betsybear-artist

My Summer Catch of Watercolors

2011-08-16T00:09:00.000-08:00

In spite of being smack in the middle of prime salmon and halibut fishing grounds, I don't really care to go fishing much unless the sun is out and the water calm. I'd rather leave foul weather fishing to the experts in my family while I stay dry at the cabin and paint all day. Fortunately, that usually gives me quite a few long, relaxing days to paint and come up with a good catch of new paintings:

My new paintings from around Excursion Inlet:

(detail of painting below)

Dock Time

(detail of painting below)

EXI Cannery Dock

(detail of painting below)

Eagle at Excursion Inlet

Our Inlet Cabins

Paintings from around Fairbanks, Alaska:

Fairbanks House

(detail of painting below)

St. Joseph's Church, Fairbanks

(detail of painting below)

Cushman St. & Museum, Fairbanks

Cranes at Creamer's Field, Fairbanks

Wilderness Cabin

And, of course, I must paint flowers to be happy:

Daisies

Pansies

Poppies

Lilies

Many of these pantings will be included in my October show at the Fairbanks Community Museum. I'll post more details about the show soon, so please check back.

Betsy Bear

A Tour of Excursion Inlet, Alaska, July 2011

2011-07-31T00:03:00.001-08:00

Our summer home for the past 28 years has been at a remote inlet in Southeast Alaska on the eastern border of Glacier Bay National Park. The Inlet is home to a handful of year-round and summer cabin residents, a growing number of luxury vacation homes and sport fishing lodges, and a large fish processing plant that has operated since 1908. It also was the location of a German POW camp and military re-supply base for the Aleutian campaign during WWII, leaving numerous relics of the camp and military infrastructure around the Inlet. More about that later, perhaps, but on to our tour of the Inlet.

This is me standing above our lot and cabin site on a beautiful day, with a glimpse of the Ocean Beauty cannery facility in the far distance.

Our original A-frame cabin on left is now flanked on the right by a bath house, woodshed, generator/freezer building, and the shop/boat house/guest room combo on the far right.

We have added a phone booth on the point so that it faces the nearest cell tower, 25 miles across Icy Strait in Hoonah. The phone booth was added after several years of making calls in cold rain while sitting on a rock on the beach, and it works great.

The hummingbirds just outside our living room window provide lots of entertainment as they feed, zoom around, and occasionally fight over feeder rights. You can see our greenhouse and Starband satellite dish in the background.

This is the view looking to the south from the opposite (west) side of the Inlet, which is actually within the boundary of Glacier Bay National Park. The small island on the left is one of the four Porpoise Islands, and Pleasant Island is in the distance on the right. The area is well known for its good halibut and salmon fishing, and is a popular destination for fishing charters from nearby Gustavus.

My husband, Tom, and I, leave our beach for some kayaking in the calm waters on an early morning in July.

We are heading north up the Inlet towards the cannery about 2 miles from our cabin.

Near the cannery we paddle through the scum from what we call the gurrey shoot, where ground up fish waste is discharged. This scum disappears pretty fast, probably gobbled up by the gulls, small fish, crabs, or other critters in the area.

The Ocean Beauty dock has a steady stream of tenders, seine boats, trollers, and other commercial vessels that off load fish for processing at the plant.

The fishing fleet comes from various ports around Southeast Alaska and Washington state.

The smaller public dock located a short distance from the cannery dock is used by the fishing fleet, charter boats, and pleasure craft passing through the area. Yachts traveling between Glacier Bay NP and Juneau often stop to resupply or wait out weather at Excursion Inlet.

A view of the cannery complex from near the public dock shows a few of the buildings, including the store, employee housing, and the cannery museum.

A short walk from the public dock is the store, which is open to the public and stocks groceries, fishing gear, souvenirs, and a variety of clothing.

Beyond the store is the cannery village, with the fisherman's laundry and shower facility.

Another view of the village and playground area.

Back out by the public dock we see an old barge formerly used as a fish buying station that was probably anchored in Elfen Cove near the outside water fishing grounds so trollers didn't have to make the long run to offload their fish at Excursion Inlet.

Back at the public dock we load up and relaunch our kayaks for the trip back.

On our return trip we swing by the barge ramp, located just south of Ocean Beauty's main dock. This barge, operated by AML (Alaska Marine Lines), comes about once per week to deliver containers with supplies for the cannery and local residents and pick up canned fish.

Van containers are stacked high on the barge and in the storage yard.

We are back at the cabin here, with Tom walking toward our boat house.

