Aug 23
Pass it on! Indoor watercolor classes in Sacramento. Space limited. Learn more here:
Also check out my September, three-day Gualala Watercolor Workshop Two-Fer deal. It’s enough to make Cheap Joe green with envy (grin)! Learn more here: http://www.allthingswatercolor.com/0.WorkshopSched.html
Aug 20
New Indoor Watercolor Classes Begin Sept. 8. All levels welcome. Learn more HERE!
I’m pleased to announce that beginning September 1, 2010, I’ll be demonstrating and exhibiting my original, watercolor paintings, at The Market Place,11395 Folsom Blvd., Suite 150, in Rancho Cordova, California. The Market Place is a new, year-round expo featuring home and garden products and services, collectibles and original art by local artists. Open seven days a week. Hours: Sunday – Friday, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm.. Saturday, 9:00 am – 7 pm.
I hope you will join me in celebrating the Grand Opening on Wednesday, September 1, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. My exhibit is easy to locate. I’ll be set up in the far left corner area of the expo. Please drop by and say hello.
Imagine being able to go to a home, garden, and local art expo any time you want. The Market Place makes that possible. The Market Place is a new, permanent, year round exhibition showroom open seven days a week.
Saturday and Sunday are the days all booth spaces are staffed with knowledgeable people in their fields of expertise. Monday thru Friday you can visit the booths, pick-up literature, and in some cases make purchases .
The Sacramento Business Journal (http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/06/07/story10.html) reports that The Market Place Rancho Cordova, a permanent expo, will open September 1, 2010, with about 100 vendors. The Market Place encompasses 23,000 square feet of the former Antique Plaza along Folsom Boulevard.
The Journal notes further, that The Market Place partners have invested $100,000 into Market Place. They’ll start with about 15 employees, who will run a coffee shop, oversee booths and handle purchases.
The Market Place offers home-improvement classes, seminars. demos, and other events on weekends. On the first Sunday of each month until October, the expo will offer outside booths and food vendors.
The Market Place Rancho Cordova, year-round, indoor expo for home improvement, garden, fine art, and collectibles is at 11395 Folsom Blvd., Suite 150.
Web: MarketPlaceRancho.com
Aug 13
New Indoor Watercolor Classes Begin Sept. 8. All levels welcome. Learn more HERE!
Bridge Remnants. DETAIL. Original watercolor by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
Above is a detail image of one of four demonstration paintings accomplished during my Fourteenth Annual Mt. Shasta Watercolor Workshop in July of 2010.
The subject of this painting is a depiction of the remains of an old, pedestrian style suspension bridge that I’m told was once used to get from the north side of the Sacramento River to the south side. About all that remains of the bridge is an interesting block of concrete with large threaded bolts anchored in cement. The bolts, unforgiving, and thrusting skyward, add vertical interest to the remains of a weathered chunk of bridge footing in the Cantara Loop area of Mt. Shasta, California.. I thought the grouping of elements fascinating and worthy of interest.
I’ve painted this subject a couple of times before. Anyone interested in seeing the other versions can do so via this blog and my web site. Yesteryear Bridge, may be seem by following this link. And, Bridge Abutments, can be seen here.
For pricing, and availability of Bridge Remnants, click here
Aug 3
New Indoor Watercolor Classes Begin Sept. 8. All levels welcome. Learn more HERE!
Cow Pie Awards. DETAIL. Original watercolor by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
Cow Pie Awards was painted the afternoon of the second day of three, Plein Air Days at this year’s California State Fair. It was painted shortly after walking through one of the livestock buildings on the fair grounds. The premise of the painting had been germinating for many weeks. The sights and smells within the livestock building helped solidify my thoughts.
For several years the fair has hosted Plein Air Days. It is a time set aside for selected painters to create their works, outdoors among fair visitors. The original, non-competitive nature of Plein Air Days At The Fair seems like a commendable idea. This was my third season of participation. For the most part, i’ve found the experience worthwhile and positive.
This year someone, or some committee, decided to turn Plein Air Days into a competition. I assume this was done on the basis of solid reasoning, and accomplished with the best of intentions. Furthermore, I assume some of my fellow painters welcomed an opportunity to win award money. However, as many decisions in life, there is an up side and a down side.
I find the change troublesome. As a result, I participated in the three day affair, but did not submit any work for the competition. By doing so I prevented myself from having even the slightest chance at award money or possible sales. Admittedly,not smart and a very poor business decision on my part. Spinning wheels and tilting windmills.
I should note that realistically, in three days of outdoor painting I didn’t produce much that a state fair juror would recognize as worthy of an award. Then too,even though I’m pleased with Cow Pie Awards, it appears more political cartoon than painting (no disrespect intended).
I realize the award process is a large part of all state fairs. We have, of course, a juried event at the main state fair art show. Fair enough. No problem with the basic idea. And, frankly, I have a tendency to be as competitive as the next person. In some cases, even more so … to a fault. That noted, I definitely enjoyed the non-competitiveness of yesteryear’s Plein Air Days. I also understand the only constant is change. Still, the jury process being what it is, I believe it would be reasonable to expect one art event at the fair to promotes art appreciation over judgement.
