Fall Watercolor class and Exhibits galore!

I can't believe I haven't posted since May! This summer was so busy with teaching arts camp and paint outs and I have not stopped moving since.  And of course with the Fall colors out now, I am painting as much as I can, racing the leaves before they drop.  Here's a new fall painting.

View of Hudson River from Port Ewen

My Fall Watercolor Class at the Town of Esopus Library starts next week on Saturday Oct. 18th. Here's the info.  Register as soon as possible if you can join in and let others know about it too.

Sat. Oct. 18, 25, Nov. 1, 8, 15 & 22nd    12:30pm-3:30pm 

Learn to paint in watercolor for the first time or continue to improve your skills.   Through demonstrations and individual instruction you will learn about using watercolor materials, techniques, composition, creating color values and more in a fun and supportive environment.  Beginners and painters at any level welcome.  Some previous drawing experience is helpful.  Material list provided upon registration.  Register in advance at the Esopus Library (845) 338-5580.  $150./ 6 classes or $30. /class).

What else have I been doing you may ask?  

Well besides teaching art play classes and kid's classes, I have art on display at four different locations! Choose the one closest to you to get a look at more art. 

In New Paltz, NY, I just brought new fall and winter paintings to the Gray Owl Gallery at Water Street Market. They will be on display in a group show for the next few months.

In Red Hook, NY  I have a solo exhibit till the end of October at the Bread and Bottle Bakery and Wine Bar.  This includes my paper quilt mixed media work and watercolor landscapes.

In Millbrook, NY The Cooper Finn Gallery has a stunning show of plein air art by Hudson Valley artists on exhibit up till next weekend.  It comes down on Oct. 19th.  I have paintings of area historic sites and gardens all done on location.  Here is one of them.

InnisFree Lotus Blossoms and Pond

In Stone Ridge, NY The Family Traditions Gallery and Gift Shop has some of my still life work as part of a Farm and Family exhibit which is up for the next month.  

And lastly, I have two new giclee prints available of the gorgeous landscape by the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY   They carry my prints and cards at the Gift shop, but of course you can also order them through my website at http://www.mirafink.com  Here is sneak preview of one of them.  You can also see the original of this one at the Gray Owl Gallery.  

Mohonk Winter Gazebo

Well that's all for now! Thanks for reading!!

The Mohonk Preserve Now Carries my Greeting Cards!!!!

News Flash - The Mohonk Preserve Visitor center in New Paltz, NY now carries my greeting cards! I did a set of 4 of my watercolor paintings of places on the Mohonk Preserve for them. Included are views of Bonticou Crag, Pitch Pines on the Milbrook Ridge Trail, A view of Clove Valley from the Undivided Lot trail and a winter view of the Coxing Kill just downstream from Split Rock. They are $4./each. Stop in and check them out. You can also buy cards from me directly too.  Leave me a message below or contact me via my website  www.mirafink.com contact page.

Here are the Preserve Paintings on the new Greeting Cards:

Bonticou Crag in Fall, Mohonk Preserve

Pitch Pines on Millbrook Ridge Trail, Mohonk Preserve

View of Clove Valley from The Undivided Lot Trail, Mohonk Preserve

Winter Stream, Coxing Kill, Mohonk Preserve

Student Show at Duck Pond Gallery a Huge Success!

Here's some of the artists who exhibited at the show. Some took my watercolor class and some took my Art Play class. 

Anita and Josh with Anita's art in the background.

A close up of some of the artists

Carolyn and her art
(wish there weren't so many reflections)

Amy K. and Jim and Amy's Fish painting

Amy M. and her art to her left. It is a collage print she did in Art Play class.

John and his painting, wish that there weren't so many reflections in this one too. 

Here is Jane and her daughter who is the subject of the painting between them.

Deb and her Sandpiper monoprint.  This was one of the projects she did in Art Play class. 

Thanks to everyone who came to the opening and contributed food and helped hang the show etc... If you haven't seen the show yet it will be up till April 26th at the Duck Pond Gallery, Town of Esopus library in Port Ewen, NY call 338-5580 for more info.

Want to be part of the next one? Take a class!!  Art Play class starts tonight at 6:30pm call 845-338-6503 to register. The next watercolor class starts April 26th. Register at the library. We will painting outdoors, weather permitting.  For more info go to classes at mirafink.com

Opening Reception for Student Show Tomorrow Apr. 5th!!!