Tom's road up our steep hill was a huge challenge to build, taking about three summers of hard work cutting through enormous trees, bogs, and solid rock. The quarter mile road connects us to an upper trail that allows us to get to the cannery overland by ATV, which is much more convenient that using our boats.

This is all I have for now, but there is so much more I want to share. I'll try to post more soon. Thanks for tuning in and please come back to read more about our life at Excursion Inlet.

A Wee Mousie at Carl Purcell's Workshop

2011-07-05T23:44:00.003-08:00

Ephraim, Utah's Snow College is the location of Carl Purcell's Summer Snow, a two week workshop for aspiring watercolorists. Fairbanks watercolor friends Sherry, Dawn, and Phyllis, along with New Yorker friend, Jan, met up with me to attend the 2011 workshop and further our artistic development with Carl's guidance. Here are some highlights from the second and final week of the workshop.

In spite of the generous art studio work space we have, we still manage to fill up every square inch of the table to overflowing with our STUFF.

Dawn keeps her sense of humor while I invade her space.

Sketches made on location and from photos help refine our compositions and values before we start to paint.

Painting requires many trips to the snack table to replenish our energy.

Emily and Gail take a break from painting to visit and share their thoughts.

George Durrant, along with his wonderful paintings, is a favorite source of inspiration at the workshop.

Ranita Brazell, Carl's daughter, helps with the workshop and is a fine artist in her own right. You can visit her website here.

Mr. Buster makes another showing, sticking his nose in Victoria's painting this time. He's funny, but not as popular as George.

Back to serious work, Carl paints a wonderful snow scene to demonstrate some dry brush techniques.

I paint a similar scene once,

then again, to practice using the dry brush technique on the trees.

After an afternoon of dry brushing we need to rehydrate and decide to toast Sherry and Dawn's "Headless Trike Boy," found discarded in a nearby field. They have stuffed wildflowers down his neck and turned him into a table decoration, poor fellow.

After a few more toasts, we enjoy a few rounds of Moose Farkel, a fun dice game which Phyllis has thoughtfully brought along for our entertainment pleasure. It is fast and furious, but we still don't know what a Farkel is. We suspect it may be another word for "deposit."

During the last week of the workshop, Carl, with his talented wife Nan and extended family, hosts a wonderful barbeque turkey dinner for workshop participants. The whole family provides entertainment, with Nan playing piano, Carl and daughter Ranita singing a lovely rendition of "O Danny Boy," and the grandchildren telling jokes, singing, and dancing.

After dinner and entertainment, Susan presents Carl with a wee mousie to help reinforce Carl's advice about not over-stroking our paintings lest we suffer the same consequences Lenny does in "Of Mice and Men" when he over-strokes his mouse friend. Carl never over-strokes, so Mr. Mouse is safe with him.

This group photo shows workshop participants, with Carl kneeling in the center front (next to yours truly).

I believe a great time was had by all, and am sure much beautiful art will result from Carl's wit, wisdom, and inspirational teaching at this workshop.

Thank you Carl!

Art Inspiration in Sanpete County, Utah

2011-06-17T11:53:00.003-08:00

After the first week of painting, we decide to take in some of the sights of Sanpete County and gather some painting reference photos. Below are two views of Maple Canyon.

Below Maple Canyon is the small community of Freedom, Utah which offers a sweeping view of the surrounding valley and farmland.

This little bird can't decide what to do with the fat, green worm she has in her mouth. She perches for a long while on the roof before finally going inside for her snack.

Jared takes a break from his mowing job at the Freedom Cemetery and shares some friendly conversation with us as we enjoy the beautiful setting.

Seems Bigfoot has found his way to Freedom, Utah, and watches over the local turkeys and cattle, perhaps enjoying a turkey treat now and then.

The Sanpitch River is overflowing with melting snow from the nearby mountains, making beautiful reflections for us to enjoy.

Across the river in Spring City we find some wonderful art galleries and enjoy talking with the gracious owners about local art and artists.

Poppies and other spring flowers give a glorious show for us and our shutters click away.

The Manti LDS (Latter Day Saints) Temple makes a beautiful sight overlooking the road to Ephraim.

Ephraim has several noteworthy eateries, one being the Malt Shop on Main Street. Phyllis and I enjoy a cool treat after our sightseeing trip around the area.

More workshop reports to follow.

Painting in the Utah Sun

2011-06-16T22:28:00.008-08:00

Ephraim, Utah's Snow College is the location of Carl Purcell's Summer Snow, a two week workshop for aspiring watercolorists. Fairbanks watercolor friends Sherry, Dawn, and Phyllis, along with New Yorker friend, Jan, met up with me to attend the 2011 workshop and further our artistic development with Carl's guidance. Here are more highlights from the workshop.

