announcements

Meet Baby Katia!

in

baby face watercolor sketch Here she is, my excuse for being so out of everything for almost half a year. She was born on April 3d, weighing 8lb 3.9oz and 20 inches tall.

baby girl

She's a healthy and mostly well-behaved baby (minus last week, when my mother-in-law was visiting. Looks like my kids just automatically become hyper when grandparents are around!) My son had a pretty tough time the first two weeks but seems to be recovering from the shock. He likes to hug and kiss the baby and always runs to the rescue when she's crying :) (he even says, "Al rescate!" - Spanish for "to the rescue!" when he does that).

brother and baby sister

I'm somewhat overwhelmed and trying to keep things low key and slow for now. I would love to have a couple of weeks of just me and the baby. Nevertheless, things are picking up speed...I've had several commission inquiries, some Etsy sales, and I'm getting ready to teach more classes in the summer.

On Teaching Art Classes In The Middle Of Nowhere

in

Watercolor Class Demonstration I love teaching art. That is my revelation of the year. I get all excited and happy talking about complimentary colors and granulating pigments (O Cobalt! O mysteriously French Ultramarine!) I get blissfully carried away and don't notice that it's time to go home.

My Intro to Watercolor classes started here in the California high desert (Town of Apple Valley, to be precise) in September. Since then, I've had two 6-week sessions, and four out of five students in the first session carried on to the second (the fifth student couldn't make it because of a surgery). It was great. I'm adding two more classes (intermediate watercolor and plein air) and, hopefully, at least one more location, in January. I'll have to take a break when the baby comes (due date is April 5) but I plan on continuing with the classes in summer.

Geometric bodie still life in watercolor

Teaching art to somebody who is eager to learn is less like teaching and more like sharing something you really love. Most of my students are enthusiastic about painting (at least once they realize that watercolor isn't as horrible and scary as they've always heard) and, although not very young, absorb new knowledge like children. I find myself being excited about their little discoveries and revelations - because I remember discovering them and I myself keep learning new things every day, including from my students...

student painting in watercolor class

I had two concerns when I started the class. One, is that California High Desert is not exactly the center of civilization. Art, if it exists, hides from the daylight, heat, cold, and wind. Nothing happens here - with one exception, the Eclipse gallery. I was worried that my classes would just not generate enough interest and nobody would sign up. The second concern appeared when I realized that the majority of my students are somewhere around twice my age and might not take too well to being taught by someone who looks like she is, at best, fresh out of college. I think I saw some of that on the very first day of the class - but it didn't linger. At the end of the first session, I asked my students to fill out a course review and the papers I got back from them turned out to be a major confidence booster :). They loved the class and the instructor and were looking forward to the future classes.

woman painting in watercolor class

abstract watercolor painting by a student

Intro to Watercolor will restart on Friday, January 6, and the other two classes will begin on the day after. If you are interested in taking a class, click the "CLASSES" tab on the left. I will be adding information on the Intermediate and Plein Air classes soon.

Artist awareness month givaway results! Woohoo!

in

The 8x10 print of her choice goes to my newsletter subscriber Angela Balliet and the choice of any print or $100 towards a custom painting - to Bridget Pacheco! Congratulations and thanks for your help in making my dreams come true! And not to leave a post without a painting, here is a little ACEO that I did a while ago with paint samples from Daniel Smith. I have quite a few of these little sample-paintings now, going through the 200+ sample dots!

Original Watercolor Painting Poplars ACEO

$15 plus shipping, available at my Etsy shop.

 

Genia Awareness Month

in

So here's the idea. We decided that it is time to bring my art into the masses by launching an artist awareness campaign. And we need YOUR HELP! Here is what you can do:

  • Share this website with your friends via social networking sites
  • Sign up for email updates by entering your email on the right
  • Spread the word about FREE shipping on everything on this website through the rest of May

Here is what's in it for you:

  • Every time you share this website with your friends, you get one entry into a drawing to win a print of your choice (any image, any available size) or a $100 gift certificate towards a custom painting. In order to be entered, email me the links where you shared the website to: info@yevgeniawatts.com. You can also use the contact form on this website to do the same.
  • Word of mouth counts, too. If you tell a friend about me and they send me an email mentioning you, both you and the friend receive an entry into the drawing.
  • When you sign up for email updates, you get one entry into another drawing for an 8x10" (matted dimensions) print of your choice. All existing subscribers are entitled to one entry.
  • Enjoy FREE shipping on everything on this website through the rest of May!

