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By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
To Draw, To Sketch, Drawing, Sketching, A Drawing, A Sketch.
I’ve been thinking about the difference between the act of drawing and sketching. And, I’ve been considering the finished products: a sketch and a drawing.
Defining the Difference Between Sketch & Draw.
Truthfully, I find it a struggle to come up with an easy way to describe the difference between the two that fits all cases.Or even most cases.Even still, a definition that might give me a “litmus” type test for what is a drawing and what is a sketch.
Shades of Gray.
You see, I tend to find myself thinking of exceptions.That is, I think the terms shades of gray. This is not a particularly helpful approach, however, when one wants to define something.
An Analogy.
But, I did think of analogy that may shed some light.Perhaps sketching is like writing short notes.Taking the analogy further, perhaps a finished drawing is more like a novel or a biography. It was the notes that you did during the research process that enabled you to write the novel or biography. Therefore, the act of drawing is like more in-depth drafts and finished writings of poetry, novels, biographies and so forth. Whereas, sketches are a type of research for that in-depth study or finished piece of art.
Time.
Another difference one might consider is time needed to produce the work. Sketches may be thought of as faster types of drawings. One works in haste to capture the essentials of the subject in a few minutes. On the other hand, a drawing might be a slower, more deliberate type of drawing. It might take hours, days or weeks to complete.
To Draw – Umbrella Term?
To my mind, I see the verb “to draw” as the umbrella term because it means to pull a mark across the surface.The result then is a drawing.To sketch, and the resultant sketch, would bea subset or specific type of drawing.Again, a faster, less developed type of a drawing. So, when a person draws to create a detailed, more finished work, then it would not be a sketch; instead a drawing.
Vague and Convoluted.
Do you see how easy it is to get vague and convoluted when considering the differences?
I think there is certainly a difference between the types of drawings.But, perhaps, types of drawings can be considered on a sketching/drawing continuum, with quick sketch at one end and finished drawing on the other end.
Clarity of Meaning.
So, why all this struggle to define?Clarity in communication might be one desired result.When I say “I draw out my design before I paint it“, I do mean a more deliberate preparatory drawing.A fair amount of thought and consideration has gone into the composition before I paint it.
On the other hand, sometimes I sketch rather than draw before paintings.That is, I note on the surface the boundaries or critical lines of the subject in a more simple manner.I leave the painting part of the process to develop the composition and design.
Ask The Artists or Draftsperson.
I do have one more thought.In some ways, it seems to me more appropriate for the artist to determine if their own work is a sketch or a drawing.Because the amount and type of work would be relative to the artist’s needs.That is, can you tell by a finished sketch or drawing the amount of work done beforehand?Maybe the answer is we think so, but may easily be deceived!
Still Thinking.
Incidentally,I still haven’t solved my own problem of writing about sketches or drawings. If I use only the words “sketch” or “draw” based on the work, then the writing becomes too stilted.That is to say, the same word gets used too often.So, how to solve this problem?I am not sure yet.
In the meantime, perhaps I’ll go work on a sketch or drawing.
Articles That Shed Light On The Subject.
Here is a list of four articles about the difference between drawing and sketching. You might find them helpful.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Recent Self Portrait.
I rarely draw or paint my self portrait. Perhaps this is because I’m not that great of a model! That is, I wiggle too much.
During this past month’s “Strada Easel Challenge”*, I did a self portrait as part of my daily “drawing from life”. Given my infrequent work at portraits and difficulty holding a pose, I was fairly pleased with the results.
Me As Five Year Old Artist Model.
Which reminds me of the time when I was about five years old and my Dad, artist John Stermer, drew my portrait. At the time, Dad was doing portraits of his children; sort of a mini project. Being the fourth in line, I’d seen my brother and two older sisters get their portrait drawn. I was so excited when it was my turn.
And, this was when I received my first lesson on being a model. First of all, I wanted to use the pose my Dad had used for my previous older sister. I wanted to be like her. So, I tucked my hands under my chin and persuaded my Dad that this was a good idea. And, second of all, I thought that I could kept still. But, not surprising, I didn’t. I remember Dad asking me to be still, be quiet and to resume my pose. Dad was infinitely patient and understanding. I am sure the session was under an hour. And we took breaks. But the entire session seemed to take forever.
Oh, yes, Dad drew this series of portraits using everyday crayons. I was so enchanted and amazed; my drawings with crayons never looked like that! (Yes, there is a hint of me taking a photo of Dad’s drawing).
Understanding The Model’s Situation.
Fast forward to recent times. I have participated in live drawing classes and sessions as the artist, not the model. It is critical that I, as the artist, understand what it takes for the model to assume a pose and keep it. I have come to realize, that I inadvertently expect the model to hold the pose perfectly. It’s not possible and it is the artist’s responsibility to adjust to the model; not vice versa. And, as one who can not hold a pose, it’s my job to be understanding.