Friday's outdoor painting session takes place in Carl's hometown neighborhood in Manti. We find the area full of fascinating sheds, fences, old tools and equipment, and lovely brick farm outbuildings. The temperature is great in the shade, but rather blistering in the sun, which I realize a little too late.

Reference photos are always helpful for finishing a painting back in the studio.

A wonderful assortment of outbuildings provides plenty of inspiration for our paintings.

George looks somewhat like a prop for a western movie, don't you think?

What, Carl's new easel is already broken? Easel come, easel go.

Carl entices the chickens out of their coop with some fresh grass so he can sketch them.

This young horse looks a little bored as he watches us paint.

Carl and I have a good view of an old shed from between the horse and the chickens. Doesn't smell all the good, but we enjoy the critters and the view nevertheless.

My painting develops almost as fast as my sunburn. After several hours in this sun my neck looks redder than my burnt sienna pigment.

I get a decent start on my painting of the shed, which I finish up later on in the session.

On the way home, I snap a photo of this poor woman perpetually stuck in her John. Though it is cute and a good reminder to eat more fiber, it has absolutely nothing to do with today's painting session. . . I just like her.

Painting with Carl Purcell - Day One

2011-06-15T22:01:00.008-08:00

Watercolor Workshop: Carl Purcell's Summer Snow

Ephraim, Utah's Snow College is the location of Carl Purcell's Summer Snow, a two week workshop for aspiring watercolorists. Fairbanks watercolor friends Sherry, Dawn, and Phyllis, along with New Yorker friend, Jan, met up with me to attend the 2011 workshop and further our artistic development with Carl's guidance. Here are some highlights from the first day of the workshop.

We all relish Carl's wonderful painting advice, stories, jokes, poetry, and even the occasional Danny Boy sung in great form, as we silently hope and pray that we can put a bit his teachings into practice.

Carl's first demo painting, reflected in the overhead mirror, is taking shape. The subject is one of the many quaint farmhouses found around Sanpete Valley.

The Alaska contingent has a photo op on the comfy couch perched in the very back of the demo room.

After the demo, Betsy works intently on an exercise

while Carl and Annie confer about her work.

Jan looks like she's having just too much fun. . .

Sherry is just too serious. . .

and Victoria expertly sketches Mr. Buster.

Jan and Dawn start their masterpieces,

while Phyllis dabs some paint on hers.

We all work on our paintings several hours after lunch before the daily critique at the end of the day. Here you see all the paintings piled up ready for the big reveal.

There are so many excellent paintings from the class I wish I could include them all. Here are ours and one by another classmate and author, George Durrant, our token male painter:

Sherry

Dawn

Betsy

Jan

Phyllis

and George

More news about the workshop and our extracurricular excursions coming soon. Please check back!

Gotta Have a Friend

2011-06-12T22:13:00.002-08:00

Back in Parowan to check out Mom's head, which seems to be working fairly normally again after she tried to embed it in the kitchen wall. The ER doctor said she looked like a pretty tough old gal, and I would add pretty crazy tough old gal. At any rate, she's pretty funny in this video as she preens and apes for the computer camera. We were all relieved that she was feeling better after her latest fall, and even a worried Duffy got in some friendly licks.

Watercolor Workshop Part 1: Dorm Life and the Boomers

2011-06-07T20:30:00.006-08:00

Watercolor Workshop: Carl Purcell's Summer Snow

Ephraim, Utah's Snow College is the location of Carl Purcell's Summer Snow, a two week workshop for aspiring watercolorists. Fairbanks watercolor friends Sherry, Dawn, and Phyllis, along with New Yorker friend, Jan, met up with me here after my visit in Parowan with my parents (see my previous post). We are all attending Carl's workshop and co-habitating, dorm-style, in a nearby student apartment complex. Dorm-life again, after all these years, can be a challenge for us baby boomers.

However, the Park Place student apartment complex turns out to be quite a bit nicer than the student housing I remember from my college days so long ago.

There is even a pretty little stream running through the complex, alongside the volleyball court, outdoor hot tub, club house, fitness center, gazebo, basketball court, and lush lawns.

Sherry and Phyllis talk to Susan, another workshop participant from Park City, Utah.

Jan and Dawn chat in our apartment dining area. The apartment has a full kitchen, but lo, there are no utensils to be found.

There are two bedrooms and one bath downstairs, and four bedrooms with two baths upstairs. Plenty of room for five boomer chicks, set in their ways.