 

Both drawings will be held on June 1, 2011.

 

Results of the blirthday contest!

in

According to the best traditions of my college life, I am posting the results of my blirthday photo contest at the last moment. Thank you to all who participated! I enjoyed "meeting" and getting to know you a little better through your pictures and emails. I would love to give every one of you a free painting...But I won't :) The free painting goes to Elza Metzelaar and her dog Athena: athena dog

I love the warm, comfortable colors of this photo, the inviting background, the flower bandanna, and, of course, Athena's expression! Congratulations!

And this could be all except that I was having such a hard time picking one photo, I had to at least do a 2nd and 3d place. So, please cheer for the runners-up!!!

little girl with toys

2nd place goes to Katie and her "grand-darling" :) I love the pose and, paradoxically, the lighting. I am going to make a portrait-a-day painting based on this photo and offer Katie a discounted price on the painting and prints made from it. Katie is a talented photographer and actually has a very nice collection of photos on Flickr, each of which would make a good painting.

blooming cacti

3d place! I promise I am not biased, but this is also Elza Metzelaar :). Needless to say, I could not resist the juicy colors and I will be painting this on Yupo. Elza will have an opportunity to order discounted prints (if, of course, it turns out well!).

young girl face

And, finally, there's Crystal. Remember me asking for the stories behind the pictures? It is a sad story and really, something more like a community service award...It goes to A.J. Foran, Crystal's mom.

Crystal died in a car accident in 2007 at the age of 19, here in Helendale, California. Since the death of her daughter, A.J. has turned her grief into giving. She has held a toy drive every year since, donating the toys to the California Highway Patrol. She works tirelessly, sitting out in freezing weather to get donations. This year, she raised over $3,000! The CHP said that she provided 25% of the toys given out to kids in the entire high desert by the CHP! She does this in memory of her daughter.

I would like to give A.J. a painting of Crystal. A very small token of my sympathy, respect and appreciation that is shared by many Silver Lakes residents.

And please, PLEASE  buckle up!

Share

Chris and Sarah's Adoption Journey

in ,

Last week, I received an email through Etsy asking me to donate some art for a silent auction intended to raise funds for an adoption. I didn't think much of it at first but I went to their blog and read the story behind this request. This Louisiana couple has been trying to have a baby for 7 years and finally, decided to adopt. They are currently in the middle of the process, with the baby due on April 15. So, after exchanging a couple of emails with the future-adoptive-mom's sister (who contacted me in the first place), I decided to help out. I have a 1.5-year-old son who, while making me fear for my own sanity at times (yep, already!) and taking way much more time and attention than I bargained for, is the joy of my life.  I am sure that all of the above will become true for this brave couple :)

The auction will be held tonight starting at midnight through Sunday midnight at http://thescottsblog.wordpress.com/. In addition to a number of fantastic things donated by artsy and crafty people from all over U.S., you will have an opportunity to bid on these three archival prints:

cherry blossom spring flowers watercolor painting on yupo

"Cherry Blossom II"

poppy field watercolor on yupo painting

"Poppy Field"

sitting nude watercolor painting colorful

"Brooke VI"

Hoping to send these to some familiar names!

Share

A Portrait A Day 51 - Eric (WIP)

in ,

young man sitting with his chin in his hand watercolor 18x18" Watercolor and watercolor sticks on Arches CP 140lb. His hand seems a bit too big, no? I will also cover those background shapes in the top right, they are distracting. It feels good to work larger, especially now that I have an Isabey Cat's Tongue Pointed Oval Wash (It is made of squirrel tails not of cat tongues :)) My dear brother got a size 8 one for me. Sometimes I wish it had more snap ("snap" is how springy a brush is) but overall,  I love it!

On a somewhat different note, six of my paintings are currently in a show at the Eclipse gallery. If you are local (high desert), you have an opportunity to see some interesting art. The theme of the show is "Work on paper and chairs" - and yes, there ARE some strange chairs, too :). I should have posted about this a while ago (the reception was last Saturday and was quite a success).

