Paintings With Soul

A simple 6" x 6" study done in last week's workshop, featuring a Dum Dum lollipop (it IS Halloween, after all!). This exercise was to demonstrate simple blending techniques with acrylics, and to show how to achieve a variety of marks, INCLUDING SMALL ONES (but not brushy-brushy small ones, because those are worst than a firey rash), with a large brush. Inquiries to me , and thank you so much. "Do as I say, not as I do," say's the woman with her paint brush in her mouth and her fingers in the paint And yes, I open paint tubes with my teeth. I have lots of bad habits. But I also have a few gems of knowledge I'm happy to share with those who will listen. Tomorrow is Day Two of our color and brushwork intensive. I'm happy to report there were no tears in Day One, although there was a knitted brow or two and some most excellent questions. And I'm loving having an audience who's interested in talking abo...

Demo-ing the idea of blocking in quickly, photo courtesy of Douglas Nelson Photography   Last weekend I had the distinct priviledge of painting with a baker's dozen. Artists, that is. (Although painting donuts would be a lot of fun (a la Kelley Macdonald ), hmmm.) Not to be sidetracked by cruellers, I was truly impressed by the work ethic and attitude these painters possessed - I pushed them far out of their comfort zones and they didn't complain one tiny bit. Warm thanks to The Craft Shack for hosting our days, and many hugs going out to my new students and friends. See what they did  and find out how you can be a part of the paint slinging . It's rumored I'll be returning to the Orlando area to teach again next year. I'm making a mental note to add donuts to our list of still life props! Thanks for following along with my artwork,  Kim  ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

PLEASE NOTE: If you would like me to come teach in your neck of the woods, shoot me an email and we can talk about it! Thank so much! Kim Santini

Can you believe that after all the abuse I doled out, my students were kind enough to take me cowboy boot shopping? How lucky I am.      Dear Students,   It never fails, the night before a workshop, I am plagued with doubt and question whether I can share a single morsel of useful info. I dread having to push all of you out of your comfort zones. I'm terrified someone will curl up in a corner in the fetal position much like I did at one of my first intensive classes. I'm even more frightened of being asked a question I can't answer. Or a student walking out and never coming back.   So thank you for stroking my ego. You said I taught some rather key ideas, there was a little balking but no tears (at least not in the classroom), and I think I did a pretty good job fielding questions. And I didn't lose a single person (at least not physically).   And for all you said you were going home to practice and continue studying, let me ...

Above, my brown bag demo painting, and at bottom, a handful of my students' paintings. Aren't they just phenomenal?   Did you miss me?   I've been a busy, busy beaver, leading a mess of crazy fun women on a color mixing adventure, lecturing about marketing and branding, waking up beachside  to the most glorious northern Michigan sunrises, and enjoying some Traverse City wines.   I had such a good time with my new friends - I worked them hard, but there wasn't an ounce of complaining. They rose to the occasion over and over again, and surprised even themselves with the caliber of work they created (I KNEW they had it in them!).   THANK YOU to the Art Center Traverse City and to my remarkable art-eests - I've been invited to come back next summer, and hope to share a glass of Nasty Red with you again!    And tomorrow I want to get to my brushes and paint!!   Thanks so much for following along with my art...

A still life exercise in my studio - white is NEVER really white - look at all the orange and pink and blue in this jar of marshmallow fluff. NO PURE WHITE!! One of the exercises we'll be doing at Art Center Traverse City this weekend.   I plan on painting later tonite, but today I'm still caught up in preparing the household to be self-sufficient for 5 days, which means another checklist altogether.   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

photo courtesy of Sharon Passmore   Prepare class timeline Review exercises, verify demos for each - if not on hand, create, tag, and include Review slideshow/presentation materials - update as needed Refresh bibliography and assemble workbooks Print out extra worksheets Pack props, including candies and treats (purchase fresh) Pack tools, brushes, paints, panels Revise and print out scripts for directed content Prepare demo references Select finished paintings to match/illustrate lesson plans - wrap carefully Verify destination - program GPS Pack personal effects Review 100 times and make sure nothing's been forgotten Stop on way there and purchase whatever's been forgotten Wednesday I collect  Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson  from the airport, and we head to Traverse City together (she's teaching this weekend too). Thursday the madness begins for both of us and our "kids."   I get tingley just thinking about it - I love teaching! ...

