Merilynn Johnson: April 2008 Archives

I had a full house last night - and they seemed to have a lot of fun.  Wish I had taken some pictures!!

We painted a canvas with a martini and everyone made it their own.  There were different flavor martinis with all having very different garnishes.  Some even created very stylish stirrers for theirs.  One couple brought all the mixings for different martinis - pomegranate was very popular.

Sometimes you are just having such a good time, that you forget to record the moments.  And I would have like to share them with you.  I must admit that I am really bad at recording the moments. Who knows why? - I have a wonderful little digital camera but i just never think to pull it out at those moments.  I am way to busy enjoying it to record it!

So most of my memories are in my mind and I can haul them out anytime I want.  I can choose to remember them my way - and of course, I will always be wrinkle free and slim!!

I need to get the projects together for June ( doesn't the time fly by )  So much is going on all over town, I have to force myself not to have too good a time.  The Texarkana College Choir has its Spring Sing tonight so we will be going to that - our son is in the choir.  Tomorrow night is the St. James Gala. Sunday night is the pre-party for the Divots for Disablities Golf Tournament.

I am not sure I am up for all the fun!

Hope you guys are!

mj

ok - I am working on things but I thought it might be time for me to do a little business, too.

We have several new artists and craftsmen's work in the store now - and I thought I would show you a few of the items to you.

From Fire and Light by artist John McClurg - we have some wonderful glass bowls

I just love art glass - here are a couple of vases that we have from Melting Sands Glass by artist Judd Scott. The really bright colors of these is so invigorating - they will really add a spark to your room.

One of my other loves is pottery and first we have these new graphic painted pieces by Marianela Borston of Nela Ceramics.

And finally these are some really fun mugs by Jeanette Zeis Ceramics.

So - we have these items and additional pieces by these artists and many more .

Come by and browse this really great collection

Stanhope's Art, Framing & Stationery

1302 State Line Avenue

Texaarkana, Arkansas  71854

Mon - Fri from 9 - 5

see you soon

merilynn

Well - I actually got back from New Orleans on Saturday afternoon - but for some reason it takes me a day to recover - then a couple more to catch back up any time I am out of town. 

I went to New Orleans with fellow painter Carla Myane - who is a wonderful watercolorist from Lockesburg, Arkansas.  We went to a workshop with Linda Kemp who works in a method of painting in the negative.  This really requires some thinking - You paint around the item to create the image - looks really cool and somewhat abstract - It is really more my style - it is more than just a pretty picture... more about design elements.

Here are a couple of photos of Linda demonstrating.  The first photo is of the underpainting with just a little of the layering of the negative spaces.  

 This next photo is a little further along in the process - more negative spaces identified - and more if the image is built.

Someday I promise I will get this photo insertion down a little better so they are the same size!!!!

Anyway - If you are interested in this technique - Linda's Book is Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines published by Northlight Books.

more about New Orleans - later

mj

One of my husband's friends asked me to look for a print for him of a tulip called the Sempus Augustus.  After lots of research, I discovered that a print of this tulip was as elusive as the original tulip that apparently caused a financial problem back in the 1600s.  Since he had a picture of it - and it looked fairly simple, I offered to paint one for him.  It was actually just a botanical look with no background and I could do it fairly quickly in watercolor.  I actually enjoyed doing it. - and he had it professionally framed at Stanhope's Art, Framing & Stationery!

 I also painted a few (20) tablecloths for the Women for the Arts Fundraiser "Party with Picassos".

Brent Stewart was doing the decor for the party and after he told me the 'grand plan', I offered to paint the cloths for him.  They were really easy.  The only hard part was figuring out where to lay 20 squares of canvas that were 54" each while they dried.  I think Brent said that they were planning on using them every year. I wish I had a photo of them at the event but all I have are some snapshots that I emailed to Brent so that he could see how they were going.

well - this was a little of what I have been doing the month of March as well as helping the 2 'celebrities finish their pieces for the event. - Though that took very little time - just one more thing to do!

well - later

merilynn

Tomorrow I leave for New Orleans and I am going to the Linda Kemp workshop.

   Actually I have been nowhere - just a little busy - and maybe a little lazy! - This entry is to introduce the projects for May - and maybe tonight I can catch you up on all that has been going on -  May has lots of Thursdays in it - but we are not going to use them all! - I am hoping I can get away for a day or two and go see my Dad - He is such a great guy and we are so far away - and I know everyone can relate but we just seem to let the days get away from us - we are all so busy doing the day to day things that we forget to live a little!

   Here it is, the calendar for May - Be sure to call asap and sign up for a class that you want - they fill up fast - I have a list of people already that didn't get in the March Collaborative Intuitive Group so I will need to follow up with them first before we know how many spaces are left. - It was a great project - everyone created their very own truly unique masterpiece -

and so you may see them better here are the individual pictures:
May 1st

A quick floral landscape - maybe a pretty for your mom! - or just to chill out and have a little fun!

May 8th - is the Collaborative Intuitive

This is just a representative sample of what you might create!

May 15th

This piece is a simple cross where you will learn to create a glow and do some fine detail swirls!

Finally on May 29th

we will do a little something different - a reverse glass painting on a plate that will then be gold leafed!

So here they are for now :)

Later - merilynn

email to stanhope1302@msn.com
Phone: 870-774-5352