First order of business is a trip to the Ephraim Wal-Mart, where we load up on food and some assorted pots and eating utensils.

At check-out we almost have heart failure. We eat light, but we eat healthy, which is obviously not the frugal Ramen noodle and frozen pizza fare of our younger years.

The mondo receipt, which we promptly misplace of course, so there is no turning back now.

Heading out of the store with our booty, and

squeezing it all into the car trunk is a totally awesome feat for our age group.

The first day in Ephraim is a windy one, with gusts up to 40 mph. We decide to check out an elusive lake on the far side of some farm fields, which unfortunately turns out to be a mirage.

However, Phyllis gets a complimentary hair re-do thanks to the wind, and we have a good laugh at her expense.

Next post coming soon:

Watercolor Woes and Wows, showing some of the great stuff Carl does in his workshops. Stay tuned.

~Betsy

Poking around Parowan, Utah

2011-06-07T18:49:00.004-08:00

My parents retired a number of years ago to Parowan, southern Utah, where they could enjoy the quiet small-town life, cool summer temperatures, and beautiful scenery in the area. They bought a single story house which allows them to enjoy a comfortable, independent life at their 86 and 89 years. I travel there every few months to help with a few chores, enjoy their company, and catch up on my share of love from their pampered little Westie, Stubby Littleguy McDuff.

Mom is writing down appointments in her calendar

as Dad gets ready to take out the kitchen trash.

Duffy and I love to take long walks around Parowan, enjoying the sights, smells,

and flowers in spring.

Duffy is a sweet, low-key fellow, who has been a wonderful

companion for mom and dad over the past year.

We were fortunate enough find him on our first visit

to a nearby animal shelter in search of a four-legged

friend for them.

He loves to ride along on trips to town. Here he is

watching intently as I am delivered to Cedar City to catch a

shuttle for a trip north.

Dad, always a gentleman, offers his help with my luggage.

The St. George Shuttle will take me north up I-15

as far as Nephi, where I will rendezvous with four Fairbanks friends

connecting through Salt Lake City. We will all

continue via rental car to Ephraim, Utah, to attend artist Carl Purcell's

two week watercolor workshop at Snow College in Ephraim.

More about the very exciting "Summer Snow" workshop in my next post.

~ Betsy

Illustrating Poetry Leads to Fevers

2011-05-18T03:04:00.005-08:00

My Excursion Inlet neighbor and everyone's good friend, Jack Campbell, is an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, hunter, educator, gentleman, and published poet. He's one of those friends you treasure for their quiet sincerity, civility, and thoughtful conversations. When he asked me to illustrate his first book of poems, Four Fevers, I was honored, and hoped I could do his poetry justice.

You can see a description of his book, Four Fevers: Musings of an Alaskan Bush Poet, on Amazon at http://amzn.com/1578334136

Jack was a teacher in rural Alaska villages for many years, and drew on his rich experiences living in some of Alaska's harshest environments when he composed this collection of poems. His poems have often been published in Alaska magazine, Fish Alaska, and other publications over the years.

Above, Jack is reading his poems at our cabin in Excursion Inlet during a neighborhood gathering in the summer of 2008, standing by the illustrations I penned for his book.

The poems in this book are mostly focused on village life, with some fishing and reflections on nature mixed in. This unique collection gives a glimpse of life in Alaska through the eyes of someone who has experienced first hand much of its wonder and glory, inhospitality and remoteness; I recommend it to anyone desiring to share in this experience.

Following are the illustrations I made for Jack's poems, most of which were included in the published book. I sketched these with ink on smooth bristol board, scanned them, then added shading and other details using photoshop to get the final illustrations.

Four Fevers

Sidetrack

Martha's Slough

Thirty Days Hath November Above the Arctic Circle

Freeze Up

Flatfish

Southeast Mirage

Bethel - Terminal Inwardness

Hospitalized

The Swings - St. Mary's

This was a exciting experience for me as an artist, one which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Trash Barrels full of Art and Math

2011-05-07T01:07:00.001-08:00

Bear Paw Kids Art Lesson #6 - May 4, 2011

This was our last art session at Bear Paw Studio and we had a big project that turned out to be barrels of fun!

Dr. Walter Babula, a local orthodontist, needed help decorating two trash barrels for the Children's garden he is developing at the University of Alaska Botanical Gardens near Fairbanks, Alaska. The idea was to have my Bear Paw students paint designs and incorporate a few math concepts on the barrels. Dr. Babula delivered the two 55 gallon barrels to the studio and that got things rolling.