  My Color Partners in Crime, attendees from the LAAG's Getting Fresh workshop in Baton Rouge this last week         Pics from all 4 days of  the Louisiana Art and Artists Guild (LAAG) workshop  are on  the studio's Facebook page  – I pushed these ladies hard, and look at how forced (!!!) their smiles are.   For many, this was their first attempt at acrylics, too, in addition to having all sorts of new concepts thrown their way. They deserve medals of honor for putting up with me. (I did hear something about wringing my neck at one point....)   And despite how mean and rotten a teacher I was, whipping them into a harmonic color mixing frenzy, they sent me home with the dearest gift.   A treasured cookbook of southern favorites.   Filled with signatures and inscriptions recounting all the fun we had.   I am so lucky to count them among my friends!   I miss y...

  10 Minute Tootsies - the idea is that the artist has 10 minutes to create a study and capture the essence of one still life object. Sort of like gesture drawings, but done in paint.     Today I began designing my lesson plan for next week's  4 day painting workshop  in Baton Rouge. Sure, it would be far simpler for me to teach the exact same thing each time I ran a workshop, but since I learn so much from day to day with my own work, I feel like it's only fair that I revamp and refresh my workshop contents regularly, too.   So I reviewed all my favorite exercises, created a few new ones, and grouped them based on the two topics we are focusing on heaviest - color and brushwork.   And I'll spend this afternoon working up new demos and collecting props/materials.   I can't WAIT to reveal the exercises to my students! It's like Christmas!!   Thanks so much for following my artwork and enjoy your weekend...

    "Sadie Belle," a commissioned portrait of a mixed breed dog, image roughly 5" x 6" on an 8" x 10" paper, done in acrylics, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries may come  to me .   Sadie found her family via the SPCA - they thought they wanted a lab mix, but she didn't have to work hard at all to get them to change their minds and open their hearts to a border collie-terrier mix.   This portrait is another gift (do you detect a trend here?). Yes I accept commissions, can work something up in secret, or deliver a gift certificate all on the sly.  Email me for the deets.   Thanks for supporting me and my dream of being a working artist, Kim  ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com     P S  End of school year: 2.5 days and counting. Start of vacation: 2.51 days and counting.   Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson's "Clarissa Crab," used with permission ...

The front porch of the Orion Art Center (Lake Orion, Michigan), where I proudly hung the banner for June's exhibition, featuring Painting a Dog a Day pieces accompanied with bits of the "Happily Ever After" exhibit I hung at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary last summer. Tonite's the nite! From 7-9pm, I will be demonstrating my painting technique and fielding (hopefully art-related) questions from those in attendance. No reservations necessary. Donations at the door will benefit the Oakland Pet Adoption Center . This Saturday, I'll lead the fearless deeper into my happy little world of color and expressive brushwork. My workshop " Mixing Color - Not Mud " will introduce exercises and techniques that build confidence and color knowledge. To enroll in "Mixing Color - Not Mud," please call the OAC directly - 248-693-4986. All of this will happen against a backdrop of nearly 50 Dog a Day paintings. A big tail-wagging thanks to the Orion Art Center...

The kids, all hard at work on their paintings - I was so pleased to see their delight in learning a few new tricks!! This past Saturday I had the distinct pleasure of premiering my brand spankin' new Painting Workshop " Mixing Color - Not Mud " in New Baltimore (Michigan).** The artists in attendance raved about their experience, which pleased me to no end - particularly after seeing their shocked faces when I asked them, first thing in the morning, to create 10 minute paintings!! The program is an ambitious collection of exercises structured to build confidence at the easel while improving the artists' perception and use of color in their own art. The consensus was an overwhelming thumbs up (and those thumbs were a variety of harmonious color by the end of the day!). I am very excited to offer this workshop again right in my own stomping grounds. " Mixing Color - Not Mud " will run it's first repeat performance this Saturday, June 11th, at the Ori...

You are cordially invited to come spend a day in the studio with me, learning some vibrant color mixing techniques and practicing "loosening up" exercises. Click on the above image for a larger view. Hope to paint with you! Kim Santini ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Last night I led a group of 15 brave-hearted artists in a workshop focused on painted pet portraits. These "kids" were amazing - for some of them, this was their first time using acrylics, their first time painting an animal, and/or their first time painting loosely. They tackled the assignment with vigor and attitude and laughter. And I've gotta say, the results were spectacular! Scroll down for more photos of the fun! I shared my techniques for painting loosely, with a focus on expressive brushwork and using lots of bold (yet still harmonious) color. We discussed the elements of a strong composition, how to best accent the focal point, learned some color mixing approaches and a little bit of color theory. The most important thing to me was that everyone learned something new which they could carry into their own method of working. Even I came home with some new tidbits! A special thank you to the Anchor Bay Artists' Group for inviting me out. And an extra war...