jansen created this composition with ivy leaves. She kept wanting to push the 'photo' away - that's how realistic the miniature is...

Georgina Hole finished her enlargement of the colourful parrot, looking sideways at his own miniature

We had a visitor, Claudie Godart. She is an artist working with other materials right now and because she works on boats in the season, she'd like to learn aquarelle because it enables her to (easier) create her 'carnets de voyage'. Claudie will come back in October when the sailing season is over for them...

The logic choice of boatie Claudie Godart - after a picture in the light and shadow book. So well done for a first try!

Two group members couldn't help themselves being inspired by the Valentine mood:

Agnès McLaughlin painted this extremely lovely and romantic bunch of roses and lilies

Cathie van der Stel painted this beautiful colourful magnification of a tiny frog - that of course will change into a prince as soon as you kiss him!

Liz Douglas proceeded with her impression of Plascassier. She started with the foreground and sky - or better put, an abstraction of that. It worked, it works very well! Coming Tuesday it will probably be finished - and shown in this blog, so watch this space!

Sandra Seymour-Dale is working on another magically interesting picture - this is what it looks like halfway. the painting will now be stored for a couple of weeks so her view on it becomes fresh again before she finishes it...

Edith Alborni created one of the best versions I have seen of 'the girl'. More about that in a later post...

Monday Morning Drawing Class - with Pim de Jongh

2012-02-16T23:53:00.001+01:00

Every Monday morning there is a drawing class - the classes alternate between model drawing with Marina Kulik and "technical" drawing with Pim de Jongh. SO what is actually technical drawing ? In short it is everything that is not model / portrait drawing. Some Mondays are spent working on perspective, some on light and shadows, and there are a whole lot of other useful subjects that are covered. Useful ? - yes definitely because it is theory that can be put to good use when painting.

Monday 13/2 the project was to draw a still life. Pim set up a beautiful composition and his students had to make their drawing using lines and not be shading.

Pim's Still Life

His students worked hard and were enthusiastic - just look how hard Georgina is concentrating !

Student diligently at work

And below you can see some of the results.

Aquarelle Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2012-02-13T21:44:00.003+01:00

Miniatures and Magnifications

50x70 cm Seahorse by Cathie van de Stel - Mindblowing!!

Cathie actually received applause when she showed this during the evaluation last Tuesday. Believe me, the photo doesn't do it justice, this aquarelle has a perfect balance between colour, experiment, light, dark, fun, depth and mystery. And as you can guess, it is an enlargement of the real thing - the size of a seahorse or hippocampus varies between 1 and 20 centimeters...

Our challenge du jour (and for the coming weeks) was to take a colourful picture or still life, and create a composition with a miniature of the whole thing and then a magnification as the background. Most of us have started and not yet finished - and it already looks spectacular so I'd like to share two morre with you:

Mini and Maxi parrot - beautiful work in progress by Georgina Hole

Miniature of ivy with berries - painted from a still life and to be continued tomorrow by Brigitte Jansen

And there was other pretty impressive and interesting painting going on...

'Portrait of a woman' by Sandra Seymour Dale

A very characterful portrait with an interesting symbolism. Note how the chicken wire (imprisonment) changes into flying birds (freedom) and the vague silhouette of a man, partly in front of the woman (taking her light) - Have a long look at it and give it your own interpretation... super interesting!

Agnes McLaughlins' colourful chickens (their names: Oh, La and La)

A super happy & funny picture with a whole different use of chicken wire (in white crayon) and I particularly like how the eyes are done... Click on the picture to enlarge

Lesley Bufton's Tropical house with Palm Tree

Lesley had a good old struggle to get the background in the colour she wanted, and after a first wash of ochre did a second of ultramarine with a little bit of carmine - and then another one, which did the trick! It's not finished but you can already see the tropical atmosphere (with a rainstorm coming?) and the light and dark is remarkable...

'Tunnel' by Anna-Karin Fast

Anna-Karin finished the 'tunnel' image - which worked out very well! Then started with a big cat. She used masking fluid for the whiskers. This will make them stand out in a spontaneous background... As usual Anna-Karin painted this picture in just a few brush strokes. Here's a preview:

Roly Bufton finished his picture with little fishing boats in it - and will soon embark on a painting project that has to do with a big boat (his own). But for the time being he painted a dune, in 15 minutes and it actually looks great!

Edith Alborni finished her 'Collage' in sepia

and then moved on to 'Woman with a colourful shawl' whom I will dedicate a blogpost to after she finishes. We have enough versions now, all based on the same picture and very very different!

And the last two contributions are from Liz Douglas (who is actually working on a very interesting painting of the village Plascassier) and Judith Kuiper. They both washed aquarelle paint off their painting, Judith to make it lighter and work further on it and Liz because she was unhappy with the left part of her otherwise wonderful still life:

Phase 1 and 2 of Liz Douglas's metallic still life. Part washed out and then 'repaired'. Spot the differences! (click to enlarge)

Judith Kuipers' Abstract Bird - all washed out and ready for the next layer...

An evening with Willem De Kooning

2012-02-06T23:59:00.000+01:00

Today the abstract group had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Willem De Kooning. He was a Dutch artists and one of the American Abstract Expressionist painters. He has done various paintings of vulgar women with snarls, big breasts , enlarged eyes and blasted extremities. Monday evening was spent trying out teh same style. The group had tremendous fun and are looking forward to finishing their work next Monday.

Aquarelle Tuesday 2-4.30pm Marina Kulik

2012-02-06T21:36:00.002+01:00

Edith Alborni's sepia monochrome.

Not yet finished - but already impressive contrast

Last Tuesday most of the Aquarellistas were snowed in, so we decided to stay at home and get together on the first good day - which was last Friday afternoon! We had a great afternoon with only 6 of us - and mostly worked on the sepia 'trompe l'oeuil' collages...

Cathie van der Stel's incredibly refined collage. A wonderful composition.

Brigitte Jansen painted this sepia version of a classic 19th century lady

The subject inspired Agnès McLaughlin to go back in time too - although less far...and paint her first car

There were also older projects going on - and new ones started:

Anna-Karin Fast started an almost abstract cave entrance. We look forward to see how this develops!

Cathie van der Stel worked on her fish too...

and she got so much 'advice' on how to proceed that she decided to put it away for a while. A very good idea, often after a few weeks your painting looks much better - or it is all clear how to proceed!

The painting - and its background- inspired her (and yours truly) to experiment with newspaper print, more about that later in the aquarellista blog...

Brigitte Jansen also created this lovely seahorse in a leftover 10 minutes...

And then it was weekend - and almost time for the next session on Tuesday!

Abstract Vibrations - 2

2012-02-02T00:06:00.000+01:00

After the successful exhibition the abstract group held in Theoule-sur-Mer last summer, they have been invited to exhibit in the Salle St. Esprit in Valbonne. The exhibition opens this coming Friday ( 3rd February) at 10:00. The vernissage is in the evening at 18:30. The exhibition lasts until Sunday 26th February and is open daily from 10:00 - 18:00. Every day one of the artists will be in Valbonne to show you around and answer questions.

There are 21 participants - including Pim de Jongh and Christie Robinson. In all there are 36 pieces of artwork on display (28 paintings and 8 scuptures). Most of the work has not been shown previously. There are also 3 new members of the Hangar (but not new as artists) with work on display.

Pim and Karin putting on artists frames

Monday evening the finishing touches were put on the last work .

Anne B.painting the plinths in the Salle St. Esprit

The task of hanging up all the paintings looks so easy - but it certainly is not. Our artistic duo - Pim and Anne H. used Monday and Tuesday to put in place a harmonious display. On Wednesday the sculpture group was in place to set up their work.

Everything was ready in time for the opening on Friday 3rd February.

Sculptures by Christie Robinson in the foreground and various artists in the background.

Sculptures by Ann Beaurin in the foreground and various artists in the background.