The barrels started out a nice gray, but we needed . . .

MORE color. . . beautiful color, color that would catch little eyes.

I prepped the cans by first sanding, then spraying them with several coats of acrylic enamel paint several days before the class.

I then made stencils for ladybugs, dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers, and transferred the shapes to the sides of the barrels with a permanent black marker.

I mixed up a big batch of all the required colors using red, blue, yellow, white, and black exterior latex house paints. All the materials were ready and waiting when the children arrived for their last class.

After a short lesson in the studio to practice strokes on paper and get vital tips on how avoid latex painting ourselves and the floor, we headed down to the "ga'raj ma'hal" to start the real painting. With determination and no lack of enthusiasm, the girls dove into the project.

Hailey worked expertly on painting numerous ladybugs.

Madyson took the flat-belly position for painting the flowers.

Melody loaded her brush and showed the flowers she meant business.

Madyson and Melody had the butterflies and dragonfies fluttering around in no time,

while Gretchen and Amy dotted and dotted the ladybugs till they cried "UNCLE!"

Looking a little weary, Hailey took a breather after painting what she thought was at least a million ladybugs.

Being artists, we had to sign our Leonardo DaVinci's on our artwork. Then we added some math problems for the young (or old) garden visitors to try. There is counting, adding, subtracting, and multiplying of the ladybug dots and antenna, flowers, and so on--just for fun for the youngers and to refresh memories of the olders.

With work done for the day, the artists bask in the glory of their stunning artwork.

front row: Melody, Amy-Faye; back row: Gretchen, Madyson; MIA: Hailey

And last, here is a fashion show of the beautifully adorned trash barrels before they head to the great outdoors. We hope they survive the elements and provide enjoyment for garden visitors of all ages for many years to come.

If you visit the Fairbanks campus of the University of Alaska be sure to take in the Georgeson Botanical Garden, and of course, the Walter Babula Children's Garden, especially the two beautiful trash barrels we painted for you.

Chalk Flowers: The Smearing Truth

2011-04-27T23:52:00.001-08:00

The snow has gone and mud is here, but flowers won't be out for a few weeks yet in North Pole. During this drab time of year, we just have to get down and dirty and smear a few of our own flowers. Surprisingly, this rather messy, fingers-in-the-chalk method results in a delicate and lovely painting.

For inspiration, we looked at paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe, who captured the beautiful forms and intense colors of flowers in her work.

Red Poppy, by Georgia O'Keeffe

To start, we tore some paper to make an oval shaped stencil, chalked the outside edges,

placed the chalked stencil over the paper, and smeared the chalk into the center with our fingers.

Viola! A bloom appeared.

After doing several blooms we tore a vase shape, chalked those edges, and smeared more chalk to make a vase on the paper.

Next, we added a few stems,

and leaves to make a nice composition.

To finish up, a coating of fixative was sprayed on the painting to keep the chalk from smearing more, and a backing paper was added.

Our artists have smeared up some beautiful paintings to be proud of:

Amy

Gretchen

Hailey

Madyson

Melody

Next week, our final lesson, will be a barrel of fun! Stay tuned for more details, coming soon.

Mexican Folk Art meets Easter Peeps

2011-04-21T01:29:00.003-08:00

Today, Bear Paw Art Kids accomplished what I thought might be impossible--blending a bit of Mexican folk art with an Easter theme and working with paint, clay, Easter grass, and feathers all in one session! These young artists did a fantastic job, finishing in record time and with beautiful results to take home for their Easter tables.

The lesson: First our Mexican Folk art bowls needed painting,

. . . so we looked at photos and displays of colorful Mexican designs on plates, figurines, paintings, and clothing to admire the bright colors and repeating designs used in folk art.

Next, everyone dove in and painted their paper bowls bright yellow (tempera paint was used) and added a repeating design after the yellow paint had dried.

Then we broke out the clay to make some Easter peeps (you can find the recipe for this self-hardening cornstarch clay, or "Play Clay," at argostarch.com).

A large peep was made by patting out some orange clay and covering a small plastic Easter egg completely with the clay. The plastic egg is used since otherwise the clay would be too heavy and dense to dry properly. We added beaks, eyes, and feathers to finish the peep.

Gretchen works on one of her peeps.

A second, smaller peep was made by simply rolling a ball and adding a beak, eyes and a top feather. The baby peep fit nicely in the bottom half of a large plastic egg shell, where it could just peek over the rim. The shell was fitted with a clay pillow underneath to keep it from wobbling around.

Hailey has her green-eyed, purple-feathered peep done.