Self Portrait: Exercise In Learning About Drawing With A Model.
So, on the rare occasions that I do draw a self portrait, I spend some of the time re-learning how to be the model. And, how to draw from a model. Who knows, I always have intentions to do more; maybe one day I will.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my self portrait and the John Stermer portrait of me as a five year old child!
*PS. I hope to discuss the “Strada Easel Challenge” in a future post. In the meantime, I invite you to take a look at their website.
I participated two years ago and you can see the results on this lesson’s learned page.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Happy New Year and New Decade!
I’d like to finish out my micro mini “decade in review” by showing you four watercolor paintings. The paintings represent years 2016 to 2019.
2016.
This painting was an experiment in adding Celtic symbols to help tell the visual story. You might notice the shamrock, Celtic knot and modified triskele. The triskele is on the tea bag’s tab. I used a green dominant color scheme to further support the meaning of “Irish”. As is my frequent practice, I played with different aspects of the cup, hence the enlarged cup handle.
This painting was shown in Rogue Gallery and Art Center’s “Celtic Celebration Art Show” (Medford, OR) and earned two awards: People’s Choice and Staff’s pick. I felt so honored!
2017.
“Considering Kandinsky” was another experiment. Truthfully, most if not all of my work is an experiment. At the time, I was preparing to participate in a watercolor demonstration featuring the figure for the Watercolor Society of Oregon. There were three of us artists and we had agreed on a particular reference photo of a man on a bench. So, as is my usual practice, I played around with some ideas. One thing led to another, and pretty soon I was thinking of the artist Wassily Kandinsky. This was a fun painting for me.
2018.
I started the “Three Minute Egg” series when I was taking a class with artist Gabriel Lipper. I’d like to say that it was a wonderful class on “deconstruction”, working in a series, and going from life to abstraction. So, the first seven paintings I did in his class. However, starting with number eight and onward, I did in my studio. This particular painting earned a Fourth Place award in the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s Spring 2018 Experimental Exhibition.
2019.
And, here we are continuing on with the theme of an egg cup and timer. However, this time I added an espresso cup because I like espresso.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Hi! By the time the decade hit the middle years, cell phones and smart phones where everywhere. And, today’s paintings for my mini review are all about cell phone conversations.
Cell Phone Conversations And The Cat.
Starting off with “Hang Up And Pet Me” from 2014, we have a woman sitting on a couch in the middle of a phone conversation. Sitting next to her is the cat. Naturally, the cat thinks this talking out loud into a little box is kind of weird. Nuts even. Better yet, the person needs to be petting the cat. Yes indeed.
Inspiration Hits!
This particular painting was inspired by a phone conversation I had with one of my sisters. You see, while she was talking on the phone, I could hear her cat in the background. And, as you might expect, the cat was being vocal and participating in the conversation. It was one of those “aha!” moments; I had a spark of inspiration.
More Conversations
Speaking of inspiration, in the summer of 2014, my husband Robert and I took a trip across the country. Imagine driving from west coast to east coast and back again. It was fun.
While in Georgia, we stopped to visit a niece for a couple of days. She showed us a good time, including introducing us to some excellent cafes and coffee shops.
A Group Of Four & Their Cell Phones.
At one such coffee shop, we watched as two young couples walked in and sat down. Almost instantly, and in unison, they all whipped out their smart phones and started using them! We watched in amusement. And, we wondered, were they texting each other as they sat at the table? And, come to think of it, there were potentially eight people at the table. That is to say, the four who were seated in front of us and the four on the other end of the phone.
Another Flash of Inspiration.
Once again, I had an “aha” moment and was inspired! I had the makings of a new series of paintings involving coffee shops and cell phone conversations. As it turned out, this moment gave me plenty of ideas and I would work on this series for the next 18 months. Happily, 2015’s “Old School, New School” was one of the paintings in the series.
Cell Phone Conversations Everywhere!
As I was writing this article, it occurred to me that there has been a change since 2014 and 2015. Back then, it seemed that it was mainly the younger people who were constantly using their cell phones. Now, it’s all ages. Ahem; that includes me and people my age! We are just as likely to whip out the smart phone as any young person in the coffee shop.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the paintings about cell phone conversations. And, the short trip back to 2014 and 2015.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Hi! Continuing on in this mini review of the current decade, I’ll touch on 2012 and 2013 today.
Since yesterday I featured works from the Toy Pony collection, I thought we would switch subjects. In 2012 and 2013 I began working with people as subject.
