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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Good News



Corn Wall 
oil 8 x 24
&


 Beets & Beds 
oil 8 x 24

are juried into the Connecticut Academy of Fine Art "102nd Annual Exhibition"
Mystic Art Center March 29 – May 4

and 

     Summer Surf  
     SOLD
     at Providence Art Club
     Annual All Media Open Juried Exhibition

I'm taking a little Spring Break to develop some new ideas for jazzing up your walls for the summer!

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Please visit LibbyGilpatric.com.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Child Portrait Study in Colored Pencil

I've been working with Colored Pencils for a couple of years now with my friend Kendra Ferreira, an accomplished member of the Colored Pencil Society of America. Another day I'll show you some work from her class. First, though, I'd like to show you some process on a more urgent study of my two little nieces, sisters, three and five, who live in Montana.  I want to present these next week. (Do I love pressure!)

Working with colored pencils has a certain challenge. I think, as I do with oil painting, that the drawing must be accurate, especially to produce a likeness. Color and tone are added in successive layers to achieve greater detail. I love the rich color intensity working into the CP drawing. I am forced to slow down, and I find myself liking the meditative aspect of enriching a small area at a time. So far, I have worked with very small pieces. The two finished drawings will each be only 4" x 6," and I am using photos, very close up and cropped, for reference.



Here is a study of Charlotte's left eye and mouth, drawn with Derwent Inktense water-soluble on Gatorboard (Grade A Foam Core) coated with Colourfix Primer, a fine-grit tinted surface. These are merely studies - practiced in the margin of the painting to see how the color goes down on the ground - a pale blue background. I've decided to try another background color, more pale yellow to highlight the girls' fair skin and whitish blond hair. The blue requires too many layers to cover up the ghastly blue. I am pleased with the realistic effect and love to see what water added does to soften color and make form more subtle.  Stay tuned to see the progress on these little drawings.

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Friday, March 15, 2013

An Invitation

Summer Surf
Oil Painting by Libby Manchester Gilpatric

PROVIDENCE ART CLUB
ALL MEDIA OPEN JURIED EXHIBITION
MARCH 17 – APRIL 5

Opening Reception: Sunday, March 17, 2 - 4 pm

Maxwell Mays Gallery
11 Thomas Street
Providence, Rhode Island, 02903

Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday 12 - 4 pm
Saturday and Sunday 2 - 4 pm
Gallery Night Providence Thursday, March 21 from 5 - 9 pm

If you live in the area, I would love to see you at the Opening Reception this Sunday! ~ Libby

Sunday, March 10, 2013

County Mayo Westport Harbor


Thinking about Ireland this week! You, too?
8 x 10
$150.00



Announcement: Artspan Website Published


Kendra's View
12 x 16 
oil 
$650

This is one sample of the work shown on my newly updated Artspan website. Did you miss me while I was gone toiling over this? I could put a Buy Now button here but I'd rather you checked out the new website by clicking here. I still have much fine tuning ahead of me. After this is polished a bit, then I will tackle the Newsletter, which I will send out soon, for I want to invite you to:

The Providence Art Club Open Juried Exhibit
11 Thomas Street 
Providence, RI

Opening Reception March 17, 2-4 PM

Hope to see you there!


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Bracing Again...and Again

Not news: early February's storm dumped a couple of feet of snow all over the region.
We survivied Nemo with only a 18-hour power outage. Some trees and bushes lost limbs, however, and the robins were looking very puzzled as to where they would be holding the spring meet-my-mate party. Neighbors lost the entire top halves of 40 foot pines. It was heavy and icy; big wind from the north blew it all down as though it were just a snow fence. We survived the Great Snow Storm of 2013 with nary a scratch. 

Speaking of nests, many February hours indoors resulted in new spaces for storage, new storage cabinets here and there, cleared surfaces I resolve not to clutter.

News:  Summer Surf (aka Surf's Up) has been selected to exhibit at the Providence Art Club Open Juried Exhibit - Opening Reception Sunday, March 17, 2-4. If you live near Providence, I hope I will see you there! The price has changed because the dimensions were incorrect  (it's nearly 6" x 12"), and a lovely frame is in the works. Here's another peek:


The profile painting to the right may come down as it was purchased by my college classmate. Lucky Joan gets to look at Tulips and Iris every time she exits her kitchen!

A number of new works are begun but not yet ready to show. As they reach a finished stage, I will show you some new drawings done in a colored pencil class taught by Kendra Ferreira - stay tuned!

Correction on Post #29 View of Croagh Patrick


5 x 7" (not 8 x 10)
oil
$125. framed and shipped

From the backside, View of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's most sacred mountain.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Back to Business

Post #29


Back side view of Croagh Patrick
oil
8 x 10"
$250.00 shipped with miniature display easel

Into the Wilds of March with "Green" in the air. Here in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, March is very important. And I don't mean for taxes. How many towns do you know where the center line down the main street is kelly green? It actually is in Newport! But pretend you're really in Ireland!


 May the wind be always at your back!