Cow Pie Awards was painted with an intention of placing it in the competition. Awards aside, I wanted a personal statement seen and point of view presented. However, people whose judgement I respect cautioned me that Cow Pie Awards might be viewed as offensive. As the saying goes, “hog-wash!” Yet as I was about to walk out the door the early morning of the third and last day of Plein Air Days, I made a split second decision. I intentionally left this painting in the studio. Regrettably, a kind of self-censorship. The worst kind.
Arguably, I suppose a high stakes robbery, and the shooing of a pregnant cow is enough fair controversy for one year. The good news? I hear fair attendance was up somewhere around ten percent.
For pricing, and availability, click here
Jun 14
Reginster for my Mt. Shasta Outdoor Watercolor Workshop JULY 10 & 11 – all levels welcome. More HERE!
Hi Yo Yellow. DETAIL. Original watercolor by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
This is another piece done as a result of the Henry Fukuhara Manzanar Watercolor Workshop. The location is the Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA.
I use my usual approach, a 3-value pencil sketch precedes the actual painting. The sketch is then used as a guide to develop the final watercolor. In this instance, the black line is drawn first, free hand, no preliminary pencil pattern, on the paper. With the ink line there is little room for mistakes. An eraser won’t work here. The watercolor is then put on in layers, with each layer allowed to become bone dry before adding the next layer.
One has to experience the Alabama Hills first hand as photographs, drawings, and paintings, only suggest the grandeur of the actual location. These “hills” are the movie home of my childhood heros, the Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore), Tonto (Jay Silverheels), and Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd). Here’s a link to some interesting information about the Alabama Hills.
A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty “Hi Yo Yellow” … err, … “Hi Yo SIL-ver, away, and the Lone Ranger rides again!”
For more information, including price, and availability, click here
May 2
Little Bitty. DETAIL. Original watercolor by woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
This watercolor was developed by viewing bits and pieces of objects seen or imagined in the vicinity of Sacramento’s Sara Park during a recent Free Friday mini-workshop. A tree stump here, a shadow there, maybe a clump of grass, or the shape of a mud bank, etc. The idea was not to replicate, but to discover shapes that might eventually lead to an abstract, or better yet a non-objective painting.
To begin, I took an 8.5 x 11 sheet of plain paper, drew in a smaller rectangle, clipped the sheet to a board, and took a walk along the river. I loosely drew bits and pieces with a permanent marker as I came upon them. I tried to group things into an interesting abstract or non-objective pattern as best I could. No pencil, no eraser, no tracing, no projection. High risk, high gain. Once I had a design I liked I began applying paint and allowed the painting to evolve. Ah, yes, one is reminded not to paint what is, but what might, or ought to be.
Upon completing a painting,I often enjoy giving it an appropriate song title. In this case the title comes from the rock and roll tune, Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris. The relevancy? Little bits and pieces make up a pretty one. However, the country song Little Bitty by Alan Jackson also comes to mind. And so it goes, Where it stops no one knows; stacks of wax; … and the hits just keep on comin; Donny Babe, Yeth Their!, Purple Grotto, KEWB, Channel 91, Channel 91, KYA, Voice of the Bay (sorry,I couldn’t resist a bit of radio nostalgia stuff)!
For more information, including price, and availability, click here
Dec 30
FAll Fantasy – DETAIL – Original Watercolor Painting by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
This is one of three demonstration paintings, all of which are based on a simple, Post card size value plan done,some months ago, on location along the American River Parkway, Sacramento, CA.. Recently each of the three paintings was finished in the studio.
From time to time I receive emails or comments expressing interest in seeing the value plans that accompany the various paintings posted on this blog. For those who are interested,what follows is an image of my value plan.
Colors: Operatic Red,Summer Squash Yellow,Unionist Blue, MS Grey, Chocolate Sunday Brown, and Licorice Black.
For more information, including finished painting, price, and availability, click here.
Nov 16
Sailor Take Warning – Value Plan
(Click image to view painting)
Something a little different this time around. As an indoor classroom exercise I create a value plan with three values of construction paper, white, gray, and black. The shapes are cut out with scissors and taped one on top of the other to develop what I think might be an interesting pattern for a painting. The idea is to maximize simplicity of shape and value. I guess one might say it’s the old, “Keep It Simple Stupid” approach. And, good news, extra tape cam be used to tape over the mouth of any supercilious art critic among us.
The value plan (after the fact) is based on a completed work that began outdoors during a recent Free Friday mini-workshop along the American River. Originally,I had intended to take a failed painting and rework it. However, I accidentally notice an interesting scribble made on the reverse side of the painting. Apparently, I had used the back of the painting to test a black ink pen. In doing so, I had unwittingly created some wonderful, loosely drawn marks.
