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Please Donate an article for our readers. It could be something about your painting experiences, the area you live in, travel, or your recent discoveries. We would love to hear from you!

Our "Art & Artists Gadget" Part of the Google Universe!

The Google Desktop Gadget, a big hit on Google, is up and running and anyone, globally, as previously mentioned, can add it to their Google Search Home page by simply clicking the + sign underneath, It is also on our ARTIST page for your preview; just click and it will automatically appear under your Google search page. Any artist who wishes their artwork to be displayed let me know. For more info [ click here ]
-- Theresa Quirk

PAINTING COMPANIONS for EXCURSIONS / TRIPS

Interested in taking a trip with a fellow artist? Send in your requests for a companion.

Ireland... Anywhere!

Open, anytime. Contact Theresa Quirk via
Theresa is open to trips anywhere painting is good.

Scotland... Anyone?

Michael Chesley Johnson is planning for an 2008 excursion to Scotland's beautiful Isle of Skye! We already have many interested! Let us know if you want to be notified when we have finalized plans. Most likely, we'll stay in Portree. More details will be posted soon. Painting members are limited to 12. Non-painting spouses and "significant others" welcome. [ more info ]

NEW Artists

Valerie Craig / Southeastern Pennsylvania

Valerie Craig has drawn and painted nearly all her life. Her oil and watercolor paintings are suffused with soft light and convey a sensitive approach. Craig's subject matter is well-rounded and includes still-life, landscapes and street scenes.

On June 23rd-30th, she will be hosting a workshop in Clre Ireland at the Burren Painting Center in Clare Ireland . http://www.burrenpaintingcentre.com

{ Read more about Valerie ]

Monica Linville Laird / Puerto Rico

Monica paints Representational with what she considers expressionistic color choices. She tends to paint organic themes...rainforest, foliage, figures....as opposed to cityscapes. She Lives in Puerto Rico.

[ Read more about Monica ]

PROVENCE, FRANCE with g.a. Sheller
June 9-16, 2007
g.a. Sheller is presently teaching a painting course in Hilton Head, SC, having moved her studio to this location from Rochester, NY for the months of Feb. and March. She will be teaching a painting workshop in Provence, France from June 9 to 16, 2007. The workshop will take place as we have a suffiecient number of students signed up to participate. However, we can accommodate a few more students. I will also be teaching a workshop in Canandaigua, NY, one of the beautiful Finger Lake towns of upstate NY this summer. The dates are July 13 to 15, 2007. This is a plein air workshop with a wonderful rain location. One can't beat the Finger Lakes area of NY in July!
For more i nfo and join GA, visit her web site at http://www.gasheller.com/workshops.htm

Valerie Craig in Clare Ireland
June 23rd-30th
Burren Painting Center
Valerie will be hosting a workshop in Clare, Ireland at the Burren Painting Center in LISDOONVARNA, Ireland. Situated in the Spa town of Lisdoonvarna , in scenic North Clare . A wonderful location for exploring the 100 square miles of the famous Burren and Atlantic coastline just nearby. WEB: http://www.burrenpaintingcentre.com
[ more info on Valerie ]

Plein Air Painting Workshops at Campobello Island, Maine with Michael Chesley Johnson
All July-September... CHECK AVAILABLE WEEKS
Michael is reserving summer and fall of 2007 on Campobello Island to offer en plein air workshops. Both oil and pastel are welcome, and every level of student, from beginner to advanced, will benefit from his classes. (However, some prior painting experience is necessary.) Go to the bottom of this page for signup information and also read our FAQs page. Campobello Island is just over the bridge from Lubec, Maine, and only 2 1/2 hours from Bar Harbor or the Bangor International Airport. Lodging and dining are plentiful on Campobello Island. [ more info ]


Tropical Foliage in the Puerto Rico Landscape with Monica Linville
July 7-10, 2007
Artist Monica Linville Laird invites you to join her at her studio in the mountains of eastern Puerto Rico for a 3 day workshop in oil painting. Focusing on the development of depth and perspective using color and value theory, the classes will use the verdant foliage and vistas surrounding the artist’s studio as the subject matter....More info

Monicas web site: www.monicalinvillelaird.com

Plein Air Easton Competition & Arts Festival
July 22- 29, 2007
Come witness the dynamic painting competition and festival that is "Plein Air - Easton!" Explore one of the most picturesque small art towns on the East Coast while interacting with some of the nation's top plein air painters. For more info see: http://www.pleinair-easton.com

ARTICLES

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If you took all the pigments in the color spectrum and mixed them together, what color would you make?