Some of the artists

Sculpture by Christie Robinson in the foreground and various artists in the background.

You are all heartily welcome to ABSTRACT VIBRATIONS - 2

Aquarelle - Tuesdays 2 - 4.30 pm - Marina Kulik

2012-01-30T22:13:00.001+01:00

Portrait of little sister, wonderful strong portrait by Brigitte Jansen -
So sorry! The photo came out unsharp! But you can still recognize the quality

Last Tuesday the aquarellistas got together for a good old serious painting session and most worked hard on the subject 'old pictures and documents'... One of the challenges was to work more or less monochrome, in brown-grey-sepia tones as old documents and pictures have faded and yellowed.

Classy Lady with ball sculpture by Lies Timmermans

Classy Lady with draperies and bright light - by Agnès McLaughlin

Some chose to do one picture, like Agnes Lies and Brigitte (pictures above) and others combined them in order to create a scrapbooking efffect - indeed a trompe l'oeuil like these ones in-progress by Cathie and Georgie...

Ladies, documents and stamps -by Georgie Hole

(she has wisely taken the time to decide on composition and drew several versions before she started this serious job)

Dried roses, love letter, stamp, photograph and more.. amazingly beautiful and delicate painting-in-progress by Cathie van der Stel

Others worked on their own things, most of those are not finished and will be published in future posts, but Liz finished her metal-project-inspired still life and she definitely deserves a big compliment, it has come out so unbelievably metallic and shiny!

Metal still life by Liz Douglas

Marina Kulik in Holotropic Art Syposium expo

2012-01-29T14:48:00.000+01:00

Chances are that you will not be in Romania this and next month! But just FYI Marina Kulik is participating in an exhibition with her lesser known abstract, holotropic oil/acrylic paintings. Here's an article (translated from Rumanian) from the 'Ziarul de Iasi'

Exhibition Holotropic Art Symposium: Artists from four continents exhibit in the Dana Gallery
by: Loredana OPREA
Date of publication: 17/01/2012

Professional artists from four continents – Europe, USA, Asia and Africa – will exhibit at Iasi. Their creations will be presented at the third edition of the exhibition “Art holotropic Annual International”. The opening is scheduled today at 18 o’clock at Dana Gallery in Str. Prof. Cujba.

The exhibition brings together paintings by artists from France, Denmark, Switzerland, Romania, USA, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria. Among the exhibitors this year are painters who participated in previous editions: Attika Boubezari (Algeria), Muriel Desgardin (Switzerland), Marina Kulik (France), Edi Apostu, Zamfira Birzu, Gabriela Drinceanu, Ana Gabriela Dulgheru and Dorin Lehaci (Romania). For the first time participating artists Wale Ajay (Nigeria), Helle Antonsen (Denmark), Smaranda Bostan, Sabin Drinceanu, Roxana Irina Odobasa, Lucian Sebastian Radu (Romania), Nadine Bertulessi (France), Anton Buttler (South Africa), Dumas Hufreesh (India), Damaring Ferasmara (Indonesia) and Dave Dazzlin Peterson (USA).

In making their creations, participants used inspirational music composed especially for this event by the initiator of this artistic trend, Edi Apostu.

In his opinion, holotropic art is the art which is the result of transpersonal experiences and which can transpose the beholder into states of overconsciousness.

Marina Kulik's 'FineTune' on the left

“His music influences my work: usually I let myself be inspired by a combination of my mood, sound, the light, the weather and the behavior of my paint, transparent aquarelle, which is thin as water and mixes, blends, drips and flows. The “look and feel” is organic, natural. For this project I concentrated mainly on music, which is new to me and cannot be compared. In order to express what I experience with Edi Apostu’s music I have chosen a mixture of smooth oil and opaque acrylics, which give me more control, and deeper tones. The transparency and the suggestion of depth and volume that I use in my “regular” paintings appear in this work too – the music requires that”. says artist Marina Kulik.

Rumanian Art press

The exhibition will be presented by Edi Apostu and will be hosted by Dana Gallery until 12 February.

Marina Kulik's Antennas

Marina Kulik's FineTune

Aquarelle - Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm Marina Kulik

2012-01-22T18:00:00.000+01:00

Last week, most of the time we painted our cartoons for the New Years reception, but some actually found the time to also work on serious subjects! And the results are absolutely wonderful...

Beautiful landscape with swans by Anna Karin fast

Fish by Cathie van der Stel... Newspaper background will be added!

Seagull with reflection by Gunilla Hammarlund who just joined our group - looks like she has everything an aquarellista needs and will fit in greatly!!

Beautiful delicate orchid subltly painted by Lies Timmermans.

The Hangar New Years Reception

2012-01-20T22:04:00.002+01:00

With the Aquarellista Cartoon Collection

Sunday 22 January from 4 - 7 pm we'll celebrate the new artistic year in the Hangar, with cocktails and lovely wines as well as supernice warm and cold nibbles provided by Monique Randazzo (our new Sherrie!) Everybody is most welcome to join us for a chat with the board, the teachers and the artists!

During this Reception, work will be on display by the oil class of Nelly van Hijfte, sculptures by Christie Robinson's students and the Aquarellistas will show cartoony watercolours:

There's more where that came from - and they are so much better in real life! Come and check them out....
We look forward to seeing you Sunday

Aquarelle - Tuesdays 2 - 4.30 pm Marina Kulik

2012-01-16T19:00:00.002+01:00

Tuesday 10 January - New Years' Lunch & Aquarelle light

To kick off the new year, Nelly's oil class, together with the Aquarellistas had an impressive, extensive and great tasting lunch with excellent wine, bread, meats, fish, vegetables, all kinds of pies, cheese, super desserts, chocolate and coffee... It lasted a bit longer that usual (ha ha) and I had foreseen that and prepared for a lighthearted aquarelle session to get us started after a long break!

The present group-of-nine worked pretty hard on 'Jokes', blow-ups of funny, one-image cartoons. There's only one completely finished yet - that I'll keep for next week's post, and the rest will be finished in our coming session. They look very promising to say the least!!

Apart from working on a funny cartoon, Lesley Bufton finished a picture she started last year - and
we all agreed it has come out stunningly beautiful and strong.

Credits: Inspired by Claire Schroeven's painting titled 'Four Windows'

2011-12-31T20:59:00.001+01:00

A VERY HAPPY & CREATIVE 2012

TO ALL OF YOU!!

Composition in aquarelle, created with wet paint, brushes, sponges and plastic foil

by Cathie van der Stel

Merry Christmas to all of you!

2011-12-24T00:23:00.000+01:00

Until 10 January the Aquarellistas won't come to the Hangar for their weekly 'Zen' Tuesday afternoon.

We had our last gathering on 20 December and it was cosy as always, and they gave me the most wonderful gift, a beautifully wrapped handmade Christmas card, with tiny delicate aquarelles on it, put together and made into a 'whole' by Sandra Seymour Dale... I was very touched and also very excited that I now actually have an original collection of some of the aquarellistas' work in my possession!!

'Small Guardian Angel' by Bibbi Isaksson

Ball & Tree by Edith Alborni

Xmas puppets by Cathie van der Stel

Christmas Rose by Brigitte Jansen

Wicked wish by Sandra Seymour-Dale

Small Christmas apple by Anna Karin Fast

Fun in the snow by Agnes McLaughlin

Snow Man by Liz Douglas

Christmas quartet by Lesley and Roly Bufton

Robin by Helene van der Kroft

I'll use my weeks-off to frame this wonderful gift!

Aquarelle Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2011-12-19T21:52:00.000+01:00

Aquarellistas from high heels to barefoot - and more...

Liz Douglas' grapes, ready for eating - or drinking...

