Bonnie Brahms

www.brahms-art.us

 

Watercolor Workshop

FULL 3 days of intense watercolor applications

$135 per day or ALL 3 DAYS for $375.00

 

 

 

Bonnie Brahms is offering a watercolor workshop, at the Stagecoach Gallery Retreat, July 25, 26, 27 2014.

Have you always wanted to work in watercolor but just weren't exactly sure how to begin?

Did you realize you stretch the paper, much like canvas, so the substrate remains taut while you work wet over it?
What kind of paper is used? Hot or Cold press...all these decisions!

Bonnie is going to help you make better sense of the choices and understand why you choose hot or cold pressed paper,  what the grams weights refer to...and that is just for starters!

Day 1
is ALL about the materials used when proceeding in watercolor application.
preparing the paper, choosing the paint and which brushes work the best.

The day's exercise will be understanding value. (this is a HUGE part of any painting process) She will be focusing on the gray scale.
Then working from the chart you create, a small painting will emerge using what you learned from the day.

Day 2
is about unleashing color!

The power color initiates and the mood the color effects.
She will speak of Hue, Local color, Shade, Temperature, Tint, Tone and Value.
Learn to mix color and see the color through transparency, grainy or opaque. 
How to make a chart and grid from the mix.  And watch how pigments move differently with the water.

Using a limited palette, learn how to mix and execute a small study to understand color, reflected light, and local color.
Learn to understand the rules of contrast. 
Light next to dark, warm next to cool, intense pure color next to dull, hue next to hue, wet areas, blends against dry crisp areas.

There is a LOT of study day 2!

Day 3
Making a sketch book journal.

Keeping notes is HUGE in experimentation, working through studies, making plans to execute a painting. 
References are one of the most important aspects.
Especially when you get involved in mixing your own paints.

Bonnie is going to cover note writing, keeping your list of ideas and creative projects, (become a bit organized in processes)
Doodle, sketch and draw...on location!

She will go through her methods and what she uses and help you come up with a workable plan.

Creating a travel workshop...what is best to carry and keeping it at a minimum.

She is going to help you find your subject and learn methods that help minimize the overwhelming grand view.
To get started on your painting.

Then, you are going on location!
Pulling all the lessons together and become more confident in executing your watercolor painting.

This is a JAM packed workshop.  You won't want to miss.  IF you have wanted to work in watercolors but, are just not figuring out what is what, where to start, what to use...THIS is your answer. 

Want to work through some exercises and become refreshed in watercolor, reconnect with the canvas, resonate with nature, free up your inner spirit.
This is the retreat to attend!

 

Come Join us July 25, 26, 27 2014. Take class with 4 distinct instructors working in their recognized fields.

Bonnie Brahms www.brahms-art.us watercolor
Chris Cernetisch www.pastelchris.com pastel painting
Chad Phillips www.chadphillipsphotography.com photography
Mary Hunt www.maryshuntstudio.com traditional glass staining

Direct questions and sign up to:
Mary email- mshemeral@midstatesd.net
phone- 605-337-2308
At the Stagecoach Gallery Platte, SD

The retreat is being held at River Hills Lodge East
located 3 miles south of town
limited space for accommodations are available, inquire if you are interested.
additional accommodations available in town

We look forward to seeing you there!

thank you for looking!

As You Drive Up...The Retreat..

As I wait for Bonnie and Chad to finish getting me their outline for their classes.  I thought I would show you where the retreat July 25, 26, 27th is being held. 

This is a beautiful place.  Imagine it lush and green and the grasses in the fields grown.  The trees green.  You need to look into the future, this picture is taken today in the middle of the winter!.

Come summer, the fields will have some growth from their planted crop.  You might gaze out and see the deer feeding, at the very least the pheasants.  There are wooded trails, a huge pond all kinds of features that will be perfect for sketching and painting.

The inside of the lodge is gorgeous.  By day the living space will hold a class, probably Chads photography class, since his medium is the least messy.
The other classes are located in one of the other 2 buildings.

A communal kitchen is available for use, but there will not be any served meals.  Town is but 3 miles away and there many delicious eating establishments and a full stocked grocery store.

8 bedrooms, sharing 2 beds and a bathroom, each room.  The first 16 people interested in staying AT the lodge must be willing to share the room, or pay double.  Additionally there are 2 hotels in town and several BandB's.  This information will be forthcoming.

In the evening plan to kick back and resonate the day with the fellow participants around the fire-pit.
You can bring along your favorite evening beverage and store them in the bar area just off the fire-pit.

Come fully prepared for a stimulating yet relaxing weekend surrounded by nature, comrades that will begin friendships, imparting wonderful skills and knowledge.

