Cruise to Scandinavia and Russia

The Little Mermaid- Copenhagen
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

Amsterdam
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

I've been preparing for another teaching cruise.  This time we are going to Scandinavia and Russia.  It takes a lot of work to get ready for one of these trips.  I first research all the places we are going and look for pictures of the places we are visiting.  Then I work up a watercolor and write down all the directions on how I did it.  I type these up so that the students will have a cheat sheet.  I will demo for them, but they may forget what to do first.  They can refer to the sheet.

We are visiting Holland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Russia (St. Petersburg). I try to pick relatively simple things to paint.  Most of the people that come to my class on the ship have never painted before.  I want them to have fun painting, but I also want them to have a souvenir to take home so they will remember their trip.  Here are the paintings they will be doing.  Like last time, I will take pictures of what students do and put them up on the blog. It's incredible what people accomplish with no experience!

St. Petersburg, Russia
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Tallin, Estonia
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

Teaching in Italy - May 2014

Copy of John Singer Sargent's
Spanish Fountain
watercolor

Next spring, I am taking a group of artists to Italy to paint for 2 weeks.  It's from May 1-15, 2014 in an old monastery that has been converted to an art school.  We will be painting plein air (meaning out on location.)  People can work in oil, acrylic, pastel or watercolor.  Each day we will visit a different hill town and paint a view of that village.  We might paint architectural studies like this one I did of a John Singer Sargent painting.  Or we might do vistas of the hill sides.  Each town is different and it will be fun to explore and paint.

If you've never painted in Italy, why don't you join me.  All the meals are prepared for us and wine is included!

I still have a few openings, so let me know if you'd like to find out more about it.

Countryside of Umbria
watercolor
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Save the date - Friday Sept 6 from 5 - 8 pm: Be Square Show

I want everyone to mark their calendars. In September, the Gallery Underground will sponsor the "Be Square" show for the Arlington Artists Alliance.  Everyone that enters will have a painting that is on a 10 x 10 canvas.  It should be a very interesting show.  I have submitted the  two paintings you see below.  The reception is Friday night, September 6 from 5 - 8 pm.  It will also be a reception for the first anniversary of the gallery.  Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served.  We will also have a small band playing in celebration of our anniversary.  I'll be there and would love to see you.

Neon Nights
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Gumball Machine
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Two Italy Paintings Sold

Boats Along a Venice Canal
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Today I went out to my friend, Nancy Mulligan's house.  She and her husband, Dave, have been renovating their home for the past several months.  The results are beautiful.  The kitchen looks like something out of Architectural Digest!  They have done some amazing things that have transformed their home into a visual paradise.

Nancy asked me to bring some of my Italy paintings.  She was looking for 2 paintings to go in her dining room.  I took several out there.  These are the two she chose.  I feel honored that they are going to be in this luxurious home.

Both of these paintings are from my trip to Italy.  The one on the left is from Venice, and the one on the right is from Assisi.  I am going to be teaching in Umbria next spring for two weeks.  I'm taking a group of students to Italy to paint the gorgeous scenery of the area.  If you are an artist or would like to go and learn to paint, let me know.  The trip is from May 1-15.  It's going to be a blast.

Narrow Walkway of Assisi
by Jane McElvany Coonce

The August Show at The Art League - " 'Scapes"

View of Georgetown and M St.
by Jane McElvany Coonce

The Art League, located in the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria, has a monthly juried show.  Each month, members are allowed to submit 2 paintings for jurying.  The judge picks the paintings that he or she likes.   No artist is guaranteed to get in, and if the judge likes an artist's work, he or she can only select one of the artist's paintings.

Every month I enter two paintings hoping to get one in.  I always equate it to playing the lottery.  I hold my breath and hope for the best.  This month I was a winner!  I got a piece into the show!  It's a large piece called "View Of Georgetown and M St."  It is one of my Key Bridge paintings.  

The show is called " "Scapes" and will hang for the month of August.  All of the paintings in the show are of landscapes.  It's their biggest show of the year.  It's a very interesting show and if you are looking for something fun to do on the weekend, go to The Art League Gallery on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory.  It has over 160 pieces in the exhibit.  There is something for everybody there.

Neon Nights

Neon Nights
by Jane McElvany Coonce

I finally got over my artist's block of trying to figure out what to do for my second square painting for the "Be Square" show coming up in September.  I really had a hard time becoming inspired.  I started a night scene one night, and after about 2 hours, decided that I hated it.  So I took a paper towel and wiped it.  I immediately stopped and looked at the wiped painting and thought, "That looks better!"  So I started painting on it again.  After about another hour, I realized I was feeling the "hate" again.  I wiped it again.  Again, I liked it better.  I decided that was enough for one night, and I would let this "wiped painting" dry and serve as my underpainting.  Two days later, when I came back to it, I liked what I saw.  I began to build on top of this "wiped painting" not covering up the underpainting, but letting it show through.  This was the result.  I'm much happier.

Put Friday, Sept 6 on your calendar.  That's the reception for "Be Square" at the Gallery Underground. Reception is from 5 - 8 pm.  I'll be there and would love to see you.  It should be an interesting show.  All paintings will be on a 10x10 square canvas.  It will be amazing to see what each artist does with his or her 100 square inches of space.