Madyson has a little peep finished and is getting ready to put it in a shell.

Melody made a snail to keep the peeps company.

Gretchen, showing her cute peeps.

And Madyson, in her colorful hat, is a good peep maker too.

The finished peeps were then put in the bowls painted earlier, with Easter grass to keep everything from shifting around and getting mashed. The clay peeps will need to be dried thoroughly at home for a day or two before they harden up.

Amy with her colorful bowl full of clay peeps.

And Madyson's bowl is a riot of peeping color . . . .

. . . and so is Melody's.

So Easter and Mexican folk art really can be combined in one busy, and slightly crazy-fun lesson for 7 year olds!

Anniversary Caricature - Final Version

2011-04-21T00:00:00.004-08:00

This is the final version of the anniversary caricature that I've posted about twice before this week to show the work in progress.

The painting was done in ink and chalk pastels, with the composition based on several reference photos and other information provided by the customer.

I enjoy working on commissions, knowing that my work will go directly to someone who will appreciate it and provide a special place for it in their home. They are indeed a cute couple and hopefully this will bring them sweet memories of their wedding day.

Anniversary Caricature - Sketch 2

2011-04-19T19:34:00.001-08:00

This is the second sketch for the anniversary caricature I mentioned in my last post. I made a photocopy so I could try the chalk coloring, though chalk does not do well on copy paper. Pastel paper or something with a tooth will look much better. There are a few changes I plan to make in the final drawing, including a little more work on the bride's train, plus adding some contours to faces and the gown, and maybe making the ribbons trail back a little so the children's names read a little better.

Anniversary Caricature - Sketch 1

2011-04-17T22:38:00.001-08:00

I have a caricature commissioned for a 30th wedding anniversary gift, and this is the first sketch so far. The photo I'm using shows the couple in a pose similar to this, but I've changed a few details to add interest. I'll do another sketch tomorrow, adding in more details requested for the background and refining the drawing. Then I'll need to decide between using watercolor or chalk pastels for the coloring. I have done watercolor before, but I think the chalk would have a softer effect more suitable to the couple and the occasion. I'll probably give both a try and then decide. Stay tuned.

Jumping Colors and Kandinsky Circles

2011-04-14T00:59:00.002-08:00

Bear Paw Kids Art Lesson #3 - April 13, 2011

Our lesson today was about color complements, warm vs. cool colors, and Wassily Kandinsky, the Russian abstract painter. First we closely studied one of Kandinsky's paintings so we could see how he put complementary colors next to each other and used warm and cool colors to make circles look like they could "jump" right off the paper.

Color Study of Squares by Kandinsky

For our paintings we decide to paint six circles inside six squares using four different mediums: watercolor, oil pastels, gouache (an opaque type of watercolor), and tempera paints. This will add some interest and give us a chance to experience different types of paints and the oil pastels.

Here Gretchen and Amy start their jumping circles by using watercolor paints in two of the squares.

Next, Gretchen moves to the tempera paints to fill another square.

The materials are set out around the table in six work stations. As each student finishes using one type of paint, she moves to another station to use a different medium, and so on, until all six squares have been filled with circles.

Now Hailey is using the tempera paints,

while Melody is using oil pastels,

and Madyson is using the gouache.

Hailey's painting is finished and ready to mount on some backing paper.

And finally, all artists are done with their "Jumping Kandinsky Circles" and are rightfully proud of their great masterpieces.

Besides a painting, we also made Kandinsky pins to wear home and help us remember the special artist we learned about today.

Kandinsky's Circle

Five Ways to Paint a Fine Cat

2011-04-06T21:02:00.012-08:00

Week 2 - Bear Paw Studio Kids' Lessons - Laurel Burch Folk Cats

Snacks and a warm-up project, this week paper bracelets, start the lessons off each week. Five seven year olds teaming with energy and enthusiasm gathered around a table full of food and paint! Nothing to do but dig in and have fun, which is exactly what we did.

This week's main lesson had students painting cats in the style of Laurel Burch, a contemporary folk artist with a wide range of products bearing her colorful, stylized designs. If you haven't seen her work, take a look at her website.

We started our lesson by learning how to mix secondary colors from the three primary colors of red, yellow, and blue. We paid attention to using separate brushes for each color, so as not to contaminate the tubs of colors. Loading brushes with just the right amount of paint and painting by pulling the brush around on the paper was practiced, too. Each student completed a simple color wheel to take home.