Every spring, Gamblin Artists Colors collects a wealth of pigments from our Torit® Air Filtration system. We filter the air around the areas where we handle dry pigments so that our workers are not exposed to pigment dust. Rather than sending any of our high quality, expensive pigments into the landfill, Gamblin paint makers recycle them into "Gamblin Torrit Grey".

Our Torrit Grey store promotion, which runs each year through the end of April in celebration of Earth Day, not only recycles pigment dust into paint but focuses artists on the importance of recycling, studio and environmental safety. Complimentary 37ml tubes of Torrit Grey are only available while supplies last through your local fine art materials retailer. Last year, we distributed more than 5,000 tubes of Torrit Grey! Limitations are often your greatest creative assets and it is remarkable what talented artists can achieve with a color palette limited to white, or black and Torrit Grey.

The Torrit Grey Painting Competition, conducted annually in the Fall, attracts more entries every year. In 2006, we received over 100 submissions from painters willing to take the challenge of making a value based painting using only Torrit Grey and any black or white oil paint. The competition is judged by Robert Gamblin and the winners receive a supply of Gamblin Artists' materials.

[ read more ay Gamblin ]

ARTISTS ON THE MOVE
Hudson RIver Painting Expedition with Patti Ferrara

Haines Falls, New York, May 18, 2007 “Pack Your Pallet” is the newest offering from the Mountain Top Historical Society (MTHS) of Greene County to encourage painting in the great tradition of the Hudson River School of Art. Starting on July 11 and on six subsequent Wednesdays, artists will meet at 9 a.m. at the Red Barn on the Society’s campus on Rt. 23A in Haines Falls. Proposed destinations include the MTHS Campus on Rt. 23A (July 11), the Catskill Mountain House site (July 18), South Lake Beach (July 25), North Lake Beach (August 1), Olana (August 8), North-South Lake Loop One (August 15) and the Mountain Top Arboretum (August 22). All artists, accomplished and beginners alike, are welcome to join in Plein Air (out-of-doors) painting from some of the area’s most remarkable vantage points.

The art hikes will be led by artist Patti Ferrara, who is well-known for capturing many moods and hues in her remarkable landscapes. Ferrara is a practiced plein air painter who often works on location in the scenic places her luscious landscapes depict. Ferrara says she paints on site whenever possible, “to better capture the mood and beauty of our good Earth”. Her solo and select-group exhibition credits include venues throughout the Hudson Valley, such as Half Moon Studio in Saugerties, the Catskill Gallery in Catskill, the Woodstock Artist Association, Twilight Park’s Annual Invitational Art Show, and the Hunter Public Library.

This summer’s season of painting will culminate in the Mountain Top Historical Society’s annual art exhibition in the Red Barn. All local artists and the artists who joined in the art hikes this summer are invited to participate in the show. The theme is “Artists in the Mountains - A Celebration of Asher B. Durand”. Of all the Hudson River School painters, Durand was the most ardent advocate of letting nature be the artist’s guide. “Go to nature to learn to paint landscapes,” he advises. His detailed sketches were used by other artists as well. In the spirit of Durand, the 2007 MTHS art show will focus fittingly on Catskill Mountain landscapes in oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel or pencil; original prints or mixed media. Entry forms and show guidelines can be downloaded from the Mountain Top Historical Society website at www.mths.org or call (518) 678-9968. Entry deadline is August 4, 2007.

The Mountain Top Historical Society was established in 1974 to promote interest in and increase knowledge of the area known as "The Mountain Top" in the Northern Catskill Mountains. The Society encourages the study and preservation of the Mountain Top’s art, literature, history, culture, folklore, legends and environment by means of a variety of programs, activities and projects. The Society is a not-for-profit corporation and maintains the Mountain Top Visitor’s Center and the historic Ulster and Delaware train depot on its campus in Haines Falls, located on Route 23A at the gateway to the Mountain Top. For more information about membership in the Mountain Top Historical Society, its programs and events, please visit the website at www.mths.org., e-mail mttopinfo@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Photo Caption: Patti Ferrara, a landscape artist from Catskill, will lead a series of painting expeditions sponsored by the Mountain Top Historical Society. Participants will meet on Wednesdays in July and August to follow in the footsteps of the painters of the Hudson River School.

For More Information Contact: Robert Gildersleeve at 518-589-6657, email: mttopinfo@mths.org
or, Barbara Mattson at 518-734-5486

LL Bean now carries their very own, complete line of UPF Clothing and built-in bug protection at an affordable price. From a wide brimmed hat, shirts and pants you can find your entire painting wardrobe at LL Bean. The fabric is very lightweight even in the hottest sun, very breathable and is also very packable!