'On their way to George' by Agnes McLaughlin

Dreamy portrait of a girl by Edith Alborni

Fabulous slingback by Brigitte Jansen

Amazing painting of true fatigue. By Sandra Seymour-Dale

Feet need a cool down by Liz Douglas

Swans in a Swedish lake by Anna-Kartin Fast

Mean mean stiletto by Mieke van Papen

The start of a rhythmic, graphic picture of windows by Lesley Bufton. What you see here are the first washes. They have warm colours and the final result will therefore be warm, even if the windows and shadows will be shades of (cold) blue...

Roly Bufton tried his hands on a Provence landscape, and did a good job! Note how well the dark/light contrast works (esp. on the trees)... One more to go in 2011! and then on to a new artistic year...

Drawing class closes

2011-12-17T13:00:00.001+01:00

The Hangar drawing group (incl. its teachers) will enjoy a well-earned break until 9 January!

Pim and I will let you know the details as soon as we resume J

In the meantime we wish you a very merry Christmas!

Pim and Marina

Aquarelle Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2011-12-12T21:32:00.000+01:00

Bye bye Bibbi!

The Aquarellista group has said goodbye to Britt-Marie Isaksson in style! We surprised her with a goody bag full of memories, from photo's to the tea & cookies we have, the cd's we play, the (Arche Torchon) paper we use etc etc...

We didn't spend an awful lot of time working, but despite that, goodlooking aquarelles saw the light. Unfortunately my cameralens was dirty, so the pics presented here are all a bit vague...

Christmas Rose by Brigitte Jansen

Grapes by Liz Douglas

Village by Lesley Bufton

Lowering the sails by Edith Alborni

Sisters by Agnes McLaughlin

St Tropez Regatta by Roly Bufton

Live Drawing - Monday mornings

2011-12-11T23:46:00.000+01:00

Mélisandre started with a couple of 1 minute poses

and then sat for us in the same pose the rest of the morning. With a setup like that, the participants can either draw from different angles, or the same pose a couple of times until it is perfect, or work on the same drawing and have time for details. Most did the same angle several times... Below the 'wall of fame'. Enjoy!

An evening with Abstract Landscapes

2011-12-09T19:20:00.001+01:00

This monday evening, 10 artists participated in the abstract session. The topic at the moment is abstract landscapes. Pim has shown examples of artists such as Richard Diebenkorn and Nicolas de Stael and talked about their techniques.

While working on the abstracts the group continuously hears Pim say - "not too realistic" or "not too nice".

Irene at work

Marie Helen at work

Sylvia at work

Merete at work

Anne Marie at work

Karin at work

Some people work really fast - others continue the work at the Wednesday or Saturday acrylics class. Below are some of the finished (or nearly finished) works.

Barbara Gentsch

Merete Frickmann

Marie (Lom) Butet

Bibbi Isaksson

2011-12-04T23:40:00.000+01:00

Starting a new adventure...

One of the very very talented aquarellistas of our Hangar group, Bibbi Isaksson, is a professional artist with an impressive and very original, creative oeuvre of painted tales and landscapes of fantasy. But she is leaving the South of France and moving back to her homeland Sweden. I am happy to know her - and sad that she leaves us! She is a great and very inspiring artist as well as a super nice person.

2x Bowl of cherries

Bibbi has promised to keep us posted on her new aquarelles when she is settled 'up North' so it isn't really goodbye, and we may even have a chance to visit her and let us be inspired by the beautiful landscapes of her country. But for the time being we'll have to make do with a little random show of her work...

Bibbi's Lascaux

Those were the days

A story of trust and jealousy

Tomatoe girl

May the good times come

Bibbi wishes you all a great Christmas and very happy new year...

Older posts about Bibbi and her work can be found here:
http://aquarellista.blogspot.com/2009/11/exhibition-bibbi-isaksson-part-i.html
and here:
http://aquarellista.blogspot.com/2009/11/exhibition-bibbi-isaksson-ii.html

Aquarelle Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2011-12-02T11:00:00.003+01:00

Metal!

Lump of gold on a mirror - stunning picture by Edith Alborni

Even our last watercolour session on the 20st of December, was spent on a serious exercise -on the characteristics of metal. We practised painting metal objects. From photo's, and Liz and Brigitte worked the real thing...

Copper tub in the sunlight - great pic by Agnes McLaughlin

Copper 'part' by Mieke van Papen

'Waiting for the turkey' Great tin foil by Agnes McLaughlin

Iron wire spools - painted and composed from the real thing by Brigitte Jansen

Small metal still life, delicately painted by Liz Douglas

I am already looking forward to seeing my co-aquarellistas again in the new year - but first another week of happy new years' celebrations!

Aquarelle - Tuesday 22 November 2PM

2011-11-28T22:14:00.000+01:00

Pair of boots by Cathie van der Stel

Boots, Balls & Babies

Marbles by Liz Douglas

Last week the aquarellistas worked on a couple of different themes, Liz Douglas and Veronique Lückerath worked on 'spheres, both in their own way, both terrific! Liz painted a couple of wonderfully transparent marbles. Veronique can't make it that often and wanted to work on this essential starters exercise: spheres... If you do it right, the balls seem to come off the paper and as you can see, this worked out!

Spheres by Veronique Luckerath

Veronique also worked on a seperate excercise, where the shadow on the object is painted in the complimentary colour. This doesn't always work out as a 'black' shadow, but gives a very 'organic' effect, where a typical shadow colour like paynes grey will give a metallic effect. Useful to know when painting fruit... Veronique wasn't happy with the result, but as you can see, a bit of shadow makes it a very believable ball.

The other aquarellistas chose from 20 beautiful photo's of children of the world and created their impressions, in their own personal style. Not all are finished, but here's a preview...

Mother and child by Agnes McLaughlin

Indian Girl by Agnes McLaughlin

Nepalese Girl by Edith Alborni

Modelling with Christie

2011-11-25T22:48:00.001+01:00

Each Thursday afternoon from 2pm - 5pm a group of Hangar members meet up to do modelling with Christie Robinson. Some are beginners and others experienced. At them moment people are working on a whole variety of different projects; - modelling animals in clay, wall sculptures in clay, Giocometti-like sculptures in plaster and abstract pieces in both clay and plaster.

The class at work

Christie showing Mireille how to proceed with her plaster lady

Airbrush painting

2011-11-24T19:36:00.001+01:00

On Thursday 24/11 a small group of Hangar members had a demonstration of the airbrush painting technique. Beforehand everyone had some sort of preconceived ideas about how a canvas could turn in to a masterpiece. But, seeing how it was done was quite different from what people had expected. Sébastien Pappalardo demonstrated how to use the airbrush to make backgrounds, details and how to turn a blank canvas in to a painting.

Sébastien at work

Some of today's spectators watching the master at work.

Sébastien Pappalardo demonstrating how to apply paint

A demonstration of how to do a sunset

And here the participants get to try for themselves

Aquarellistas' work of 15 November

2011-11-21T16:28:00.002+01:00

Cherries by Bibbi Isaksson - not finished -according to herself.

I think they are wonderful in their simplicity

Last week Tuesday I missed out on another watercolour session and I am sorry about that, because a lot of very interesting things happened! Cathie organized it again and she brought a lot of inspiring stuff, a basket of pine-cones, coloured carafes, plain carafes with coloured water, marbles and cherries.

The pine-cones, marbles and cherries were the objects of choice

Pinecone (unfinished) by Anna-Karin Fast

Marbles by Liz Douglas.

Already very beautiful (and well done!) yet the colored shadows Liz is going to add will definitely 'finish' this painting

The 'autumn' projects were finished...

Liz Douglas covered a leaf with masking fluid, so that she could (after it had dried) add a spontaneous background with sponge. It worked ot very well, the leaves are now clearly falling!

Anna-Karin Fast finished her apples, they are so juicy!!

And very interesting paintings outside the suggested subjects were created as well:

Mysterious Misty Mountains by Brigitte Jansen. So transparent! Good use of the medium!!

Sexy girl with great mouth! by Agnes McLaughlin. Aquarelle makes it so dreamy...

