January | 2013 | The Studio

Archive for January, 2013

Kids Paint Great

Posted in Art Class, tagged acrylic, Art Class, kids class, Landscape on January 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »

The Young Artist class did a fabulous job painting this landscape in class yesterday. Can you believe we do this in just an hour all the while discussing composition and color mixing? Brilliant!

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Kathy’s Door

Posted in Art Class, tagged Art Class, door, door painting, impressionism, Landscape, oil painting, Tower of London on January 10, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Kathy finished her painting of the door near the Tower of London. Great job Kathy. This is a good example of how you can create a lovely painting from any subject matter.

Click here to see Kathy’s sunflower painting. And here you can see her fall painting. Keep up the good work Kathy. You are doing great!

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Blue Abstracts

Posted in Abstract, tagged Abstract, abstract art, acrylic, daily painter, daily painting, Virginia Artist on January 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Interlude in Blue I & II, acrylic on canvas, 12″x12″, available by contacting kwalker@doubledogdesigns.com.

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A Barn in Miniature

Posted in daily painter, tagged barn. miniature painting, daily painter, daily painting, impressionism, Landscape, miniature barn, oil painting, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Artist on January 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

This little miniature painting (3″x5″) was a quick study done as a color demonstration for a student. Color mixing is most important to learn early on so as to make successful paintings. We practice color mixing in every class.

Miniature Barn, oil on canvas, 3″x5″, $25. Contact kwalker@doubledogdesigns.com to purchase.

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Jed’s Day

Posted in Dogs, Pet Portaits, tagged acrylic, Black Lab Painting, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, Rescue dog, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist on January 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Four years ago this past week (January 5th) we made the cold trek (it was during a snow storm) to get our Jed. He’s the sweetest boy. So Happy Adoption Day Jed. We’re so glad we are your people!

Many of you know that I name my dogs using a presidential theme. Jed was my first exception to the rule. He is named for the fictional president, Jed Bartlett from the West Wing. We loved that show and since he was already being called Jed and answered to it well we just went with it.

Read and see more about Jed here and see a step by step painting of Jed here! Way to go Jedder Bean! We love you big boy.

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Tip 1: Make an Hour; Look an Hour

Posted in Tips for Better Painting, tagged art lessons, Boston, Boston MFA, Calder, Calder Cow, daily painter, Museum of Fine Art Boston, Painting Tips, Virginia Artist, Warhol on January 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Art in Bloom at Boston Museum of Art – 2012

“Dog Bed” – Boston Museum of Fine Art

This new year I am going to introduce a few different concepts on my blog. The first is “Tips to Being a Better Painter”. This is the first one.

When I first became serious about painting I would read and study everything I could find about different styles of painting. I would go to as many galleries and museums as possible to see art. And then a good friend who is also a painter (and she studied painting in college) said that her professor used to tell her that for every hour you make art you should spend an hour looking or studying art. I have made that a habit.

The Souper Dress – Boston Museum of Fine Art

Here are some examples of art that I have studied. These photos are from my trip last year to the Boston Museum of Fine Art. I took many pictures and pull them up on my computer and look at them over and over. Many times the things I “study” are not necessarily paintings as I have shown you here. I love to see other types of creativity. I especially love the “Calder Cow”!

The Calder Cow – Boston Museum of Fine Art

For instance, the floral arrangement was a special show the garden clubs in the Boston area were doing on this particular day that I was at the MFA. They did arrangements that interpreted a painting or work of art. It was interesting to see because obviously they had to look closely at a work to pull out their interpretation.

So to be a better painter don’t just spend more time painting. Also spend more time looking and studying art of all types. You’ll see a difference in your work.

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Lexie’s Best Sweet Onion Dip

Posted in Recipes, tagged onion dip, onion dip recipe, onion side dish, sweet onion dip, sweet onion dip recipe, Vidalia onion dip on January 5, 2013| 1 Comment »

At Thanksgiving this year my niece Lexie made the best dip. I can’t quit thinking about it. Maybe it’s because I am trying to eat healthier this new year but I made an exception last night and whipped up this wonderful onion concoction for supper. I am pretty sure it’s not suppose to be a main dish but it’s just that good! And the really great news is it is so simple to make.

Lexie explained to me as she was writing out the recipe that any sweet onion would do but of course, we use Vidalia’s being from Georgia!

Lexie’s Sweet Onion Dip

3 cups chopped sweet (Vidalia) onions

16 oz. cream cheese

5 oz. Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together and Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until it’s bubbly around the edges. Enjoy with pita chips, crackers, chips.

Thanks Lexie. You know I love this recipe!

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New Year with Young Artists

Posted in Art Class, tagged acrylic, Art Class, art lessons, Blue Ridge Arts Council, Virginia Artist on January 4, 2013| Leave a Comment »

The Young Artists started off the year with a great winter painting of a cardinal.

Great job everyone!

If you have a young artist, ages 7-12, that might like to paint with us, contact kwalker@kellywalkerstudios.com to sign them up. We’d love to paint with them.

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Thinking Outside the Lines

Posted in daily painter, Dogs, tagged acrylic, Coloring book, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, pet portrait, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist on January 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Coloring Book Dogs

Several years ago I did this painting I call “Coloring Book Dogs” after I watched a kid at a doctors office coloring in a book there. He was not at all concerned about the lines as he gleefully put color on every item on the page. Each item was a different solid color with the color running outside the lines. That made me think, “Why don’t we all color outside the lines still? Why are we always so careful when we color/paint?” When I painted this piece with the dogs and a couple of others with other subjects (you can see them here) I had a great time. It was fun! So this year I am going to attempt to “color outside the lines a little more”. How about you?

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Miss Paisley

Posted in Dogs, tagged acrylic, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, pet portrait, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist on January 2, 2013| 2 Comments »

This is Paisley. She is my niece, Lexie’s, dog although I suspect she is more her mom’s dog. I did a silhouette painting of her. Just a quick and fun format for pets like this. The canvas was 20″x30″ and I painted it in acrylic.