ArtSpace in Herndon

Painting on a Country Road
by Jane McElvany Coonce

My friend, Deena, told me about a call for art at Herndon's ArtSpace.  The only problem was that I only had one day to enter before the deadline.  It was a digital entry show that you enter online.  I got home and began to see what paintings that I didn't have out in a show somewhere.  Each artist could enter 5 digital images.

I entered 5 images.  Apparently, they had 300 entries and they picked 31.  I was lucky enough to get 2 into the show.  I was thrilled to be picked.  And I have to thank Deena for telling me about it.  Thanks, Deena!

 I deliver them tomorrow.

On the Farm
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Lake Bolsena, Italy

Lake Bolsena, Italy
by Jane McElvany Coonce

I'm finally getting around to matting some of the watercolors that I did in Italy.  Matting is the least favorite part of the job of being an artist.  In oils, you don't mat the work; you just slap it in a frame.
DONE!  But with watercolor, you need to cut a mat to go around the piece to set it off.  I've always said that my definition of a successful artist is when you drop off the piece at the framer and let him cut the mat.  But I'm still cutting my own, so I haven't quite achieved that success, yet.

The reason cutting a mat is such a pain is that you have to measure carefully.  Being off by 1/8 of an inch can sometimes be disastrous and you have to start all over.  Other times, you knick your finger with the cutter and you end up with blood all over the mat that you just spent 15 minutes measuring and cutting.  (Blood isn't acceptable in the frame; the customers don't seem to like it.) So that mat goes in the trash.

This scene is one I did in Umbria on my trip a few weeks ago.  It was a beautiful day, and we sat at the edge of the lake and painted while people strolled up and down the promenade, stopping to admire all of the art work.  I got the whole painting done and then the sailboat showed up. Damn!  I liked that sailboat; why couldn't that boat captain have sailed by 2 hours earlier?

But when I got home, I decided I wanted that sailboat in there.  So I took a piece of acetate and drew the shape of a sailboat with a black sharpie.  I drew the size and shape of the boat.  Then I took an exacto-knife and cut out the shape; I basically made a stencil.  I moved the stencil around until I decided where I wanted the boat.  I wanted that sail to be against a dark area so it would stand out.  Next, I taped the stencil down and took a sea sponge and began scrubbing!  Within a few seconds, it was back to the white of the paper.  And there stood my boat! I added a dark base for the boat bottom and scrubbed a little of the color out of the water to make the reflection.

Without the boat, the painting was nice, but a little boring.  I think the boat adds a little life to the work.
What do you think?

The May Show at The Art League

Venetian Laundry
by Jane McElvany Coonce

I wanted to enter the juried art show in May at the Art League, but I knew I'd be away.  So my friend, Moira, took it down for me while I was gone.  I was thrilled to find out that I got into the show.  It always feels like I won the lottery when my painting gets selected!  That joyous feeling never goes away.  (It's probably similar to kids hearing it's a snow day and there is no school!)

This was a watercolor I did from a photo I took in Venice.  Everyone in Italy hangs their laundry from the window.  No one has dryers.  I think the houses are too small to take up the space with a big dryer, and I also believe that the electricity is so expensive that they save money by air drying.  It actually looks quaint hanging from windows in buildings that were probably built in the 16th century.

When I was in one of the hill towns of Umbria last week, I saw some beautiful panties hanging from the ground floor window.  I thought to myself, "this would never work in the United States; some teenager would swipe those just for the fun of it." (sort of the same "hit the lottery" feeling I get when I enter shows.)  I guess the Italian boys are used to seeing it.

Adjusting to Life After Umbria

Bicycling in Umbria
by Jane McElvany Coonce

We got back on Thursday night and I went straight to bed at 8:30 pm.  Of course, I woke up at 4:00 am.  But the next day was better.  I stayed up until 11 pm and woke up at 6:30.  So I am adjusting to the new time.  Whenever you travel, there is so much to catch up on:  mail, emails, phone messages.  But I'm slowly crawling out of the hole and getting back into everyday American life.  If you haven't been to Italy, put it on your bucket list.  It is a beautiful place full of ancient cities and Roman ruins.  The light is glowing there, and even if you aren't an artist, you won't be able to resist snapping pictures of a very unique place.  Even the smallest towns have a magical beauty.  I highly recommend it!

Paintings I've done in Umbria

I can't believe my trip to Umbria is almost over.  I didn't get a lot of painting done because I was busy helping everyone else.  But here are a few of the things I did do.  The one above " Doorway in Bebagna" (waterolor)  is almost done.  I only had a little over an hour to sketch it out and work on it so I was painting like mad.

The Roman Ruins of Carsulae ( watercolor) was one of the first ones I did on the trip.  It's about 95% done. 

Hillside in Todi ( watercolor) is another one that is almost done.  This is what the typical hill town looks like although each town has it's own distinct character.

3 Men in San Gemini is a demo I did in oil.  I need to finish their faces and add a few touches.  They were fun to paint.  The people have such character here.

Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments throughout my trip.  I'm sad it is almost over.  It has been a real joy to teach here at LaRomita Art School in Italy.  What a beautiful place.  I've taken over a thousand photographs so I will have plenty of material to work from for years to come!!!!!

4 th , 5 th and 6th day in Umbria

We are having a fabulous time painting our way through Italy.  We've been to quite a few hill towns in Umbia, and each one has it's own little flavor.  The first day we were in San Gemini and many people painted the beautiful doors of the houses.  Another day, we went to Carsulae, a deserted place with beautiful Roman ruins.  

San Gemini Door by Charlotte Potashnik

Roman Ruins of Carsulae  by Janelle Feeney

Roman Ruins of Carsulae by Liz Shaeffer

Roman Ruins of Carsulae by Karen Soverino

Red Poppies Among the Roman Arch by Judith Landry

Monumental Arches by Jean S. Moore

Restaurant in San Gemini by Lori Lisiecki

Door in San Genimi by Elaine Boomer

Aren't my students fabulous?  I am so excited how these paintings have turned out.  They truly have done a amazing job.  We still have one week to go.

3rd and 4th day of Painting in Umbria

Umbrian Restaurant by Karen Soverino

Coletta Kemper "Umbrian Home" (watercolor)

Red Tile Roof of Umbria by Judith Landry (watercolor)

Umbrian Vista by Parvaneh Limbert (watercolor)

Yesterday, we went to Orvietto and had a grand time exploring the city.  It was too busy to paint.  But today we went to the tallest waterfall in Europe.  It's called Cascata delle Marmore.  It's a man made waterfall that was built in the 2nd Century BC.  The Romans needed to drain the swamp lands, so they built a dam that holds back the water.  The Italians "turn on" the waterfall at 10 am every morning and turn it off at 1:00 pm.  

Afterwards, we came back to the studio and painted all afternoon.  Here are some of the paintings my students did.  I think they are really fantastic especially when you realize that Coletta and Judy have never done watercolor before.  We have taken lots of pictures the past few days and will use them in the studio tomorrow.