| In life you can either be a force for good, a force for evil, or you can do nothing. I choose to be a force for good. ~ Mili Fay |
We’ve been open “normally” for a couple of weeks now and it’s been great to see you!. In case you didn’t hear – we’re open Mon-Sat from 9-6 (regular hours). Monday and Thursday mornings from 9-10 are reserved for high-risk customers. The frame shop is requiring appointments but is fully back open! Curb-side pickup is still available if you prefer that service.
I’ve been testing out some new materials for the store. While they could absolutely used in the studio, I’ve been taking the excuse of great weather and plein air month to get out and play outside. It’s been a lot of fun to take advantage of random moments of free time to wander about Bayfield and Durango, looking for sites that capture my attention and then spend a few minutes really focusing on them. I always feel that taking a bit of time to sketch/draw/paint something or someone will help you see it in a way that staring or taking a photograph just never will. Capturing something through art uses different parts of the brain than any other activity and allows us to really see things.
- This week’s artist is – Mili Fay – whose work I’ve been following for a few years – I’m not sure how I ran across it – maybe through the every girl is a princess project. I love her challenges and #toonme portraits. Check out her website, FaceBook and Instagram for even more!
- The Durango Art Galleries are having a virtual spring gallery walk.
- Do you have kiddos who are bored at home? Are YOU bored at home? Join the Durango Arts Center for FREE Art & Theatre lessons this month!
- Or someone could make some awesome paper airplanes – fun for kids of all ages! (After all, Tuesday the 26th is National Paper Airplane Day!)
- Getting out and about? Play BID Bingo! The usual spring events have been cancelled, so the Business Improvement District has come up with a new one. Win prizes!
- Golden Paints just published a great article on color theory with paint examples and a digital paint mixer.
- Like architecture? You could go for some virtual Frank Lloyd Wright house tours.
- These hand-drawn maps are made to show lives during lockdown.
- In honor of plein air month, here are a few links (and what better way to make art while social distancing):
- Ease your way into plein air painting.
- Here are 5 plein air tips.
- This is a plein air painting demo.
- I learned a lot from Marc Taro Holmes over the years and would definitely take a look through his website if you’re interested in plein air watercolors. Perhaps start with his free downloads – mostly from past workshops, his top posts, or his tips-and-tricks.
- The book of the week is – The Urban Sketcher by Marc Taro Holmes. I first read this from some library somewhere and then got a copy on my kindle for reference. Marc condenses 20+ years as a working artist into this guide in an easy-to-read fashion. Grab a paper or kindle copy for yourself.
Without further details, here are some different palettes, papers, pencils, paints, and paintings from those plein air materials tests mentioned at the beginning of this email.
Of course, getting out for the sketches shown above was a lot of fun in a variety of ways. I was able to spend time with a friend – both of us making art, chatting, and remaining a safe 6′ apart. I got to test out new materials, some that I’d never used before and thus stretch my brain a bit. Though I might have hidden in the shade, I also was able to soak up some sun, wind, bird song, and general time out in nature.
Not shown are the sketches that I created on my porch. It’s easy to look at plein air sketches and think that you have to hike to some remote location, travel into the middle of a city, or be on a beach somewhere. Fortunately, “en plein air” is basically French for “outdoors”. My porch? It’s outside. So I took an opportunity to sit and sketch my back yard. It was a wonderfully calming exercise that gave me a break during a time I couldn’t stray far from the house and also gave me the chance to better appreciate a part of my daily life that I would normally overlook.
No matter what the situation, don’t overlook the power of art in your life. Whether alone or shared, the acts of making and viewing art can vastly improve your life – or at least your day. Carve out the time to be creative. After all, the world needs your art!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
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