The first painting is from my “Just Sayin’…” series of paintings. My inspiration for this series was our cell and now smart phone culture. Ummm, and yes, I’m one of those people who use one of these mobile phones.
Also, during 2012 and 2013, I was toying with the idea of working fictional or mythical characters. And, eventually, I developed a design for a mermaid that I liked. And, just for fun, I thought of her at night and in the moon light.
Short and, hopefully, sweet today. I hope you enjoy the two paintings! Thank you!
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Hi! Just for fun, I thought I would do a mini review of the 2010 to 2019 decade. My idea is to share two paintings a day representing a year each. This is an exercise in contemplation, not so much one of critique. In other words “here is where I was then”.
Today, I’ll start the decade review with two from my “Still Life With Toy Pony” series. In case you are not familiar with the series, it is based on a still life I set up that included a toy pony. Hence the name.
The purpose of the work in series was to explore and experiment the elements of composition. Put more simply, I ask myself questions like “what if I do this…?”
So, “Still Life with Toy Pony, #D54” is the 10th painting in the series. And, the 2011 painting “Still Life with Toy Pony #D41” was the 12th in the series.
And, just to clarify, the “D” in the title refers to a design number. So, “D54 refers to a painting based on my 54th design. I did a LOT of drawings, almost 80. But, only about 20 have been been included in the series.
The plan, then, is to share two more paintings tomorrow.
PS. If you’d like to see three more from the Toy Pony series, click on this post:
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
What Is Your Approach?
One of my nieces recently asked me the following question (and I paraphrase): “Do you draw the subject first or rather, do you paint first?” The question was addressing how one approaches watercolor painting in particular.
Easy Answer, Or Is It?
My immediate answer was that my approach is to draw first. And, that is what I usually do because it suits my way of working with watercolor.
An example of drawing first.
It Is About How You Solve Composition Problems.
To clarify, what we are talking about here is drawing out the composition on your watercolor paper, then painting over top of the drawing. Or, the other option, painting first and working out the composition as you go.
And, to reiterate, it is generally my practice to draw out major portions of my design before I start painting.
Trying A Different Start Can Enhance Skills.
However, that doesn’t mean that I am against the “just go for it” approach. That is, painting without an under-drawing or plan. Besides being fun and challenging, you see, sometimes one needs to do things differently. Painting first and composing as you go can stretch your skills. For one thing, you might have to focus intently on what you’re doing in order for the composition to work.
So, from time to time, I have experimented with the more intuitive, un-planned approach to watercolor painting.
Risk Of Failure.
However, I discovered that I have to be prepared for the “failures”. That is, the paintings that I can not resolve and therefore never finish. And that is because transparent watercolor paint offers few options for corrections. So, at least for me, a successful intuitive painting is a challenge. To put it another way, the difference between the sublime success and stunning not-so-good painting can be a small mis-judgement.
Example Of Artist Who Paints First.
I once took a workshop with the artist and experimental watercolor painter Barbara Nechis. To explain, I was and still am intrigued by her paintings. Her approach seems intuitive and natural. But, and this is the big point for me, she has had years of experience. And, it was she who helped me understand that you need to be prepared for the failures.
Example of a “just go for it” watercolor painting.
“Bad Paintings” Are Part Of Learning.
On the other hand, one could state that failures are how we learn and a regular part of painting. As such, I like to remind myself that one has to get through the “bad” ones to get to the successful paintings. And, that is true for those of us who pre-plan and draw as well as for those of us who just go for it with the paint.
The Answer? Yes.
So, back to the original question, how ought one start a watercolor painting? Should one draw first (preplan) or paint first? Hmmm, the more I think about it, the more my answer is, “Yes!” And “if you want to and it depends on you”. Also, why not try both approaches?
About the Paintings.
I selected to watercolor paintings that I created in the same year: 2007. “Rocket Flowers” I pre-planned and drew the layout of the painting first. Then, I continued with the watercolor paint. However, the approach for “November Chapel” was done without a preplanning or an underdrawing.
By Brooke Nuckles, 421 contributed posts
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Ashland Gallery Association
2020 A Taste of Ashland Poster Art Competition
The Ashland Gallery Association is seeking artwork for its 2020 A TASTE OF ASHLAND event. All southern Oregon artists are encouraged to submit images of their work. AGA Gallery, Associate, and Neighboring Arts Organization members may also submit images for artists they represent. Artists are not required to be AGA Members to submit artwork.
The winner will be publicized in the 2020 Ashland Gallery Guide, the ‘Taste’ Event Guide, on the AGA website, and on ‘Taste’ promotional materials including the poster, postcard, and social media. The Ashland Gallery Guide is distributed to about10,000 patrons of the arts each year. The Event Guide is distributed to about 1,000.
