tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11749427619222748302024-03-05T16:08:46.475-08:00Donna Barnes-Roberts a Life with ArtDonna Barnes-Roberts Watercolor, Oil Painter, and Acrylic Painter. Explore what oddball stuff she does, including painting, teaching classes, videos of music, and odd art happenings around Altadena and Pasadena, California.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-84515199693472964872010-04-13T12:07:00.000-07:002010-04-14T14:44:36.996-07:00Become a Sponsor of My Catalina Island Series!I have been given the opportunity to paint the wildflowers and landscapes of Catalina Island not normally seen by the everyday visitor.<br />
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Most of Catalina Island is stewarded by the <a href="http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/">Catalina Island Conservancy</a>, and public access is limited. My gallery, <a href="http://www.tirageart.com/artists/barnes.shtml">Tirage Art</a> in Pasadena has arranged transportation for me and a select group of their artists to visit little seen parts of the island to paint and photograph for future paintings, but I have to get over there and stay there at least a day or two for maximum effect. Since we live very much hand to mouth, even this modest cost is not in my budget - I don't have the funds to do this now without your help. <br />
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Time is also of the essence. I received an email late yesterday telling me that the wildflowers are probably at their peak right now, so I am hoping to get over there Thursday and spend one or two nights so I can paint and photograph intensely while I am there.<br />
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What I am proposing is that you can become a sponsor of my trip for a modest cost - you can donate any amount, but if you donate at least $50, you will get a preview of any of the paintings completed from the trip and the $50 would go towards purchase of any painting of mine, or future class (if that is your preference). All sponsors will also receive status updates as to the trip/paintings/exhibition(s) that involves Catalina Island.<br />
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You can donate any amount using the PayPal button below - you can use any credit card, debit card, etc. and do NOT have to have a PayPal account<br />
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<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" /><br />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="8MVZJ8Y8TNQCJ" /><br />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" /></form>Or you can mail a check to:<br />
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Donna Barnes-Roberts<br />
323 Marathon Rd.<br />
Altadena, CA 91001<br />
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If you mail a check, please call me at 626-791-0851 to let me know about it, or email me. I haven't made any reservations yet, and can't really until I have the funds to pay for this.<br />
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Thanks so much in advance.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-33081769885297959952009-11-08T00:43:00.000-08:002009-11-08T00:43:37.232-08:00Giant fork in the Road in Pasadena - I am offical blogmeister for the forkThose of you that know where I teach my watercolor classes (The Coffee Gallery in Altadena) might realize that the phenomenon of the "Giant Fork in the Road at the Fork in the Road" in Pasadena was a stunt cooked up by a quirky group of people that hang out and work at The Coffee Gallery. Since I was not an actual builder of the sculpture of the fork, and have some computer skills, I have been asked to build and maintain the "official blog" of the Giant Fork in the Road. So if you have a hankering to know what is going on with the Fork, just go to the <a href="http://www.pasadenasforkintheroad.blogspot.com/">Fork in the Road Blog</a>.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-89805461616124309652009-11-02T14:34:00.000-08:002009-11-02T16:59:48.052-08:00Giant Fork in the Road in Pasadena<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q-OSKub5G0ElPBWuMo2VNKxnTMB8XagF-FXeY0IHGV-9SBF1iG1D-BN_ypIYanvtCrrAp6q1VoyobuhzSSyhRedDTl58995pV2AgPg87x6bjJOMZio2-4C6-yRM8D6hlTPVYsQe_OA/s1600-h/fork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q-OSKub5G0ElPBWuMo2VNKxnTMB8XagF-FXeY0IHGV-9SBF1iG1D-BN_ypIYanvtCrrAp6q1VoyobuhzSSyhRedDTl58995pV2AgPg87x6bjJOMZio2-4C6-yRM8D6hlTPVYsQe_OA/s320/fork.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>I have a varied life that includes more than just making art, and after you read this post, you will realize that I also have friends that are marginal wackos. Just my kind of people.<br />