Come to The Stagecoach Retreat

July 25, 26, 27 2014

 

contact:  Mary email- mshemeral@midstatesd.net

 

to join

 

Chad Phillips www.chadphillipsphotography.com photography

Chris Cernetish www.pastelchris.com pastel painting

Mary Hunt www.maryshuntstudio.com staining the glass

Bonnie Brahms watercolors

 

We look forward to seeing you here!

The BIG Lamp Reveal

Here are the final results of the lampshade and the story I hope to portray.
As you saw in the last post the paint is fired onto the lamp from the inside. This means there is NOTHING painted on the outside of the lamp. You gaze at the image when the lamp is lit. Unlit it just appears as shadows. Lamps are incredibly hard to photograph...and then I went through a gazillion images until I decided on these.
The first image shows life on the trail for the homesteader pioneering west to their piece of land...indicated with a Homestead Ticket..which is shown in the next image.

Along the way many didn't make it...indicated with the memory of a grave marker. Other places on the lamp are snippets of journals, as many pioneers documented their journey.
The grass was tall in these times usually 6 ft!

If you look at the left portion of this image and the right portion of the next image you get a sense of the 4th side..."the sod family" which is being featured in a guest post with Anne Gaal. Until then I promised to show that side (in its entirety)



In the meantime here is side 3 the journey made with the wagon, that often was home a bit longer after they made their destination.

Life as a pioneer was extreme.
Extreme bouts of weather
Extreme losses
Extreme dangers

I live in relative comfort in SD and I can admit I would not have fared well as "pioneer stock"
I probably would have made it some how...but I would have complained a LOT!

Reverse Shade Continued

okay well it has been so long!! I reversed the top and bottom image
the line image is the shade after it has been fired from the matte step and I am now ready to begin adding color

i know it has been forever!
getting to know the new camera has been a challenge for me
that coupled with the Internet issues here in Texas
i have suffered quite the patience curve
we bought a booster antenna and that has helped
some

the color palette is fairly limited that i work with
these low firing paints are extremely expensive
so i chose colors that could be mixed and thus i have a fair palette to work with....

these were the colors i used
the green, pink, orange, white, red and blue
all mix well with squeegee oil that makes a paint like elixir
fired onto the crystal



and you get the top picture
not this one
the painted side fired and ready to look at through the other side!

well I have since finished the lamp
so look for that blog post

i learned that with a slow connection
a person MUST change the size on their pictures

i am spoiled, apparently, in SD to high speed internet
I didn't know

but I have missed y'all and hope you have a good new beginning to another year
:)

Reverse Lampshading Process...

I like the shape of a crystal lampshade, so I purchase them, which this is...lets walk through the process of reverse painting with glass on glass in traditional techniques for museum quality. Using a special mix of paint with fine ground glass and an added amount of flux so the kiln can embed these elixirs at a lower temperature keeping my shades shape, we begin with what is called the line drawing. This is painted on the inside of the shade in the reverse pattern of your intended drawing.

I am showing just 2 sides of the shade. The fist one is a pioneer family in front of their sod house...the second image is on the trail setting up camp for supper...

this becomes the first kiln firing..

Next I totally black matte the inside of the shade.

This shows the inside totally black...then with scrub brushes and picks I gently remove the matted paint to give details to the images.

This takes hours depending on how much detail you wish to portray...I am keeping it simple since the images are not going to have a lot of designs on clothes and that sort of thing they used homespun fabrics and basic basic living utensils

The letters Yous view are portraying a homestead certified ticket which would give the homesteader their location to stop...also a portion of journal recording the trip...here you can see how the scrubbed areas respond to the matte being removed...this is the same portion above "on the trail stopping for supper"

and the pioneer family in front of their sod house...

tomorrow this fires in the kiln and sets the matte process into the glass..next is color!

AEDM day 11

Well today I worked more on the panel restoration even tho I didn't get all that far

but

instead of the same pictures as yesterday here is a face for a church window I have done for a church here in town

Christ in the Garden

I have been slow most of today

i am hoping for more energy tomorrow

thank you for coming by and for keeping up with the AEDM postings

I truly appreciate your visit and comment

happy evening

AEDM day 6

Today was just beautiful outside! TOTALLY unusual for here this time of year.
That isn't the reason I didn't get very far in my painting though.

I kinda experienced some issues with it and thought about ditching it...then I began fixing on it...so I don't really want to show it until tomorrow after I might have a chance to go further on it...sooo

Here is a hankie bowl in pastel...
Same techniques as in the previous bowl. Using powders and frits and vitreous stains and enamels with the kiln heat become permanent
to the design.


The top pictures gives an idea of the height and the bottom picture shows more of the detail...I don't think i brought it to the viewers attention, as with the other bowl both sides view the same.
Each of these bowls began on clear glass.

So I hope you had a wonderful day ...
Thank you for dropping in
:)