New Show and Nine Paintings

I recently began a very cool show with my father-in-law titled, "Double Vision". I created nine new paintings for this show, all based on wonderful photographs which my father-in-law has taken in recent years. We hung the paired works side-by-side. We each have additional paintings and photographs displayed that are individual works. This one shown here, titled, Sunset Flight, is probably my favorite of the show.

September Coffee House Series and a New Painting

This painting was just completed this morning. Your feedback is always welcome....indeed, important. It was done as part of the A Painting A Month Club. I missed participation through most of the summer, but am getting back into it now. Check it out....any and all painters are welcome to join in. There's a link to the left under My Favorite Links.

The topic for September's Coffee House Series will be SHAPES. I want to go back to some of the basics in drawing to refresh your memories and skills. A critical skill in sketching is the ability to turn everything into a shape. Stripping away detail and labels, one can look at the essence of the object. A good way of doing this is to visually break it down into shapes, like puzzle pieces that need to be put together. Let's begin with smaller objects, such as flowers or animals, and work our way up to larger objects like buildings and landscapes! I would like to visit Fuller Gardens in Rye, NH this month but welcome your input. Let me know ASAP if you plan to attend any of the September Coffee House Series classes by email.

Update to class schedule and Fort Rock Farm painting

This painting was just finished today. It's headed to Hopkinton, NH as I type, to go before a jury for (hopefully) inclusion in the Hopkinton Rotary Club's annual calendar. The theme for this year's calendar is barns. This is FORT ROCK FARM in Exeter, NH. The photo you see here is not the best....between my digital camera and the indoor lighting at my table, colors are dulled and the image isnn't sharp. I'll re-post when I have a professional digital image in hand. Or go and see it when the art show of all the submitted work comes around....scheduled for Oct. 15th. I'll post details when I get them.

The calendar is a fundraiser for the club, and I thought it's high time I start submitting work to juried events. Just see what happens! The feedback is always helpful in the development of my work and my path.

The piece measures 11 x 13" and will be up for sale, whatever the outcome from Hopkinton.

I have had to make a change to the second day of the Coffee House Series. I needed to move it to Friday mornings instead of Saturdays. I realized after posting my fall classes that I had too many conflicts with Saturdays this fall. Not so much in September, but all the other months. My apologies if anyone was considering joining me on Saturdays. Come January, I just might switch it back. Look for the September list of lessons and locations to come out this weekend.

Fall 2010 Classes!

Hello all,

Because my website designer has gone out of business, I'm posting this kind of information here on my blog for awhile. I have chosen a new designer (I think), but she is not available to work with me until September/October. I hope posting here works.

My classes take place at the Exeter Center for Creative Arts at 30 Linden Street, Exeter, NH (in the old Exeter high school building, now called the Tuck Learning Campus).

To register for any class, email me with your questions or thoughts. It is possible to pay using PayPal through my website; ask for instructions. birchtreestudio@comcast.net

Fall Classes:
Purposeful Play
This is my basic watercolor class which I offered for the first time this past spring. We had so much fun and completed a great deal of work. Due to interest from new folks, I'm offering it again, but with a more fitting title. Students will learn all the basics from how to use a brush, what the different terms in watercolor mean (such as wet-on-wet) and how to apply them, useful information about the materials and the medium and you'll work hard! I offer homework assignments so that you can continue practicing in between classes. You will feel comfortable taking risks and exploring or expanding your creativity in this safe learning environment.

10 Tuesday evenings, Sept. 21 - Nov. 23, 6-8:30pm
$295, plus cost of materials
supply list will be issued upon request or at time of registration


The Art of Sketching
This is my basic drawing course but, like the watrcolor course, it has a more fitting title. This 10-session, 25-hour course will teach you to “see” through drawing. All are welcome: beginning artists will refresh their memory and gain some techniques for practicing both observation and drawing skills while the intermediate artist will have the chance to continue the path started on in previous drawing classes. Each week a different technique in the art of drawing will be presented. The course will provide opportunity to spend ample time on the basic drawing principles of drawing. This will create a better understanding of art and, therefore, allow you to reach your personal goals. Homework assignments will be plentiful in an effort to provide some structure and guidance outside of class time. New and intermediate students welcome!

10 Thursday evenings, Sept. 23 - Dec. 2, 6-8pm
$295, plus cost of materials
supply list will be issued upon request or at time of registration

The Coffee House Series
This is a weekly drop-in class. I supply a sketching or painting lesson each week, from which you can continue to learn and practice. The first two hours are devoted to the lesson, the last hour we hit the nearest coffee shop for a snack while we continue to work. It's been great fun! This is strictly an outdoor class; lessons take place on location and that location changes every few weeks. We've been all over the north shore and up into parts of New Hampshire since I began this a year ago.

You need not possess highly-developed drawing or painting skills; this is, indeed, designed for students who want and need a more structured environment to keep themselves practicing, which they might not do so if left on their own. However, you should have some basic knowledge of drawing or painting, as the basics are not covered in a structural way. All levels welcome. I will post monthly on my blog (or website when that's been updated) what lessons are coming up. All you need to do is sign up ahead of time on a weekly basis so that I know how many folks will be attending. In September I will begin offering this two days a week instead of just one.

Price: $20 per lesson/week
Tuesday mornings, 9am-noon
Saturday mornings, 9am-noon


More still to come! Stay tuned....

Recent Watercolor Sketches

These two sketches were produced in my sketchbook last Friday. Spent the day out in Bradford, NH with my watercolor instructor, Becky Darling, and about six other students. Lovely day. I felt pretty successful here with these little thumbnails. Each is approx. 5 x 5".

Large brush + small space + lots of water & pigment = a very loose painting.

New Stuff

Single Boat

4.5 x 5"
Unframed, $45

This image, plus the one below, were both done during the Seacoast Science Center's Petite Art in the Park event in July. I produced about five small paintings in one day, but these two and one other companion piece, are what I felt most pleased with. They are simple watercolor sketches produced on professional watercolor paper. Simple, clean colors bring a sense of freshness and relaxation to the viewer.

Boats and the Isles of Shoals
10.25 x 6"
Unframed, $65