Very surrealistic image by Bibbi Isaksson.

Note that left top part is done on another piece of paper, to see if it works.

Great way to check out changes in aquarelle!!

Coming Tuesday I will join this super talented aquarellista group in the Hangar once more! I look forward to it

Abstract classes have resumed

2011-11-20T22:58:00.001+01:00

Abstract classes started up again at the beginning of October. For the first lesson everyone just got back in to the mood of abstract painting.

Everyone busy at work.

Above you see Tatiana at work.

And this is Sylvia at work.

Marie Helen at work.

Karin at work.

Irene trying to decide which way her painting looks best.

Imme has joined the class.

And here is a typical "Anne" abstract

The first common subject for the group to tackle is a combination of abstract and realism.

Above you see the result of Michele's work - an abstract with a drain pipe.

And here you see Imme's work - an abstract and a light bulb.

Sylvette made this inspiring picture.

The car is painted - not from a magazine !

Marie Helen's finished work

Sue's tap

And Barbara decided on a chain in her abstract.

Acrylics with Pim

2011-11-20T20:30:00.001+01:00

Pim didn't take a break for the summer so his most loyal students followed his classes in July and August. In September people were back after the summer and happy to meet each other at the Hangar to catch up on what was going on. The lovely weather permitted artists to work outside and for the group to take the well known Wednesday lunches.

Once a month, Pim has a special project. Continuing from the spring term - the topic is cities of the world. The November project was New York. Below you can see some of the work (some finished and some in progress). The December project will be London.

The class busy at work

Gonnie's masterpiece

Tina's version of New York

Örjans version

Autumn leaves

2011-11-11T10:55:00.000+01:00

Autumn leaves by Brigitte Jansen

Last Tuesday was organized and catered for by Cathie van der Stel. She made sure the afternoon was very cosy and relaxed and she inspired the Aquarellistas to paint 'autumn' -leaves or otherwise. As always the resulting paintings are very personal!

Misty autumn landscape by Anna-Karin Fast

Falling leaves by Helene van der Kroft

Autumn Leaves drifting by Agnes McLaughlin

Edith Alborni's selection of autumn leaves

and this is not all - there is also wonderful work-in-progress, by Liz Douglas, Bibbi Isaksson and Anna-Karin Fast, coming up next week!

2011-11-08T18:22:00.000+01:00

The other day I ran into an interesting piece by Barbara Joy Smit, Art Agent. Although her article is written from the 'gallery side', I could relate to it and wanted to share it with the readers who are professional enough to exhibit in Galleries. I think it's always good to be reminded that even artists should -sometimes- think businesslike!
But - the article is in Dutch. Barbara gave me permission to use it anyway - here's the gist of it (with a couple of additions and my work as decoration).

click here for the original article.

As you probably know, galleries usually ask a commission for every artwork they sell*). And often, artists add the amount of the commission to 'their' price. Maybe that is not such a good idea.
A client, who has seen your work in a show, contacts you because he is interested to buy - and likes to know your price, or if you are interested to give a discount. The client comes to you, it is his initiative, so you don't have an obligation towards the gallery... or do you? Or - the client buys a piece in a gallery and later visits your atelier and sees similar work for much lower prices. Or talks to a direct client of you who paid much less... Painful! Won't make anybody feel good.

MyDNA Serpentines 6

Now a gallery is a commercial company and they want to make a profit, so they ask a commission. Your own price is probably roughly based on materials and hours, but you haven't included commission because up to now you have sold directly to your clients. If the gallery's percentage is deducted from your price there's not enough left!

Likely your message to the gallery will be: the commission is going to be added.

OK - ask yourself: how much have you invested in marketing to sell your work? What does your work space cost, do you have a website, do you participate in tradeshows, do you have a portfolio, flyers, business cards? These are costs that you have probably paid out of your 'hours'. You have paid for them yourself but it actually makes more (business) sense to make these costs part of the sales price.

MyDNA Serpentines 7

As a professional artist you are also an entrepreneur. Look at a loaf of bread you buy, you don't just pay for the ingredients and the baker's salary, there's also a calculation of the bakery's rent, the delivery car, the write-offs of the ovens, the insurance, the accountant etc etc... everything is included in the price of your bread. If a baker does it, why shouldn't you?

You should incorporate your business cost, the money you pay in order to create and sell your work, in your price - and when you outsource the marketing and sales of your work to a gallery, they make these costs. So it's actually logic to give that part to the gallery. Which by the way doesn't mean that you can't negotiate!

MyDNA Aquarelle

When you sell your work through a gallery, you actually hire them, which makes you responsible for the cost. And when a client comes to you, he will pay the same price. No difference where he buys your creation. Do you see the added value of exhibiting in a gallery? Then follow the advice - keep your sales prices the same everywhere!

The world of art is small. Being loyal towards your galleries is very important. Going behind the back of the gallery with one of his clients can really harm your reputation. It may bring in a bit of extra money on the short term, but it can also really damage your relationship with an interesting point of sales...

Of course you can deal with clients yourself. But do the right thing. If the client came through the gallery, contact them and thus build on a worthwhile relationship.

Beach tents

Last but not least, price consistency is easier! If you keep your prices the same everywhere, you create stability in 'your' market and you don't have to keep track, you can put prices on your website and in your flyers. And - it's just more professional.

*) there are also galleries who ask a fixed sum upfront. They are called ‘Vanity Galleries’ because usually they have no selection and everybody can show there, and sales have no influence on their income. Journalists and art critics take these galleries less serious, which doesn’t mean that you cannot use them!

Tricks and treats - in Aquarelle

2011-10-31T18:20:00.000+01:00

Striking candle by Brigitte Jansen

Here's the treat: a post with fan-tas-tic paintings, created during the last Tuesdays by a couple of Halloween-inspired Aquarellistas!

Lies Timmermans' Halloween Landscape

The trick is basically 'the white': that is actually the colour of the paper, we do not use white paint!! In combination with dark colours... So the moons, stars and flames ('the light') are left unpainted (white) and everything else is darker than that!
Now check out how well that worked:

Soft candlelight by Liz Douglas

Helene van der Kroft introduced daughter in law Aafke and granddaughter Lois and the two of them did excellent and totally scaring work on pumpkins!!!

Mean laughing scary pumpkin by Lois van der Kroft

Creepy pumpkin in chilling background by Aafke Sikkel

Frightening landscape by Helene van der Kroft

Candle by Agnès McLaughlin

Another candle by Brigitte Jansen

Mieke van Papen painted this candle in her 'big gesture' style and as you can see, even then the "white" rule works!

And last but not least another very Halloween witch- in-the moonlight painting - by Helene van der Kroft!

Watercolour class on Tuesday afternoons

2011-10-24T21:40:00.004+02:00

On Tuesday afternoons the Hangar offers a watercolour class, with yours truly as a teacher. We start 2pm and finish painting 4.30pm, and after that we have a line up and evaluation...

I always suggest a subject, and sometimes all join in creating their variations on that theme. This is very interesting because you see the surprising differences in style and personal view... I'll show you some of that later because we have a small group of starters, working on the same exercises and already showing a wonderful variety in design and expression.

Lately, most of the advanced participants have brought their own ideas and subjects, and I thought it would be nice to show you some of the results of that...

Yachts

Roly Bufton loves the sea and everything to do with watersports... here you see his silhouette looking at a classic boat and below work in progress.. on another classic boat.

Landscape

In our Aquarellista group the theme 'landscape' often means something quitre different from the ordinary.

Like this one by Sandra Seymour Dale

Or this colourful and poetic forest painted by Anna Karin Fast. She used handmade paper of another type and the effect of this paper is amazing: the paint granulates so much more than on our regular Arche Torchon (enlarge picture by clicking it to appreciate what this looks like)

A weird yet very interesting landscape with great perspective by Hélène van der Kroft

This more classic landscape was created by a guest, Ellie. It is very well done - and will most definitely be stunning when the shadows of the village are added...