"Kayaking at Paradox Lake" by Mira Fink  

Today is hanging day for our student show at the Duck Pond Gallery at the Town of Esopus Library.  We are putting up about 45 pieces of really excellent artwork by my Watercolor and Mixed Media Art Play students.  These are adult students who have taken classes in the last three years at any of the places that I have been teaching including the Esopus Library (Port Ewen, NY), The Art Society of Kingston, Family Traditions (in Stone Ridge, NY) and Woodland Pond Senior Residence in New Paltz, NY. Here are a few examples of the quality work you will see if you come to the reception which is April 5th 5-8pm at the Esopus Library's Duck Pond Gallery. Esopus Library 

 

Shorebird by Deb Welsch

Carousel by Jane Birmingham

Trees by Kristine Logan

Winter Meadow by Maggie MacDowell

Interested in taking a class? Sign up soon! The next Art Play class starts next Wed. April 9th at Family Traditions.  Call 845-338-6503 to register. Next Watercolor class starts Apr. 26th at the library.  For more info on classes and the show visit MiraFink.Com go to the classes or exhibits link. See ya at the show!!  I will post pictures after the opening.  

 

“Stream with Snowy Branch” Watercolor Process Demo By Mira Fink

I was inspired to do this painting during a winter walk on an exceedingly cold day.  I was out to find some comfort in nature, as my mother had died recently and I was feeling so sad.  I took many photographs of this stream, but chose only a few to paint.  The reason I chose this one was that I loved the snow covered branch hanging over the stream and the way the light was hitting some of the trees making them so bright, while other trees were deep in shadow.  It was almost like a heavenly light.  Here’s the photo I took that day; it was too cold to do any sketches on location. 

Back in the studio, I drew a value sketch first on drawing paper to understand the composition and make any adjustments and then drew with pencil again lightly on my watercolor block.  Did you notice I added a third tree branch on the right tree?

                

                                                    Value Drawing in my sketchbook                        

Next, I wet the paper and put in the first washes of the sky, the trees in the sun light and the stream.  I dropped in the color quickly while the paper was still wet in order to let the colors blend together.  I am careful to paint around the areas which I want to stay very light or white. 

First Wet on Wet Washes

Then I added some of the background trees on top of the light colored background.  I am having fun now exaggerating colors and letting colors blend while wet. The tree trunks have combinations of red, blues and browns.  I am working on the branch in front at the same time so that it relates color wise to the rest of the painting. 

        

                                      

Above, I have added more trees in the background and some shore details.  

Now, after spending a few hours shoveling a few feet of snow, it is time to get back to this painting and finish it.  I spend some time looking at the painting and thinking about what has to happen to make it work.  The stream needs to go all the way back.  Everything needs to get darker and some detail and subtle washes need to be added to the icy areas on the sides of the stream to distinguish them from the snow covered shore.  The background trees need just a little more definition. One challenge will be to maintain the color and brightness of the stream while adding some darker shadows. 

Here’s the finished painting.  I like the warm glow in the background trees and the colors in the stream. 

"Stream with Snowy Branch" 9x12 watercolor - will frame to 16x20

Hope you enjoyed this demonstration. To see more of my work go to my webpage www.mirafink.com or visit my blog mirafink.blogspot.com 

How do you connect with nature?

How do we connect with nature? For me it is as simple as going outdoors and reveling in it's beauty, letting my senses become alert to the sounds, the smells, the sight of the light, the colors around me.  And because I am an artist,  trying to capture some of that energy to take home.  My inspiration comes from that first moment of awe, when I see something that strikes me as beautiful.  And then I need to paint it. 

Well, perhaps not that simple, because in order to appreciate nature, we have to really be in it, not just outdoors with all the voices in our head; the lists of things to do, revisiting conversations with people where we second guess our words.   Focused internally on our worries, we can be out in nature and notice nothing. 

I am going to share a new painting and how my connecting with nature inspires my works of art. I welcome your thoughts on this subject.   

"Autumn View from Mohonk Mt. House Carriageway"

16x20 watercolor

I caught sight of this breathtaking vista while walking on a Carriage Road at the Mohonk Mountain House resort in New Paltz, N.Y. I immediately was drawn to paint it.  I loved the bright yellow tree and the flaming reds that the Blueberry leaves turn in the Fall.  I wanted to capture the white rocks, contrasting with the dark green Pines and the sense of being on top of the world looking way out into the distance.   I was on a hike with a friend that day, so had to settle for taking photos instead of painting on location.  It is that first glance at something striking, that catching of my breath that is the impetus for me to paint.  To capture a piece of this in a painting is like taking home a part of nature, an attempt to recreate that moment of joy.  

This painting derived from that moment; the memory of it preserved with the photos taken that day.   For one reason or another, it did not get painted in the Fall.  Instead, the drawing has been on my watercolor block for months awaiting the next stage.  Last week I finally picked it up and started it, which is is how I found myself today reliving fall in the dead of winter.  I hope you enjoyed  "Autumn View from Mohonk Carriageway".  

To see more of my paintings or purchase originals, prints or cards, visit my website at   www.mirafink.com