And finally, something I am very excited about - the above-mentioned gallery is hosting their first "figure studies" - a figure drawing (or painting in my case) session! Tonight! You are invited, too :) To read more about it, please click the link to the gallery's Facebook page above.

 

Less than 3 weeks left to submit your photo!

in

Thank you to everyone who already sent me their favorite photographs!  I am getting excited :) Here are a couple of my favorites so far: tree

This one is a Palo Verde tree in its spring flowering, whose message is to create beauty even in the midst of harshness.

baby

In this photo, I love the contrast of the older (grandparent?) hand and the face of the newborn. I only wish there was a bit more of the hand.

A couple of reminders:

  • try to avoid photos taken with flash. Unless they were taken by a professional who knows how to properly use it :) Faces without shadows are not very interesting to paint, as a rule.
  • same goes for wide grins. Great for photos, not so much for paintings. Think of a photo that could tell a story...

If you are reading about this photo contest for the first time, please go to the earlier post to read all about it.

And here is something I meant to post a while ago but kept forgetting. My portrait-a-day with his portrait:

boy holding a painting of himself

I was thrilled when Allen's grandmother (who commissioned the portrait) sent this to me. It is interesting how the people you paint accept you into their lives. Priceless.

Would you like an original painting?

in

Happy Unbirthday to me (Happy Blirthday)! :) Yep, this time last year I started this blog. It was a way to document my art discoveries and connect with like-minded people. I think it has been serving those purposes successfully, in addition to a few more (like promoting my art and keeping me accountable for the time not spent painting! :))

At about the same time, I also joined the Everyday Matters Yahoo group, which is an extremely supportive and positive community of creative people at various stages of their artistic development. They will instill confidence into any self-doubting art blogger :) I have been out of touch for a while now, mostly just because there isn't enough time to keep up with my painting projects and commissions, update all the online places I'm at and look after a very active 1.5 old kid. I sure do miss the camaraderie and the weekly sketching challenges!

So, what do I want from another year of art-making? Several things:

  • Even though right now I paint more than I ever did (actually...no...I did have a painting boot camp in my second year of architecture school in Ukraine), well - I want to spend more time painting
  • I want to work bigger. Do more full sheet paintings
  • Get that watercolor class going...really
  • Do more landscapes
  • Go to more art fairs and participate in more shows and competitions
  • Join an art organization or two
  • Take a workshop or two
  • This is more of a "need to" - find a gallery that I like and get in there

Quite doable, I think!

And now, since you made it this far, you qualify for the exciting stuff! I was going to do some kind of a givaway to celebrate my "blirthday," maybe do a drawing of names and give somebody a giclee print. Instead, I am giving away an ORIGINAL PAINTING!!!

The way I am going to go about it is this: you send me a photo, I pick one that is the most artistically appealing and interesting to me, make a painting based on this photo, and give the painting to you!

A few guidelines:

  1. Submit photos to watercoloredhands@gmail.com between now and February 6. You have a month.
  2. You may submit more than one photo.
  3. Photos cannot be copyrighted material, i.e. you can't take somebody else's photograph and submit it to me, unless they give you the permission to do so.
  4. Subject matter can be anything. Portraits, pets, landscapes, architecture, industrial, cars, bikes, flowers, whatever.
  5. Do look for some drama in your photos. Pictures with strong light/shadow contrast, intense emotion, saturated color often make the most interesting paintings. This, of course, doesn't mean that I wouldn't enjoy a photo of a foggy morning, for example.
  6. I am looking for high quality photographs. Avoid unfocused, blurred, washed-out shots.
  7. I especially do not recommend flash in portrait photos. Try taking those in natural light, either by a window or outside when the sun is low.
  8. If you have a story to go with the photo, please do tell it! :)

I think this is it...Can't wait to see what you have!

Share

My Newsletter is finally out! Do you have one?

in

I am thoroughly proud of myself today. After months of promising, I finally manged to get my newsletter together and send it to the people who wanted to keep in contact. Hopefully, I will do it every month from now on :) You can view the newsletter here:

If you would like to sign up for future updates, click "subscribe to list" at the top of the newsletter window.

If you are an artist and keep a newsletter, I would love to get on your mailing list as well. Please let me know how to do that in comments below.