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You see, as a birthday prank for a friend, a group of artists and other locals with too much time on their hands worked hard to provide a fitting tribute for a 75th birthday party. And since the birthday boy had wanted to see a fork in the road at the fork in the road where Pasadena Ave. divides into St. John and Pasadena Ave., that is exactly what they built (be careful, the split streets are one way, but Pasadena Ave. south of the split is 2-way).<br />
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All of 18 feet tall and set in over 400 pounds of concrete, we will find out if the city can live with it or will feel compelled to tear it down. <br />
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I will be talking a little bit about the fork this coming Saturday, November 7th 2009 on the Off Ramp Radio Show on KPCC.<br />
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John Rabe of the Off Ramp radio show has blogged about this, and will be including posts of new info as it occurs - there is supposed to be a video, but I haven't seen it yet. <br />
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John Rabe's blog is at: <a href="http://www.scpr.org/blogs/johnrabe/2009/11/02/jrblog-giantfork/">http://www.scpr.org/blogs/johnrabe/2009/11/02/jrblog-giantfork/</a><br />
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<b>And Now for Something Completely Different:</b><br />
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Tonight is the last class of the last series of Watercolor Classes - next week I will be starting a new class and there is still room available, so you can still sign up. We meet at the <a href="http://www.coffeegallery.com/">Coffee Gallery</a> in Altadena.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-78612361713002050332009-10-14T20:52:00.000-07:002009-10-14T21:07:39.152-07:00Short Class before Christmas begins week of November 2ndI will be having a short Class in November and December, starting the week of November 2nd. Since everyone is going crazy this time of the year, I decided to have the classes during this time be 5 weeks over a 6 week period. Both the Monday Evening Class and Wednesday Afternoon Class will be available on this schedule. We skip the week of Thanksgiving, and finish before Christmas. Since you are only signing up for 5 classes, the cost is lower than usual, just $105 for the series, and if by some miracle you don't miss any classes, I might charge you for the 6th class, or it might just be your Christmas present from me.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-9742275109838422722009-07-31T14:13:00.000-07:002009-09-20T04:43:42.163-07:00Get ready for new Watercolor Classes beginning September 26th, Saturday AfternoonsIf you want to learn how to paint in watercolors in an intimate setting in Altadena, sign up for my new Saturday Afternoon class. We meet at 2:30-4PM in the conference room at the <a href="http://funkylittlecoffeehouse.com/">Coffee Gallery</a>, located at 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena. Contact me at 626-791-0851 for info - or donna@barnesroberts.com - or my <a href="http://www.barnesroberts.com/">website </a>watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-77848016957757613392009-07-31T14:06:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:13:01.301-07:00One of my students got in Watercolor West!Congratulations, <a href="http://data.fineartstudioonline.com/dataviewer.asp?keyvalue=11459">Terry Swanson</a> who will be part of the <a href="http://www.watercolorwest.org/">Watercolor West</a> show at the <a href="http://www.riversideartmuseum.org/">Riverside Art Museum</a>. She is one of my Monday evening watercolor students.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-70105370820019301332009-07-03T00:05:00.000-07:002009-07-03T00:12:05.373-07:00"Sketching in the Garden for Beginners" at Smith and Hawken PasadenaOn July 11th at 11AM, I have been asked to lead a short workshop entitled "Sketching in the Garden for Beginners" at the Smith and Hawken store on South Lake in Pasadena. <br /><br />We will be doing sketches with pen/ink, pencil and a variety of color media, to encourage people to really look at what is in their garden. And we will do it on postcards that you can send to your friends or even acquaintances. No pressure - just fun.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-52922845527409706582009-06-02T11:05:00.000-07:002009-07-03T00:05:38.098-07:00Saturday Watercolor Classes begin July 18th?