Intrigued by these decorative, flowing calligraphic marks, I decided to try to incorporate them into a watercolor painting. Standing in place, I randomly selected items around me and put together a design within my rectangle. One thing led to another and eventually to a painting. As noted before on this blog, some times the creation process works, and sometimes it doesn’t. I like to think in this case it worked reasonably well
Question of the day: Does anyone really take time to READ this malarkey?
Colors: Sunrise Red, Yakety-Yak Yellow, Spring Ochre, Early Morning Blue, Hazy Lazy Brown, Russian Rouge, Wet Weed Green, Corporate Orange, Persnickety Purple.
For more information, including finished painting, price, and availability, click here.
Nov 8
Tootsie Fruitsy – DETAIL – Original Watercolor Painting by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
Well, here we go … another opening of another show (so to speak, er, write). This painting is a studio piece. By that I mean it was painted entirely in the studio environment. I did it as a demonstration piece for the folks who are participating in my current watercolor classes.
In its finished state,Tootsie Fruitsy, gets its title from two sources. First, this work reminds me of Juicyfruit gum. I can smell the delicious aroma as I type this overly wordy entry. Second, another tip of the old hat to that creative, artistically inclined, youngster, Craig Ferguson (host of The Late, Late, Show on CBS (or as the Smother’s Brothers used to call it, the Cow Boy Station). As many of you know, Craig often does a humorous bit about the “Tootsie Fruitsy Ice-ah Creama” man (no offense intended to my friends of Italian ancestry). Or, as Craig might say,“Come on, lighten up, it’s a JOKE!”
I’m not sure how I feel about this particular watercolor. Part of me likes it and another part isn’t so sure. The two sides battled it out in my brain and the “likes it” won out. Of course it’s not about like it or not, it is about learning, about the journey, about the luxury of being able to do it at all. Besides, in art, failure is success.
In retrospect, I might have stopped several layers earlier* . There are times when a painting seems to come too early, too easily ,and one mistakenly feels a need to push on, to develop it further. I try to avoid this kind of silliness, but every once in a while “trying to please” takes over. Who the devil am I trying to please? Who ever it might be, an imagined audience composed of peers, students, jurors, societies, galleries, critics, the buying public, etc., is caused by self doubt, insecurity, and ignorance. Truth be told, what really matters is the opportunity to create another watercolor painting.
Colors: Juicyfruit Yellow, Censorship Red, Puritan Blue, Threatening Purple, Protestant Orange, Catholic Green, and Profitable Black.
For more information, including price and availability, click here.
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* The (I could have stopped here) third of seven layers …
Nov 1
BTB&TR – DETAIL – Original Watercolor Painting by Woody Hansen
(Click image to view entire painting)
This painting is a non-objective, demonstration piece from my current, weekly watercolor classes. It consists of of three or four layers, one over the other with drying time between each layer. The dominate shape is derived from a newspaper photograph of four men in suits, possibly businessmen or politicians. The subject matters not, only the basic, dark and light shapes are of concern here.
The first layer is the “light” layer. I use three, high key values (light light, medium light, dark light) of transparent primary colors to lay in a wet-on-wet, non-objective pattern. The layer is allowed to dry.
Next comes the second, or medium value layer. This is done, wet-on-dry, and where the initial shapes are described within the rectangle. I create a mid-value intermediate tertiary color with which to develop the initial pattern. Before continuing, this layer is also allowed to dry.
The third and final layers, all wet-on-dry, are used to further develop. adjust. and define the over-all design.
BTB&TR is an abbreviation of Between The Bridge and The River. The name really has little to do with the
Upon finishing this non-objective watercolor I sense a feeling of the fury of a raging fire. I thought about naming the painting, Fire and Fury. Maybe I should have stuck with that original title. It is certainly much shorter in length. However, a book and an interesting religious concept came between the painting and the original title.
I recently completed the audio book version of Craig Ferguson’s American On Purpose (The Improbable Adventures of An Unlikely Patriot). It’s a great read. I haven’t had so much fun since the days of creative radio and television personalities Don Sherwood, Al Jazzbo Collins, Steve Allen, and Johnny Carson)!
Chapter 40 (Between The Bridge and The River), of Craig’s book seems fitting to the feeling of the painting. Also, in some small way, it is my recognition, respect, and appreciation of Craig Ferguson’s artistically creative approach to late night television.
In the late 50’s I was fortunate to spend many Sundays as a disc jockey (“And now, here is your local announcer …’) spinning very large discs or platters (vinyl records) of a religious program. The name of the program escapes my memory, but the featured speaker was Father Keller who always ended his transcribe program with, “It is better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness.”
What, you inquire, do the above five paragraphs have to do with my watercolor painting, Craig Ferguson, fire and fury, and religion? Read or , better yet, listen to the book.
Colors: Religious Red, Devilish Scarlet, Blistering Yellow, Purgatory Blue, and Grim Reaper Black.
For more information, including price and availability, click here.
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