Still life

Fantasy still lifes by Liz Douglas and Brigitte Jansen (below), inspired by the starter exercise on 'transparency'. Note the differences, knowing that they worked from the same example in the 2nd Hangar Watercolour Book

China still life by Cathie van der Stel with experimental background, made with wet aquarelle paint and cling film

Cup designed by Lies Timmermans, with her initials

Surrealistic still life with many interesting aspects by Bibbi Isaksson

Next week - People, Animals, Halloween and more...

Live Class 1 & 2

2011-10-21T16:35:00.000+02:00

Marina leaning against a stool - 2 minute pose by Neville Moray

For the first two live classes none of our 'regular' and much appreciated models were available. So instead, yours truly 'sat' for the group, which meant no nagging! freedom of proportion! and the challenge of fabric, folds and patterns - as I kept my cloths on...

The results were actually very good, pastels were used, and paints:

Marina by Fiona Biziou

We also drew from large photographs. Below Lucia experimenting with a thick feltpen:

And the result...

Pim by Fiona Biziou

Patience by Fiona Biziou

Neville drew the light; his information was a 'normal' photograph... Not easy!

And after a bit of a slow start, we are now back to normal, with Celia as our model. More about that later!

High Tea - or High Key drawing on Monday

2011-10-21T14:25:00.001+02:00

Last week Pim took the drawing group to 'just next to the Notre Dame du Brusc' and he left a message on my phone in which I thought he said 'We are going to make High Tea Drawings'...
I wondered what that would be, but it sounded like fun - and it was, only they had nothing to do with scones, sandwiches and cupcakes. That was wishful thinking -- Pim had said High Key drawing!

That is a bright, light drawing with almost no contrast and lack of shadows... Very hard to do in the Côte d' Azur sharp light... The results were amazing, but impossible to take photo's of, so I cannot show you much and they do not really do justice to the originals. Yet here are a couple that came out at least visible, created by Lucia Gualtieri, Brigitte Jansen and Betty Schep...

Wendy Artin - Master Aquarellista (and more)

2011-10-10T18:45:00.002+02:00

'Laura' by Wendy Artin - 2009

Highly recommended for the life class on Monday morning as well as the watercolour class of the Tuesday afternoon, a wonderful and very inspiring artist: Wendy Artin.

'Ape with red stripes' by Wendy Artin - 1999

She paints with sepia and watercolours, and uses 'traditional' subjects, models, still life, the daily life in Rome (where she lives and works) yet the way she paints their light make them very 'new' and contemporary!! She reduces what she sees to just the essential light and dark and the result is - well - breathtaking...

Piazza di popolo by Wendy Artin - 1999

Wendy works from the real thing, for a picture like this...

Roman Forum by Wendy Artin - 2000

... she goes back to that same spot several days in a row when the light is approximately the same...

'Tamara' by Wendy Artin - 2009

From the models she makes lots and lots of paintings, working very fast, and she keeps the really good ones. Visiting her website you can see a short film with and about her, and I loved hearing her say (on 2.10 in the timeline) 'I just tear them up and throw them away'. (That's about the ones she is not happy with.) See, other people say it too...!

Have a long look for yourself: to see more of her nudes (there are also fabulous drawings) - visit
http://www.wendyartin.com/pages/nudes/nudes.htm

for everything else: http://www.wendyartin.com

ENJOY!!!

Aquarelle Tuesday, 2- 4.30pm

2011-10-03T21:59:00.000+02:00

The Hangar classes have started again! It is great to be back and everyone is full of energy and inspiration! The aquarellista group has a couple of new members, that you will definitely read about on a regular basis because they are very talented!! Right now they are in different stages of the 'starter program' and as far as I know, enjoying it... As you can see the weather also helps...

The spheres-exercise was finished, by Brigitte, Agnes and Liz. They did a wonderful job, all three of them - and learned a lot about light, shade and dark shadows, complementary colours and -as you can see- suggesting volume...

All starters worked on the 'wash-first-then-suggest-volume' exercise, a great one for experimenting with aquarelle and as you can see - with interesting results!

Volume I by Agnes McLaughlin

Beautiful poetic composition by Brigitte Jansen

Two stages of Liz Douglas' surrealistic composition

And then of course there were the regulars, the experienced aquarellistas!! They worked on different projects:

Anna Karin Fast used the apples from her garden as inspiration for two wonderfully lighthearted still lives

Helene van der Kroft painted a lovely couple of dancing flamengos

And Cathie van der Stel worked on these pelicans - look at that reflection!

Cathie van der Stel: Aquarellista!

2011-09-20T00:36:00.001+02:00

Cathie van der Stel was born in Australia and before she moved to the South of France in 2001, lived in England and the Netherlands. Cathie specializes in portraits, architectural renderings and natural scenery. She recently attended an extracurricular art training at the Academie superieure des beaux- arts in Grasse and she is a member of the Aquarellistas. She is an incredibly talented painter, who in her paintings mostly uses accurate, straight lines -yet always with a surprisingly loving touch that makes her subjects, whatever they are, friendly, peaceful and welcoming. I love her paintings and it was hard to make a selection, because she has so much and it is all of excellent quality!

For more work of Cathie, visit her website: http://www.cathievanderstel.com/

Valbonne Hotel les Armoires

City view

Books

Flower

Icecube

Sandra Seymour Dale: Aquarellista!

2011-09-20T00:11:00.002+02:00

Sandra Seymour Dale is from the UK but lives and works in France. Her work is very special and personal: strong, in colour as well as subject and always very creative, often experimental, with other materials. Her style shows mastery, her subjects, together with the specific tonality, make her paintings sometimes slightly unnerving - It's art and I'm a big fan!

In Casablù she shows three very special impressions of villages - and in this blog you can also see Sandra Seymour Dale's view on portraits and roses...

Fishing Village at dusk

Volcano - experiment with kitchen paper

Botox girl

Come to mama

Spice girl

Rose 1

Rose 2

Brenda Moorhouse: Aquarellista!

2011-09-19T22:22:00.002+02:00

Brenda Moorhouse comes from Isle of Man, but whenever she resides in her house in the South of France, she joins the Aquarellista group in the Hangar. She has a great talent for quick, direct and often funny notations of reality...

Brenda combines watercolours with pen, in a very recognizable style.

Blesle village house, a prizewinning aquarelle, to be admired in Casablù - now sold!

Bridge in Brassac

Casablù Valbonne

Happy couple

Parents of the groom

Marina Teding van Berkhout: Aquarellista!

2011-09-19T21:43:00.000+02:00

Marina Teding van Berkhout lives and works in the South of France since 2000 . She paints in watercolours and mixed media in a light and pleasant style. She attended many workshops in England and the Netherlands and just finished her studies at the ‘Academie superieure des Beaux-Arts Anca-Sonia’. She is a member of the Aquarellistas and painting in aquarelle watercolours is a passion in which she has now developed her own style: a great mix of wet-in-wet and more precise, dryer painting. Her paintings have a much-appreciated lyrical, lighthearted quality. She specializes in portraits of children, pets and other animals. In the Casablù exhibition, Marina shows her inspiration related to 'le Village'. Below a couple of aquarelles, more of her work can be admired via her website http://www.finewatercolours.com/

Plascassier

Men at work

Dreamy Door

Ines

Grapes

Three pups

Edith Alborni - Aquarellista!

2011-09-19T00:09:00.000+02:00

Edith Alborni is one of the French aquarelistas of the group: she was born in the south of France, and her interest in art was encouraged when she met Georges Bard, dean of the Grasse painters and art teacher. Less than a year ago she joined our group of Aquarellistas in Le Hangar and she quickly developed her knowledge of the technique - as well as her own style! She has a tendency towards surrealism, strongly shown already in het acrylic paintings but I'm sure that will also be more and more visible in het watercolours...

