The International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) convenes every other year in Albuquerque, NM. I've been wanting to go for years,...

Almost every artist I know works from photos at some time or other. Most artists shoot photos that wind up being paintings, and some use...

Framing is one of the largest business expense for most professional artists. When you invest in good quality framing, you also need to...

Getting a solo show is a big honor, and something you want to build for rather than have too quickly in your career. If you are not...

An underpainting wash is a way to dissolve layers of color into the tooth of a paper to lay down a base coating and free up the paper...

I don't often use under paintings as I am an alla prima painter (all at once) and tend to move quickly through the composition. This is...

Figures bring a human element to any landscape, especially beach scenes. But many artists are intimidated by the figure, and feel they...

How using fewer brushstrokes and edges can make a stronger painting. In my class; "Classical Training for Artists" which is a beginning...

Landscapes are beautiful all on their own, but adding a focal point like a figure or a creature can improve a painting. But how do you...

Color studies may save your life! How to plan a painting. Preparatory sketches.

One of the hardest things for me to do is to keep it simple. I'm a complicated person. I can complicated my way out of a paper bag! I...

(Like starting a new class where you feel over your head, and out of your league) We all feel scared and overwhelmed at some point-if you...

Portraits are the Holy Grail in art. Artists aspire to do realistic portraits because nothing screams success like a well drawn likeness....

When you are just starting out, it can be daunting to paint a larger or more complicated painting. I've heart novice artists say that...

I first learned about using a complementary palette from reading The Yin and Yang of Painting by Hongnian Zhang, from the Woodstock...

Many artists and teachers will claim that their way is the right way, or the only way to approach painting. While painting does have some...

What I learned from attending Pastel Live! and how to use your artistic frustration as Miracle Grow for your artistic abilities... As a...

"Success happens in clusters..." Julia Cameron The Artist's Way I asked my friend A. (for anonymous) how her painting was going in a...

I teach a lot of workshops where people are taking a class for the first time, or just setting up an art practice. Yesterday, I taught a...

In my class; "Classical Training for Artists" we are studying color theory and the work of "Every form change is a color change..."...