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvN6NhTSKZU5aSJpI57dmsJqp6UfnXL-JMG6DbVDmwVsLWyNQ3t-rjGgDxQ0XrkJOGI_9rnAJfgW5bApZvz4jlJHuFdSF3H03o_mdbLeaqMwuU6GK_OGat_NxNw5q3vErDyim6T7kiw/s1600-h/clam+bakesm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvN6NhTSKZU5aSJpI57dmsJqp6UfnXL-JMG6DbVDmwVsLWyNQ3t-rjGgDxQ0XrkJOGI_9rnAJfgW5bApZvz4jlJHuFdSF3H03o_mdbLeaqMwuU6GK_OGat_NxNw5q3vErDyim6T7kiw/s320/clam+bakesm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342795786613064898" border="0" />"Clam Bake" Original Watercolor by Jody Berges Painting Completed in Class with Donna Barnes-Roberts</a><br />Yep, yet again it is time to sign up for watercolor classes taught by me at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena. And you can see some of my student's work this month in the conference room.<br /><br />Here is the scoop: I teach small (no more than 6 students per class) watercolor classes that teach you the nuts and bolts of watercolor and how to get it to behave for you. Plus other artistic issues like composition, exhibition issues, all the good stuff.<br /><br />You don't have to know anything to start, and I can even provide materials for a small additional fee. That is one of the great advantages of a small class.<br /><br />Each class meets for 8 weeks and costs $175 for the session. The Saturday afternoon class goes from 1:30-4PM and begins July 18th, or possibly later when I have enough people actually sign up to start. YOU can make this happen!<br /><br />If you have any questions, please email me with your phone number and I will call you to discuss additional issues, how to sign up, etc. You can even pay using a credit card through PayPal.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-84601305048790333572009-05-25T16:23:00.000-07:002009-05-25T16:25:55.939-07:00New painting just completed of Koi in LA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHgBQ2Dk3Vi5PCSAOTdsCbuyoWDljozmPUx2hKArnw79QJIQoQG2lTS6YARbSl2VOMkyDAkJixX0ucGPe5RQ66Zk7kBIDObtcWbTUbBazApJRZ7UOB1QUfqPmk0xDP3_g6luMiFhUwA/s1600-h/koism.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHgBQ2Dk3Vi5PCSAOTdsCbuyoWDljozmPUx2hKArnw79QJIQoQG2lTS6YARbSl2VOMkyDAkJixX0ucGPe5RQ66Zk7kBIDObtcWbTUbBazApJRZ7UOB1QUfqPmk0xDP3_g6luMiFhUwA/s320/koism.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906614230415906" /></a><br /><br />In the heart of the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles is a charming restaurant called Home Cafe. In the patio they have a fountain with Koi - most of whom have been provided by patrons who no longer had a place for them. This idylic spot under the canopy of a collection of red umbrellas and Ficus trees is a wonderful oasis in Los Angeles.<br /><br />That is the focus of this new painting. Details are available at my website.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-89234920186439238662009-04-18T10:19:00.000-07:002009-05-09T00:21:45.953-07:00Saturday Watercolor ClassesOkay, okay - the Saturday classes are being rescheduled to begin June 13th - hopefully during the real summer months. This class will be at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena and runs for 8 weeks. They will meet from 1:30-4PM each Saturday and cost $175 for the series. For an additional $20 per series I will include all materials you need. Contact me for any additional questions, but sign up early - I only take 6 students max.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-35754349643490281542009-02-12T13:27:00.000-08:002009-02-12T13:37:41.213-08:00OKay - Here is a NEW painting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YDAsIhNlAA3c-fCU8gfY319uSeW84fS-LZbDJ5ccXFg881hSXkH0AOFbIcixF8PTdQRwM4zMFTdFOeoNg-kvGodt1txjWpeR2ArWZnyPy6jtqJkAITs6Bo5pyns4alJcRxpGQsgzSg/s1600-h/autumn+by+the+bridge.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YDAsIhNlAA3c-fCU8gfY319uSeW84fS-LZbDJ5ccXFg881hSXkH0AOFbIcixF8PTdQRwM4zMFTdFOeoNg-kvGodt1txjWpeR2ArWZnyPy6jtqJkAITs6Bo5pyns4alJcRxpGQsgzSg/s320/autumn+by+the+bridge.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302027759933584258" /></a><br />This is a Plein Air painting done in watercolor. It is called "Autumn by the Bridge" and is painted on Aquabord - which is a wood-based board that has a textured clay surface, and gives a really different look to watercolor paintings.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-89777343924410102042009-02-12T13:16:00.000-08:002009-02-12T13:18:53.374-08:00New Watercolor Classes begin in MarchA quick note that I will be starting up new watercolor classes in March. Let me know if you might want to sign up - email me with your telephone number and we can talk.