One of the paintings for 'Le Village'

Roses

Surrealistic fantasy

Iris

La Musicienne

A very impressive surrealistic dream... No aquarelle but just too good to leave out...

Edith Alborni's work can be admired in our exhibition 'Le Village' in Casablù in Valbonne, until the night of Friday 23 September...

"Née dans le sud de la France, mon intérêt pour l'art a éte stimulé très tôt, notamment par la rencontre de George Bard, doyen des peintres grassois et professeur d'art plastiques. De plus en plus passionnée, j'ai rejoins le groupe des aquarellistes du hangar, sous la tutelle de Marina Kulik qui m'aide à évoluer dans la technique de l'aquarelle et à améliorer ma créativité."

-Edith Alborni

Anna Karin Fast - Aquarellista!

2011-09-18T23:37:00.002+02:00

In the series about the members of our group who have an exhibition at this moment in Valbonne's Galerie Casablù, I'd like to present you: Anna Karin Fast - Aquarellista!

Anna Karin is from Sweden, she has been working with aquarelle for a long time and she has developed a very special style. She always works direct and 'Fast', with a large petit gris 'pinceau à lavis'. Most of the time she uses only one wash for every colour, leaving a thin line unpainted - with a very interesting 'mosaic' effect. She is ever exploring the characteristics of aquarelle, with interesting results. Anna Karin's subjects are mostly related to nature, she also likes to paint (transparent) glass and the overall impression of her work is quiet and dreamy - yet determined and with character, never insecure.

Below a couple of examples of her work, illustrating the spontaneous style and also showing her talent for observation...

One of Anna Karin's exhibited 'Village' paintings

Eye of the Lizard

Glass is a favourite subject

From the 'Ikea bowl' series

A magic Pumpkin

Aquarellistas exhibition 'le Village' II

2011-09-18T00:04:00.001+02:00

From Saturday 17 - Friday 23 September, seven aquarellistas show their impressions of ‘le Village’, in aquarelle watercolours in Gallery Casablù, Rue Eugène Giraud in Valbonne.

The vernissage will take place on Sunday, 18 September from 3 - 6pm - come and have a glass and some nibbles with us!

The aquarellistas are: Anna Karin Fast, Brenda Moorhouse, Cathie van der Stel, Edith Alborni, Marina Kulik, Marina Teding van Berkhout, Sandra Seymour Dale

They work together in the Hangar and for this exhibition each created a number of aquarelles, inspired by the villages in the South of France.

The paintings are absolutely wonderful, it is more than worthwhile to pass by and have a look if you happen to be in the neighbourhood! The galerie is open from 10am - 6pm...

Before...

And After... Cathie van der Stel and Anna Karin Fast's aquarelles make a good combination!

More pictures of more work will follow soon...

You have until Monday (5th sept) 20:00

2011-09-04T18:01:00.007+02:00

This has been a really busy weekend art-wise. Many of you have probably visited the exhibition in Valbonne. Two of us decided to go all the way to Villefranche to see the exhibition Franchement Art. For starters, I'd like to say that it was well worth the trip. The exhibition takes place in the old citadelle which has a really nice atmosphere. There is a mix of artists and galleries showing their works in all different materials and all different styles.

When entering the citadelle the first piece of art that catches your eye is an impressive red sculpture by André Jaume (http://www.jaume-art.com). A bit further along one passes through a sculpture courtyard. There you can see several really impressive sculptures. The one above by Quirin Mayer (see: http://www.mayer-quirin.com) stood out.

Further along several other sculptures catch your eye. There is a whole collection of sculptures made from tires. And then there are the striking abstract sculptures by Christophe Boyer ( http://www.christopheboyer.com/) that you can see above.

Further along there is a section dedicated to artwork you can have indoors. Some of the artists showed some fascinating techniques (which they of course would not fully disclose). We talked to Tatjana Hilker (http://www.tatjhilker.net) who told us that she had been collecting sand from different places all over the world for the last 17 years. She has some fantastic abstract pictures made from sand on display.

And then there is our favourite Hangar aquarellista - Marina Kulik.

Marina has a small selection of her portraits on display (I'm sure you will recognize some of the people) and some of her abstract work.

And above you can see an atypical piece of art. The style reminds a bit of other work she has done - but what's new is that this has been done in acrylics. That's not a medium she usually uses. Congratulations on the good work.

There are lots of other artists worth mentioning - but if you are interested you should hurry along before it is too late.

Marina Kulik in Franchement Art

2011-08-30T22:43:00.001+02:00

From 2 – 5 September the prestigious art fair ‘Franchement Art’ takes place in the Citadelle of Villefranche sur Mer…
The ballotage was heavy and mostly international galleries are represented – but also a number of independent professional artists made it, one of them your Aquarelle and Drawing teacher!

Marina's stand has number 46 and is situated next to the entry of the show.

During ‘Franchement Art’ Marina shows her 'glam' portraits and abstracts in acrylics and aquarelle watercolours - most of which have not been previously exhibited.

If you have time, please come and have a look!!

The opening hours are (from Friday 2 - Monday 5 September) 11am – 8pm, entry is free.

NB: Friday night from 6pm is the official inauguration, with drinks and nibbles in the stands: you are cordially invited!

All artists are present each day.

More info via http://www.nicexpo.org/ or drop Marina an email!

The last aquarelle session of the summer!

2011-07-25T21:59:00.001+02:00

Ice cube by Cathie van der Stel

On 19 July we got together for the last true painting session (we will meet up tomorrow, but that will be for extensive lunch and 'loose ends') and it was worth it! Lots of great 'work on ice' that was started the week before (to cool off in the hot hot weather) and our visitor Georgina created a wonderfully natural flowing composition...

Waterlily by Georgina

Marina Teding van Berkhout worked on (and finished) two lovely aquarelles in her very recognizable style

Used Tubes by Marina Teding van Berkhout

Watching 'Boule' by Marina Teding van Berkhout

Work-in-progress by Edith Alborni, one step further - getting better and better...

Village in Provence by Edith Alborni

And the last three paintings of the summer season are ice-related:

Iceberg by Lies Timmermans

Icecold water by Mieke van Papen

Snowy Mountains by Ann Edwards

2011-07-19T19:44:00.000+02:00

EXHIBITION: HELEN HUMPHREY

2011-07-19T19:10:00.002+02:00

Helen Humphrey will be exhibiting her stunning watercolours and oil paintings, as well as cards, at the Galerie de Casa Blu in Valbonne at the end of July. Her paintings focus on scenes of Venice and also the Cote d'Azur from St. Tropez to Menton. This is definitely an exhibition not to be missed.

You are invited to visit from 10am - 7 pm, 23 - 29 July, 2011.

Galerie de Casa Blu,
Rue Eugene Giraud,
06560 Valbonne Village

Aquarelle - Masking Fluid on Ice (and on other subjects)

2011-07-18T21:29:00.001+02:00

Iceberg in the storm by Lies Timmermans

We are in the South of France and it's hot! That's why last week the small group of aquarellistas did a bit of cool painting - based on the subject 'Ice'. And we used masking fluid, to preserve the white. Often it is easier to just not-paint (and leave white) but in the two examples shown here, masking fluid is more effective. For Lies it works for her 'lightning', because the sky behind it can be one ongoing, homogeneous surface if she can just paint over the masking fluid. And in Cathie's case, the tiny drops have dark rims, which would be an impossible job to do one by one. With masking fluid, the dark rims will appear if the applied lightblue wash is very wet.

Both Lies and Cathie will finish their paintings tomorrow - and I'll proudly show the results next week!

Cathie van der Stel's Icecube - stage one

Edith Alborni started promising new work for the Aquarellista-expo 'Le Village' in Valbonne in September, which she will hopefully finish tomorrow...

and Cathie finished hers:

Abstract Vibrations

2011-07-17T21:58:00.009+02:00

Finally after months of preparations the exhibition "Abstract Vibrations" is now on. It was a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun.

