Here's a fun notice from Gwen Hawley. Congratulations, Gwen!

Hello to all, 

I’m pleased to announce that Sandi Olson has asked me to take over her watercolor class permanently in South Jordan at the Community Center. Classes will remain on the first and last Fridays of the month at 10 AM, as they’ve been throughout my short substitute phase while Sandi was away.  I hope that will be workable for everyone’s schedules.  (Sandi will be back soon from her 2-month bicycle ride across country, and will continue with the oil painting class at the Center on Tuesdays. She’s also going to be teaching at the Heritage Center in Murray on Wednesdays. Many of you may have followed her journey via Facebook song the way.)

I’ve attached a photo of our subject for next week’s class. I’ll bring this painting to class and the reference I used to paint it.  I just did minimal sketching here — indicating the mountain range in the background, the pathway and rocks in the foreground, and lightly earmarking the different areas for shrubbery, and the trees beyond.  Most of the “pop” will happen in the shrubbery with contrasts between darks and lights of Fall color. The best part of this is it’s looseness, with a little negative painting thrown in. Looseness tends to happen best on a sheet of 140lb. paper or heavier, at least 1/4 sheet size — approx. 11” X 15”.    (The smaller the paper, the tighter you’re likely to be.) And be sure to bring a square-top brush (Aquarelle or angled), and a larger round brush at least an 8 or 10. Both of which I used almost exclusively to do this painting.

As Ian Ramsey has so wisely said, and what sticks with me often is . . . "this is not rocket science!”  It should be FUN! Right?  Let’s relax and get ready to do some loose dropping-in of colors, letting the water and paper do their work.  We’ll get this started on the 29th, and finish up October 6th.

Hope to see you all on the 29th at 10 AM !

Gwen