Originally developed for fly-fishing enthusiasts who demand superior protection and comfort under the tropical sun, this lightweight nylon/polyester blend shirt is just as comfortable for everyday hot-weather wear. Our unique synthetic fabric is airy and breathable – it feels like cotton, wicks perspiration and dries quickly, so it feels great even after a long day in humid weather.

It's also wrinkle resistant for travel. And unlike other lightweight shirts of similar fabrics, ours will protect you from the sun's ultraviolet rays, offering excellent UV protection, even when wet. All colors rated to Ultraviolet Protection Factor 40 (UPF is the equivalent of SPF for clothing). Imported. Machine wash and dry.

Say good-bye to annoying bugs... Bug Protection with BUZZ OFF Clothing ...

LL Bean also adds a line of Bug Protection. Invisible, odorless BUZZ OFF protection is bonded right to the fabric that effectively reduces the need for sprays and the fabric wicks away moisture to keep you dry

Stay cool, dry and bug free while painting at your favorite lake, stream or bay. Polyester jersey feels as soft as cotton and has special channeled fibers that move moisture to the outside of the fabric, away from your skin, where it evaporates quickly. This moisture-wicking action keeps you comfortable throughout your day. Available in US only. Imported. Machine wash and dry.

BUZZ OFF™ Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel provides reliable, proven protection from mosquitoes, ticks, no-see-ums and other biting insects – even Maine's savage black flies. Odorless and invisible, BUZZ OFF repellent is bonded to the clothing so there's no need to keep re-applying messy sprays. It's as easy as putting on a pair of pants or a shirt, and it's durable – BUZZ OFF protection continues to repel insects through 25 washings. As long as you are wearing BUZZ OFF apparel, you're protected.

Just do a search for BUZZ OFF or, Tropicwear at LLBean.com

Favorite DVD's & Books

We asked our fellow artists which books and DVD's were their favorites and here are some of their choices. Please share your experences and send in you favorite list or suggestions . .. we would love to hear from you!
[ read more ]

Editors Choice
DVD's. All Richard Schmid DVD's

D. Eleinne Basa
"Alla Prima " by Richard Schmid
DVD : Richard Schmid paints the landscape

Barbara (Bobbie) Maiser
Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting by John F. Carlson
Oil Painting Pure and Simple by Ron Ranson & Trevor Chamberlain
The Art of Landscape Painting by Paul Strisik

Marge Levine
DVD: Painting the Landscape in Pastel" by Anita West and Albert Handell.

Cathy Mabius

Composition of Outdoor Paintings, by Edgar Payne
Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, by John F. Carlson
How To See Color and Paint It, by Arthur Stern
Fill Your Paintings with Light and Color, by Kevin Macpherson
Landscape Paintng Inside and Out, by Kevin Macpherson

Healing Sleep Retreat in Costa Rica with Michael Krugman March 3-10, 2007 Spaces are still available for the Healing Sleep Retreat with Michael Krugman at Guaria de Osa in Costa Rica from March 3-10. We would love to have you join us. WEB: http://www.taoretreats.com Ireland Art Workshops and Vacations INFO HUB, Specialty Travel Guide

GREAT DEALS ON PRINTS We first introduced our fine art reproduction services since in 2002. It has been a great success here at Colossal Image Printing. The reason of our success is that we understand the printing process as well as the art itself. We have been reproducing original paintings as small as 4”X6” to as large as 120”X130”(yes, that’s almost 11ft tall!). WEB: http://colossalimage.com Please tell them where you found this!

IRELAND: Staying and Painting in the Burren
The Burren Painting Centre is based at O'Neills Town Home, approved by the Irish Tourist Board, situated in the Spa town of Lisdoonvarna, in scenic North Clare.  A wonderful location for exploring the 100 square miles of the famous Burren rockscapes and miles of spectacular Atlantic coastline just nearby. Galway City, the vibrant capital of the West lies 40 miles to the North. Numerous heritage sites are scattered throughout County Clare and other visitor attractions may be found at Bunratty, Shannon and Limerick City to the South.
[ read more ]

THE QUAN YIN EXPERIENCE WITH SHARON SMITH AND TIFFINY FYANS
JULY 14-23, 2007
AN EXCLUSIVE RETREAT FOR WOMEN
TAO GARDEN HEALTH RESORT
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
Visit www.taoretreats.com for further information and registration
or call 888-293-6771 in the US
or 212-243-6771 outside