22 members of the Hangar, plus Christie Robinson and Pim de Jongh have put their artwork on display.

Sculpture by Arlette Lipranda, Paintings left to right by Anne Marie Viborel, Anne-Marie Vogelzang and Michele de Laat.

A driftwood sculpture by Christie Robinson

Another driftwood sculpture by Christie Robinson

A view of the gallery with some of the paintings

There are many beautiful pieces of art - both sculptures and acrylic paintings. The sculptures - all abstract - vary a lot in style.

A smooth and graceful abstract clay sculpture by Anne Beaurin - titled Vague.

Laetitia Bonnici has contributed with 4 different sculptures - above with Désorde Argileeux - a sculpture in clay.

Another smooth and graceful sculpture by Anne Beaurin - this one in plaster.

The exhibition last until 27th July and is open daily from 10:00 - 13:00 and 16:00 until 21:00.

Aquarelle Tuesday July 5th 2011

2011-07-11T19:42:00.001+02:00

As Charmian mentioned in the post below, our beloved atelier is getting ready for the summer and so are the artists! Lots have already gone on holiday -or have visitors- and the groups are getting smaller. Same goes for the aquarellistas, but it has no effect on the quality of the work, on the contrary... Most of us are still working on their villages for the expo in September!

You can admire the pictures in alphabetical order: A,B,C,E,H

(we need Dominique, Francine and Gwennaelle to perfect this list !)

Very small village by Ann Edwards. Just a try-out, with bird's view perspective and shadows

Village fountain by Brenda Moorehouse - to be finished asap, looks promising!

Small street in Valbonne by Cathie van der Stel.

Village by Edith Alborni

Greek god with pink pattern by Hélène van der Kroft - great picture!

2011-07-11T12:26:00.002+02:00

Nelly's class are busy completing their work before the summer break. Some concentrated on texture, such as Francoise Alberti's elegant ladies with voile skirts against a dark background. Similarly Charmian Murley's portrait of her granddaughter showed the delicacy of the tulle and the balloon.

Brenda Moorhouse creatured a beautiful, impressionist painting full of colour and light and this now hangs, with pride, in her home.

Nelly's class

2011-07-11T12:22:00.000+02:00

Aquarelle - Expo 'the Village' and other interesting work

2011-07-04T21:10:00.000+02:00

Valbonne by Brenda Moorhouse

Last Tuesday, the aquarellistas that will participate in the exhibiton 'Le Village' in September, worked on their entries and here are some sneak previews...

Valbonne by Cathie van der Stel

3-in-one village impression by Edith Alborni

Village by Edith Alborni - not finished but very promising already!!

Wash by Marina Teding van Berkhout - also not finished & very promising!

And then there were the other ongoing projects - Lesley is now almost finished with her blow-up of a cute metal toy:

Metal duckie by Lesley Bufton

Seascape by Marianne van Wijngaarden

Pelicans - very lively and funny - painted by Helene van der Kroft

Lies Timmermans' monochrome rose

Swapping in 2011

2011-06-27T20:22:00.001+02:00

In the summertime the aquarellista's always embark on something we call 'Swapping'...

Basically it is just a lot of fun and meant to 'free us up' but despite the low expectations, the results are sometimes stunning!! As you can see above and below...

The principle of 'swapping' is that everybody creates a background, on a middle- or large sized board, and then chooses a background of somebody else to work further with... This can be repeated more than once (on one of the paintings Cathie did the background, then Beverly worked on it and it is being finished by yours truly - unless somebody else will take it tomorrow)

More to come, because we are not finished! Swapping is best served in the sun - and we have plenty of that here in the South of France!

Other projects, like 'le Village' and 'Roses without Thorns' etc. continued as well, more about them in later posts...

The Pictures - Summer Fayre 2011

2011-06-25T14:16:00.000+02:00

On June 19 the great Hangar Summer fayre was held - and it was an enormous success!! Everybody loved everything, from the stands with produce, brocante and books, via the fabulous BBQ lunch and the fun games, to the disc jockeys and the fantastic artwork by the members, with as a cherry on the cake the Tombola with its great prizes! For those of you who couldn't make it - be sure you check it out next year, 'cause you really missed something!!

DJ's Olivier Dikken and Haley Rogers played wonderful music all day long! We highly recommend them for your party! Hire them while you still can... Contact the Hangar for enquiries...

We'll soon publish a list with all winners! With the fondest thanks and in utter gratitude to Charmian Murley, who was on top of everything that needed to be done! Begging, stealing, borrowing, organizing wellies to be wanged, sewing rats to be splat, can lids to be sjoeled, reminded, painted, drew, postered, stuck, called, mailed, phoned and did hundreds of other spider-in-the-web jobs... She can look back on a very succesful Fayre, that brought in a lot of euro's that will keep our artschool on top!!

Flowers and villages in Aquarelle

2011-06-20T21:20:00.001+02:00

Wild Iris by Mieke van Papen with a great use of light...

Last weeks' aquarelle session brought about all kinds of interesting and different results! Mieke, Cathie and Lies worked on their flowers using a combination of wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry techniques

Cathie van der Stel's gorgeous blow up of an orange daisy

Lies Timmermans worked on the wet-in-wet background of her lovely rose. She will complete it in the next session

Ann Edwards painted some tulips and this bird - enlarge it to see the excellent light on his beak, head and back that she drew with pencil, leaving it white and then giving the background in a very light warm yellow wash!

Six aquarellista's will show work with the theme 'Le Village' in an exhibition in September - Brenda Moorhouse is one of them and she worked on images she drew in ink during our Trip to Aiguefonde. She added watercolours to them and made them livelier and sunnier!

'Brassac 1' in watercolours and pen by Brenda Moorhouse

'Brassac 2' in watercolours and pen by Brenda Moorhouse

Edith Alborni diligently worked on her village and it is getting more and more real...

And completely off-topic but oh so great - the dewdrops of Cathie van der Stel that she made for the Summer Fête...

More about the Summer Fayre, a great success by the way, in coming posts, filled with pictures of you!

Exhibition of Neville Moray in Mougins

2011-06-14T11:00:00.002+02:00

From Tuesday 22 June to Saturday 25 June Neville Moray (here working on his drawings) shows paintings at the Royal Mougins Golf Club under the title "The Colours of the South"

Go have a look, it is definitely worthwhile!

For those of you who would like to see more of his work: visit Neville's website http://www.morayart.com/

He also published in the San Remo Magazine - one of his paintings actually made the front page!

Blow up your watercolours

2011-06-13T13:45:00.001+02:00

Big Daisy (not yet finished) by Cathie van der Stel

Inspired by the general look of the paintings in the latest 'Splash' book (nr 12), the aquarellista's decided to paint Big and Colourful last Tuesday... It is a shame that you cannot see that the paintings below are actually much bigger than your average watercolours... With the challenges that go with painting big in aquarelle - how do you keep it interesting... But it looks like that worked out pretty well!

Big Purple Flower by Ann Edwards

Most of the other Blow-Up projects are too unfinished to show - luckily some other interesting pieces were created, as exercises for the Grand Prix d'Aquarelle. The following 3 roses were based on the same example drawing... It's very clear that the personality of the painter adds a lot!!

Lovely Rose, this exquisitely painted version is created by Lies Timmermans

Brenda Moorehouse's version - it will be available for you on the Summer Fayre!

Helen van der Kroft's version - an original take on the example :)

From 17 - 23 September the Aquarellista's will show their work in Galerie Casablù, with the theme 'Le Village'. Hard work on that theme is also being done by all, here a sneak pre-view of a village scene just started...