Next, we painted the large backgrounds for the cats using tempera paints, adding some designs in the paint--circles, x's, swirls--to add a little texture. While these backgrounds were drying, we used black markers to draw cat faces on a second sheet of paper and then painted in their features and other details.

While these were drying we goofed around a bit.

Here are our very own fancy cats--all brilliant, full of character and inner beauty!

The children were all excited about Laurel Burch's cats and each ended up with a wonderful painting to be proud of! Everyone left the lesson still full of energy (amazingly) and very excited about next week's mystery lesson.

Splashing around Lady Lee's Bath House on a Friday Night

2011-04-02T15:36:00.002-08:00

April's First Friday at Lady Lee's Bath House

was fun for all who came to enjoy the art,

and to talk, eat, chat,

and take a little trip back in time!

The old bath tub upstairs was empty,

however there was great 50s - 60s music playing,

a big assortment of goodies in the old-fashioned kitchen,

an old ironing board and pantaloons in the bathroom

in case you needed to freshen up a bit more than usual,

lots of my new art prints and cards to check out,

a friendly Kathy Lee at the counter,

big groups of happy shoppers,

and, did I mention my artwork,

which will be on display through April?

. . . or view it at www.betsybearcreations.com

Bear Paw Studio passes the test

2011-03-31T00:18:00.001-08:00

My new studio space above our garage, aka Bear Paw Studio, got its first real test today from my five young art students. Drawing, painting, cutting, glittering, and learning a little about Dutch painter Piet Mondrian and primary colors kept us all hopping for an hour and a quarter. Besides the Mondrian style painting, we made a gorgeous primary colors crown to prance around in. What fun!

The studio space was great, with plenty of good light and room to work. I was so busy during the lesson that I forgot to take the pictures I'd planned, but here's one of the last student just before she slipped out the door with her little sister. Next time I'll take more pictures of the students' art work, which was so vibrant and bold.

Swans at Lady Lee's Bath House Emporium

2011-03-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

Meiers Lake Swans 2

My art is up at Lady Lee's Bath House Emporium, mixed in with Fairbanks history and vintage treasures. I'm looking forward to this being an exciting show, considering the great atmosphere of this unique venue.

One of my paintings on display during April is Meiers Lake Swans 2. I painted this a few years back after stopping at Meiers Lake for a break on a drive between Valdez and Fairbanks. A family of swans can often be spotted gliding around this beautiful lake during summer and fall, close enough to the shore for decent photos. The reflections and colors were truly inspiring.

Southeast Alaska Flowers

2011-03-29T01:11:00.001-08:00

These are ready to go! Each is 9x12 and framed nicely in white 16x20 frames.

Lupine, Arctic Daisies, and Mint

I painted four similar florals this summer on Yupo paper, which is slick and non-absorbant. This keeps the pigments very strong and colors vibrant, plus it causes some unpredictable flowing and pooling of the paint which I like.

Columbine, Bluebells of Scotland, and Lousewort

These are wildflowers that I found growing around our cabin in Southeast Alaska. I wonder why the Bluebell of Scotland is so named, since they are definitely more purple than blue.

Wild Rose and Ferns

The rose above was in my neighbor's yard, and is similar to the prickly rose found in Interior Alaska, only bigger and darker red.

Black Currant, Fireweed, and Salmonberry

The black currant plant has red-orange leaves all season. which are a beautiful contrast to the deep purple berries.

Drinking and Painting

2011-03-25T00:17:00.000-08:00

Daisies, Lupine, and Mint

Daisies, lupine, and mint make a great subject to paint. . . . and drink.

Mint grows tall and thick around my summer cabin at Excursion Inlet, providing me with a constant supply of fresh, minty tea leaves to seep as well as inspiration for painting.

I painted this on Yupo paper, which has an impervious surface and keeps pigments vibrant and strong, just like the flavor of fresh mint tea brewing. I can almost smell it now.

You can see this and my other paintings during April at Lady Lee's Bath House Emporium in Fairbanks . . . more info

Skiing and Soaking in March

2011-03-24T02:56:00.000-08:00

It was a perfect day for a ski to Upper Angel Creek Cabin. Betsy, Tom, Tiff, Sandy, and PJ at the trailhead.

The snow glistened in the bright sunshine along the trail.

My thigh and calf muscles were grateful to Sandy for sharing her ibuprofen, without which I would have never made it the 6.7 miles to the cabin.

Geeze, some moose forgot to flush.

Tom was a great sherpa, but his search & rescue services were thankfully not needed this time.

The cabin amenities included an outhouse, stove, firewood, a lantern, matches, and other useful items.

We had to eat a LOT of frittata the next morning to get our energy up for the ski back out.