The winning poster artist will receive 2 weekend tickets to 2020 A Taste of Ashland.
Submission deadline: December 5, 2019. The poster art will be selected at the December 10, 2019 AGA General Membership meeting at Ashland Art Center. The meeting will begin at 6:30 and members will vote on the submissions. Winners will be notified shortly after this meeting.
Submission address: Routing: send by email to AGA Administrator, Kim Olson:[email protected]
Important: The ATOA committee is seeking strong, colorful and broadly appealing images – ones that convey a feeling of joy and fun with friends, and the feelingof “Come to Ashland for great food, wine and art”. The submissions don’t have to be literal depictions of food and wine, although they can!
· Submit by email in one of the following files types: JPG (preferred), GIF, TIFF, or PDF (Files not in one of these formats will not be guaranteed to be part of the selection)
· Submissions must be medium-to-high resolution, and must include the artist’s name, phone number, mailing address, and email address.
· Images should be in color and no more than 10MB in size (anything larger will be rejected by the mail server).
· Artwork may be existing or created specifically for the “Taste”.
· Any art medium that can be photographed and printed is eligible.
· The winning artist will be responsible for providing a high-quality image for the printer.
· Any artist who has already been honored becomes eligible to submit again after an interval of five years.
The winning poster artist grants the AGA the right to reproduce his/her artwork for the poster and for publicity of A Taste of Ashland. All proceeds from the promotional use of the image will benefit A Taste of Ashland. The Artist will be credited, where possible, on promotional materials using his/her image.
Thanks so much for submitting your work. A Taste of Ashland is the Ashland Gallery Association’s annual fundraising effort and a themed image is important for marketing the event.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 374 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.
To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Yes, do you remember me?
Remember Me.
As I logged into my website in preparation to write this blog post, I noticed the small remark at the bottom of the page. It read “Remember Me”. Though the statement was about my password, it made me wonder, will you remember me?
Blog Slow Down.
This past year has not been one of my better blogging years. As I remember, things were slow to begin with and, then, I practically stopped writing for the month of August and September. Not surprising, these two months coincide with our move. That is to say, my husband and I have left Talent, OR and moved to Ilwaco, WA.
Hard Getting Started Again.
I thought that when we moved into our new place, it would be easy to pick up the keyboard and start blogging again. Silly me; there is a lot of work to setting up a household. And, my studio space, for example, is only about a third of the way unpacked. I do have my drawing table unpacked. Pencil and paper are always at the ready, so things are looking up.
All that being said, I have wanted to start writing again. Here we go then and, I do hope that you remember me.
Farewell Talent, Oregon.
So, I’d like to say a fond farewell to Talent, OR. I thoroughly enjoyed our seven years there. And, while there, I did some sketches of some of the places around town. I have included a few just for fun.
Rail Depot.
One of my favorite buildings in town is the old rail depot. I did a few sketches and here is my favorite watercolor and ink version. The forward part of the building as space for a cafe. Currently, it is the home of “Sweet Beet Station”.
“Funky Fashions”.
The old building that used to be the home of “Funky Fashions” is also a favorite. “Funky Fashions” was owned by our neighbor when we moved in to Talent back in 2012. Since then it has changed businesses a couple of times. Now, it’s the home of “Biscuits and Vinyl”.
“Downtowne Coffee”
One business that did not change while we were there was “Downtowne Coffee”. It is situated in what was once a gasoline station. I recommend the espresso at “Downtowne Coffee”; it tastes so good!
Gas Station.
Come to think of it, I did do a sketch of one of the gas stations that is still a gas station. The employees were nice and this is one of my favorites.
Fond Memories.
I will remember Talent and the people who live there with fondness.
By Brooke Nuckles, 421 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
Hello artistic students and friends,
I’m excited to let you know about a new weekly class that will be starting next week (see below for all the details).
Plus, the Rogue Gallery is hosting my plein air workshop taking place this Saturday at the lovely Alpaca Ranch in Eagle Point!
Besides all that, I’ve been taking great pleasure in plein air painting out and about in this wonderful weather! Thanks to a couple of new students, I have discovered a few more gorgeous locations. Let me know if your interested in joining us. These excursions are not pre-planned, but more or less are decided within a few days of meeting. *attached are some recent works
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
silvia
Title: ” Artistic Direction “
Location: Artist Attic /Scrappy Craft
Phoenix, OR
Description:
A class for all painting and drawing media; all skill levels welcome!
With a focus on support and evaluation to build your artistic skills, you will also be directed in developing your own personal style.
Individual instruction and attention will be provided by artist Silvia Trujillo.
Fee: $30 drop in or $100 / 4 class series
Time: Wednesday’s: 1-3pm (starting Sept 11)
Contact: Silvia to reserve your space or for more information
