To see this painting in process, click on the below:
Dear Artists and Readers,
Time for me to fess up on all I've learned in the years I have been creating artistic things. At this point in my life I consider myself a fine artist, having practiced and studied and "paid my dues" so to say through rejection, disappointments, volunteering in many artistic venues, marketing, curating and setting up shows, serving in many positions in art clubs--including president, creating a club of my own in plein air, teaching, lecturing, demoing, painting people, places, things, indoors and out, and participating in hundreds of shows and artistic venues, in addition to holding memberships in many art organizations. So I've done it all and had a ball in the process.
I also have a knack for inventing and organizing: organizing my tools and workspace, in order to make my own art experiences fun and free of stress. This blog will be all about making your artlife more productive, orderly, fun and less stressful. The mission of every artist is to create. For me, in order to be free to create, my work space must be comfortable, convenient, stress-free, and organized. Otherwise I can't paint.
I had thought about doing a blog like this for a long time, and today when I was figuring out how to have two of my oil painting brushes sit suspended in a puddle of Murphy's Oil Soap, it quickly came to me that it's time I share the first of many ideas I've had that make my art life more productive and fun. Silly as it is, day #1, here is my first post on June 8th, 2017, which happens to be my daughter Tracy Burgarella's birthday.
BRUSH CLEANER HOLDER
Forgot to thoroughly clean my oil painting brushes after a painting demo at the Club (Sebastian River Art Club) last week, and by the time I discovered it they were hardened. Someone told me to use Murphy's Oil Soap, and it worked like a charm! I soaked them in it overnight and all but 2 came out fine. So for these two--part of my collection of favorite brushes--I'm giving the Special treatment with my "tender" brush-holder, which keeps the bristles away from laying on the bottom of the glass where the tips could get curled. Here's what you need and how to do it:- A small, narrow-bottomed glass
- A styrofoam cup
- Brush cleaner (I used Murphy's Oil Soap)
- Scissors
1. Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup with the scissors, smaller than the width of the brush.
2. Push the brush up into the cup.
3. Position cup on top of the glass with the brush poked through
4. Adjust the brush so that bristles hang just above the bottom of glass
5. Remove cup and pour just enough cleaner inside to cover bristles to ferrule
6. Replace cup and brush into glass, making sure all bristles are covered
Leave overnight, then wash brush with your usual cleaner.
PHOTO HOLDER
This little ditty I found at a garage sale. It is a homemade whachamacalit, that I felt
somehow I could put to good use. It actually is a car antennae stuck in a wood plaque, with it's top curled into a "U". On its end is a clip, and the antennae scopes from 10" to 34". I soon found a use for it, as pictured here. I can't tell you how
handy it is to a painter. It enables me to place
the photo so close to my canvas, at any level I
need, and any angle I need. Simple, cheap, low-tech lightweight ... Perfect! Here's what you need:
1. Old car antennae (Ebay? Junkyard?)
2. Clip (fishing, hardware or craft store)
3. Wood base (craft store, Walmart?)
4. Glue
NOTE: Some of my students have made their
own holders, copying this idea, with much
success, and they love it too!
Hope these tips and tricks help you, and stay tuned for more ideas--and please pass it on!
Judy Burgarella
Blogger