Edith Alborni's Village

And last but not least, Roly Bufton did a next version of his 'Venice', with enormous improvement! Just one more and it will be perfect (and he will be able to teach the technique to us all)

'Venice 2' by Roly Bufton

KERMESSE D'ETE 2011

2011-06-11T14:34:00.001+02:00

English text below
Ne ratez pas la Grande Kermesse d’Eté du Hangar 2011 dimanche 19 Juin à partir de 12h00
Nous vous proposons une grande fête : amenez vos amis pour le déjeuner : BBQ*) ou salade, avec vins et /ou boissons non alcoolisées, café et délicieux gâteaux fait maison.

*)C’est la fête des Pères : pourquoi ne pas faire une surprise à Papa avec un autre de corvée au BBQ?

Préparez- vous pour le « farniente » de l’été avec des livres en anglais, néerlandais ou français au ‘Book Sale’(stand des livres/bouquins)
Découvrez la multitude de trésors que recèle le stand de Brocante, ainsi que les plantes et produits des jardins de nos membres.
Achetez un ticket au ‘Bottle stall’ et gagnez une bouteille de shampooing – ou de champagne !?
Nous avons aussi des jeux traditionnels avec un ‘Hangar twist’!
Et un duo de DJ’s (Olivier Dikken & Harley Rogers) avec un répertoire moderne soit mélodieux
Nous avons une Tombola avec des lots fantastiques à gagner : une aquarelle d’ Helen Humphrey, des billets d’avion aller - retour pour Amsterdam, des tickets restaurant et plus encore….
Comme nous sommes une école d’art, élèves et professeurs ont créé des petits formats pour la loterie – tout le monde gagnera!

Mini prix, excellente qualité et en plus, le bénéfice des ventes sera reversé au Hangar – alors venez soutenir, encourager notre centre d’art !

* ENTREE LIBRE * Amenez amis et famille * ENTREE LIBRE*

N’oubliez pas :
Dimanche 19 Juin de 12h 00 à 16h 00.
à bientôt!

SUMMER FAYRE 2011

2011-06-11T14:27:00.001+02:00

Don't miss the 2011 grand Hangar 'Summer Fayre' on Sunday 19th June starting at midday!!!
We plan a big party so come with your friends for a BBQ*) or salad lunch with wine or soft drinks from the bar. Follow lunch with coffee and delicious home-made cakes.
*)It's Father's Day so why not treat Dad to a day out with someone else doing the BBQ?

Get ready for summer with novels in English, Dutch and French plus specialist art books from the Book Sale

Treasures abound on the Brocante stall while you won't want to miss the plants and produce from members' gardens.
Buy a ticket from the Bottle stall and you may go home with a bottle of shampoo or a bottle of champagne - are you feeling lucky?
To entertain you we have traditional games with a Hangar twist!
There will be a DJ duo (Olivier Dikken & Harley Rogers) with a modern but melodious repertoire.
We have a Tombola with excellent prizes such as a watercolour by Helen Humphrey, return flights to Amsterdam, restaurant vouchers and much more.
And as we are an art school, students and teachers have been busy creating little artworks to be raffled off - everyone will be a winner!

Low prices, high quality and all proceeds go to the Hangar so come and support our wonderful art school.

* ENTRANCE FREE * Bring your friends and family * ENTRANCE FREE *

Don't forget, SUNDAY, 19TH JUNE FROM 12.00 TO 16.00. See you there!

Summer Fayre

2011-06-09T20:14:00.001+02:00

Oops! - for 'Below' please read 'Above'.

Summer Fayre

2011-06-09T20:09:00.000+02:00

SUMMER FAYRE 2011

2011-06-09T20:05:00.002+02:00

Below are just some of the 100 mini-artworks produced by our members for the 2011 Summer Fayre. Oils, acrylics, watercolours and drawings, they show the high standard of our school. The artworks are now numbered and everyone is invited to buy at least one numbered ticket for 5 euros each - and go home with the corresponding picures! Everyone is a winner!

Following William Turner

2011-06-06T20:38:00.002+02:00

The aquarellista group (Tuesday afternoons) strives to create original work - but sometimes we can't help it and let ourselves be inspired by other artists... Couple of weeks ago we watched a documentary with plenty attention for 18th century master-aquarellista William Turner - and then tried to 'work like him'...

Cathie van der Stel caught the mysterious light-especially the beams through the dusty windows

Most of the group however tried their hand at 'Venice', because it is slightly less complicated and a beautiful, far-away mysterious picture. technically it is iteresting too because it is done in a combination of wet-in-wet and (very) wet on dry technique... Below the results:

Venice by Lesley Bufton

Venice by Roly Bufton

Venice by Ann Edwards

Venice by Anna Karin Fast

We were also very busy with other projects, but I cannot show you much because it's all within the Grand Prix d'Aquarelle - theme 'Roses without thorns' which only admits work that hasn't been published before... Sorry!! After Mid-September we'll have a couple of theme-posts around it...

There was one project finished that had nothing to do with the theme though:

Sandra Seymour-Dale's dusky village!

Work made during live class

2011-06-03T14:36:00.001+02:00

On Monday mornings 9.30 - 12.30 Pim and Marina give a drawing class that's either with a live model (Marina) or with 'everything else' from still life to drawing outside with Pim.

Below you see a couple of drawings made in the live class, with our inspiring model Mélisandre. Everybody makes lots and lots of sketches and that is our objective, to develop, observe and practice, we're not doing this to create results - nevertheless, often the drawings are absolute eye candy:

Doesn't that look impressive! If you are interested to give it a try on Monday mornings, just drop Marina an email to participate or subscribe to the 'model starter classes' that are organised from time to time!

Nelly's oil class

2011-06-02T17:27:00.002+02:00

When Eugene Rea finally returns to Australia he will take with him wonderful memories in his paintings. Here he has not gone for the grand vistas but instead the quintessentially french road signs, walls and doors so unlike anything in his home country. They are full of texture, quirkiness and memories.

Nelly's Oil Class

2011-06-02T17:25:00.000+02:00

Nelly's Oil Class

2011-06-02T17:22:00.000+02:00

Nelly's Oil Class

2011-06-02T17:15:00.000+02:00

Oil paintings take a considerable time to create but every week someone in Nelly's class finally puts down their brush. Dominique Billiard has been concetrating on birds but with very different results. Her fabulous pink flamingo is made all the more interesting by painting it as a tryptich. In contrast, her homely chickens, led by a splendid cockerel, has a much more rustic feel.

Aquarelle Tuesdays, 2 - 4.30pm - Marina Kulik

2011-05-30T21:14:00.000+02:00

Portrait by Edith Alborni

Although the quality of the work was high, the picture above was the sure winner of last Tuesday! Do you see how stunning the light (=the white of the paper) is. That's very difficult to plan, well done! And also a big compliment for the folds and shadows, the proportions and the hair... In not more than a couple of weeks Edith has become a true aquarellista, with her own ideas and way of working! I'm content and look forward to more work from her...

Sea view by Ann Edwards

Ann painted two sea views - one that you can see above, a nice balance with wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry painting, and also she finished (in less than half an hour) 'Venice' after Turner, excellent practice for working quickly, with wet brushes that give clear, determined rims when dry, and it worked out very well - but I managed to blur the photo, so I owe you that one, I guess I'll keep it for a whole series of Turner-inspired paintings, as Cathie van der Stel is also working on one (blurred too, so sorry!) that looks very cool and light and interesting.
Aquarellista Marina Teding van Berkhout joined us and worked on a super aquarelle of a french window with Italian shutters, wash hanging outside and strong shadows within the theme 'Le Village' for our expo in September. And I didn't take a picture - so next time, when it is finished!
Lies Timmermans, Hélène van der Kroft and Brenda Moorehouse worked on the 'roses without thorns' for the Grand Prix d'aquarelle and I can't show you what they created because the work for the Grand Prix must be new and never shown! but I can assure you that especially Brenda is working on something spectacularly beautiful...
And then last but not least, Hélène van der Kroft (apart from a couple of roses) made a postcard for the Summer Fête that I like a lot (and that can be won on 19 June):

Cat licking paw - by Hélène van der Kroft