Art
The Art of Making Art | Painting nature – Evanston RoundTable
Nina Weiss, a fine arts painter/teacher from Evanston, creates large-scale landscapes on unstretched canvas and smaller Waterways paintings.
Weiss lives, works and teaches in an 1,800-square-foot home/studio loft in Evanston’s West End Arts district. The industrial/residential area connects her to Evanston and especially to the art community, and many of her neighbors are artists. The home has 40-foot ceilings, sky lights and bedrooms in the loft.
A custom-constructed work wall allows her to attach stretched canvas directly to the wall and there are large storage racks. Cement floors make the space easy to clean, and she stands on cardboard or a mat when painting. The furniture is on wheels so she can easily reconfigure the space depending on her activity. She has a mobile hanging rack on a guy wire strung across the room for presenting both her and her student’s work. The entire studio is set up to eliminate obstacles to painting.
During COVID-19, Weiss configured a space for Zoom classes, including an ongoing weekly Critique Class. She is excited to return with her students to France this summer for her European Landscape Painting and Drawing Workshop.
At the start of a new painting, Weiss gathers all the needed materials atop a white table where she can easily access them. The table also gives her a surface to photograph, pack and/or ship the paintings. She uses a glass palette salvaged from a dumpster-found coffee table. The glass makes it is easy to scrape and clean off old paint. She deploys a step ladder to reach the upper portions of her largest canvases
Even though she might work any time, she tends to exercise in the morning and work after. A typical work afternoon/evening is split in 2-5-2 hours of painting between breaks.
Every Weiss painting interprets a natural landscape she has seen. Nature’s creativity makes her feel happy, whole, excited and connected to the earth. Unsurprisingly, each painting starts when she is inspired while outdoors on a walk or a bike ride while watching for potential compositions or, as she notes, “things that give me a jolt.” Recently, she has been inspired and focused on prairie scenes. She takes many photos of a promising landscape and prints just a selected few to crop and develop, revealing a composition for the painting.
She preps by cutting a canvas to the scale needed, stretching and gessoing the surface, and then uses a snap line – like in construction – to create the exact size rectangle of the soon-to-be finished work. In this way, the final image will fit on a stretcher frame that might be added after the painting is complete. She then attaches the canvas to the work wall and is ready to paint.
Weiss starts by adding a thin, color ground over the entire canvas, and then draws with paint to create the basic composition. Next, she uses a strong saturated color for the initial underpainting. Then she adds multiple paint layers including glazes, broken brush strokes and lightening strokes until complete.
Weiss says, “I know when it’s good.” She has worked on her current creation for about a week, and it is taking shape.
Her completed works are on unstretched canvases. Each may be sold that way, stretched only, or framed by a gallery.
If Weiss needs a break after creating five or six large landscapes, she will work on her smaller, 12 inch x 12 inch ongoing Waterways painting series. These provide a break for the artist as they are painted using a different method.
While she works on one painting at a time until it is complete, Weiss often builds up an inventory before photographing and marketing. Happily, she has sold so many works recently that not many remain in the studio.
Most of Nina Weiss’ work is sold through J. Petter Galleries in Saugatuck, Mich., but she also sells through other galleries and online websites. She posts on Saatchi as Nina Weiss, on her website and through her teaching website.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]
Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
Source link
The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
Alouettes receiver Philpot announces he’ll be out for the rest of season
David Lipsky shoots 65 to take 1st-round lead at Silverado in FedEx Cup Fall opener
Canada’s Marina Stakusic advances to quarterfinals at Guadalajara Open
12 Bizarre Things People Did Just To Make Social Media Content
dynaCERT Inc. Invites You to Join Us at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference | INN – Investing News Network
AP source: Bears acquiring quarterback Nick Foles from Jaguars – Sportsnet.ca
-
Sports6 hours agoLawyer says Chinese doping case handled ‘reasonably’ but calls WADA’s lack of action “curious”
-
News6 hours agoRCMP say 3 dead, suspects at large in targeted attack at home in Lloydminster, Sask.
-
News5 hours agoHall of Famer Joe Schmidt, who helped Detroit Lions win 2 NFL titles, dies at 92
-
News6 hours agoBad weather and boat modifications led to capsizing off Haida Gwaii, TSB says
-
News6 hours agoNova Scotia adopts bill declaring domestic violence in the province an epidemic
-
News16 hours agoCanadanewsmedia news September 12, 2024: Air Canada pilot strike looms, BC transit strike talks resume
-
News6 hours agoTTC ending free public Wi-Fi service in subway stations at end of the year
-
News6 hours agoShapovalov, Auger-Aliassime lift Canada over Finland 3-0 in Davis Cup tie