Sandy crossing Angel Creek and packing the ibuprofen for Betsy.

There's nothing better than a nice relaxing soak in the hot springs to soothe those tired ski muscles.

I swear that trail was a lot shorter when I did it ten years ago, but was still great to get out again. Thanks, Sandy!

March Madnessssski - a ski trip to Angel Ck cabin

2011-03-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

My friend Sandy is so sweet. She invited us to join her on an overnight trip into Angel Ck cabin, about 6 miles off Chena Hot Springs Road. . . . via wooden slats tied to our feet. I haven't skied much lately--only once last year even though we have a great recreation area with groomed ski trails virtually out our back door and the snow has been wonderful for the past month.

I accepted the invite because I tend to fantasize that the years haven't changed me much. But I really do know better. Still, I've been preparing the breakfast we'll share and am finally doing a little packing, albeit with a vague sense of dread. It's a level trail, the weather will be warm, and I'll love the fresh air and gorgeous scenery.

But I can't help wondering how sore I'll be after that 2 hr ski (if I make it) and after a night sleeping on a hard wooden bunk. I'm hoping I won't succumb to hitching a ride with the snowmachine that will take in our supplies and expose my true wussiness, if that's a word. This may be the wake up call I need to get out and ski more . . . or not. Thanks, Sandy, either way!

Because I believe good food can do miracles, here's what I've preparing for our cabin breakfast:

pre-sauteed red potatoes, bacon, mushrooms, and green onion . . .

fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, and cilantro,

which along with some eggs and sharp cheese will make a hearty egg frittata. Add some oat bran muffins with chocolate chips. . .

and that should get us back to the road without perishing. Hopefully.

Goal: simplify values . . and life?

2011-03-17T23:50:00.000-08:00

To get painting values right I often use photoshop's cutout filter to reduce the image to 4 or 5 values. This helps me find the lightest and darkest areas in the image and establish the relative values in between.

It makes we wish I could use a filter to simplify my life too. I think dealing with less in life could improve the overall quality a lot, but I just continually clutter up every corner of my existence, it seems. I love to fantasize about having a magic filter to erase everything except the very best parts: living, loving, creating, sharing. Wouldn't that be nice?

Lady Lee's Bath House Emporium

2011-03-16T23:54:00.002-08:00

This great antique store on 1st & Cowles is literally stuffed with wonderful treasures from the past. I'll be there for April First Friday with my art, which will remain up thru April. I invite Fairbanks friends to stop by April 1st, 5 - 8 pm and enjoy the art, antiques, and refreshments. Watch for more info on this event from me. . .and check out Lady Lee's page on Facebook for photos and info about all their sales & events.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lady-Lees-Bath-House-Emporium/118568971513564

Art Expo and Beyond

2011-03-13T00:55:00.001-09:00

Art Expo today was wonderful for rekindling old and adding new connections with others involved in the arts--always a great group of people to be around! Seeing the products of creative efforts, whether visual, tactile, kinesthetic, whatever medium, is such great balm for the soul. I have vowed to turn off the computer & news and get out more. (And yes, I violate that vow already, as I blog again.)

Art Lessons for Kids at my new studio

2011-03-11T15:46:00.002-09:00

I am christening my new art studio "Bear Paw Studio" and offering a 6-wk session of art lessons for elem. age kids. This might be great for home-schoolers, but is at a time that school children might be able to join as well. Only four spaces left! Pass this on to any budding young artists in need of a place to paint and grow artistically.

Find me at Art Expo, Sat. March 12 Pioneer Park, Fairbanks

2011-03-11T15:39:00.000-09:00

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102946334431-101/ArtExpo8by11Flyer.pdf

Portrait commissions - caricatures w/ watercolor

2011-03-10T22:04:00.000-09:00

These were quite a bit of work, but so much fun to create all the little goofy details in the background.

Red Duck Bar

The Kids

portrait commission - ink caricature

2011-03-10T21:59:00.000-09:00

This one was so much fun!

Portrait example - watercolor

2011-03-10T21:57:00.000-09:00

Here's a portrait commission from a few years back.

3 Tennis 'Toons - Far North style

2011-03-10T21:09:00.005-09:00

Some cartooning I did a while back. It's fun re-discover something done months (years) ago and long forgotten. It's like getting a little art bonus. But what to do with them, since they were never put to use. T-shirt image?

Blogging begins

2011-03-10T10:47:00.002-09:00

My first blog and working out the finer points of blogging, hoping to be able to share entries on fb. http://betsybear-artist.blogspot.com/