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-13519529796737098682009-02-12T12:13:00.000-08:002009-02-12T13:26:22.789-08:00California Art Club Gold Medal Show coming up - plus art commentaryTime marches on, and it is getting closer to the opening of THIS year's California Art Club Gold Medal Show. This will take place at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, opening Saturday Evening, April 25th. Of course I am excited because I have a plein air painting in the show, and I am not even much known for plein air schtick. <a href="http://www.californiaartclub.org/resources/gm.shtml"> Click here</a> to see the California Art Club Website information about this show - Pictures of the show should be posted at their site before the show opens. <br /><br />Just for your information, last year I was privileged to write and deliver an art commentary about realism in art focused on the California Art Club and their show for KPCC. This station, found at 89.3FM is an Public Radio station located in Pasadena. I delivered my commentary on the show "Off Ramp" hosted by John Rabe, which focuses on arts and culture in Southern California. <a href="http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/shows/2008/04/26/index.html"> Click here </a>to go to the Off-Ramp archive of this show. <P><br /><br /><strong>THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MY COMMENTARY DELIVERED ON "OFF RAMP" ON 4/26/08</strong><br /><br /><br />COMMENTARY – REALISM IN ART (edited and checked against the broadcast)<br /><br />When I started painting seriously about 20 years ago, unless you were "out there," you were nowhere. And realism was REALLY nowhere. But now the art world is starting to grow up and finally realizing that just being "out there" is not all there is. <br /><br />HOST(John Rabe): Commentator and water colorist Donna Barnes-Roberts.<br /><br />Art is joining music and dance, which grew up decades ago. We all understand now that there's jazz and classical and rap, and ballet and tap and square dancing, and there's an audience for quality of all kinds. <br /><br />But ever since the invention of photography, realism in art seems to have lost its focus. It's as if, before the camera, everyone believed that the value of art was in making pictures of reality, and once you could take a picture yourself, who needed realistic art?! <br /><br />It's taken more than a hundred years to realize that the difference between the snapshot and art is the eye and hand of the artist. But in the intervening years, a lot of knowledge and lore about realism has been mislaid. As a watercolor painter, I was luckier than some. I didn't go to art school, where teaching realism has been absent for decades ... although a few illustration departments kept us closet realists alive. One of my cousins refused to paint after her graduation, telling me, "All I ever learned from my degree was how to pick apart someone else's painting. I am not going to leave myself open to such humiliation." And I've had art school Graduates take classes from me because their college art teachers told them to "express themselves" without teaching them the mechanics of how to paint. <br /><br />But things are changing. Many people are starting to realize that "traditional" art can be serious art. The California Art Club runs education programs for artists and collectors, and puts on exhibits of really fabulous works by contemporary realistic artists. There is one at the Pasadena Museum of California Art that starts this weekend, in which I have a couple of paintings. One is of the lotus and a heron at Echo Park, and the other a view of the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena. You'll know them when you see them because all the paintings in the show are realistic! <br /><br />Realists are standing up and saying that they like paintings that are recognizable and sculptures that are enlightening ... but we just need to remember that the art world also needs the work that is "out there" too. Otherwise realists have not learned the lessons that the decades of humiliation should have taught us. Art is about passion. And passion is beyond reason. <br /><br />For Off-Ramp, I'm Donna Barnes-Roberts.<br /><br />HOST: Watercolorist Donna Barnes-Roberts teaches and paints in Altadena. The California Art Club Gold Medal show opens at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, Sunday, April 27th, and runs through May 18th.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-20881982882317305302008-11-03T18:26:00.000-08:002008-11-03T18:30:02.116-08:00Roses on Parade and more stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37eISJTwJyJSeaMKxSFkNV48_5HjAN44WT3-NkQNzsOOW-ycecAb2CJUn9qsDHJXuhPUwvM-Tt-GppsCmBEIk8ZSohQwjjL12j1QTas5cPOYKcJxAyqe4cHeZszYy6ek1u0kp-RoohQ/s1600-h/myrosesm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 143px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37eISJTwJyJSeaMKxSFkNV48_5HjAN44WT3-NkQNzsOOW-ycecAb2CJUn9qsDHJXuhPUwvM-Tt-GppsCmBEIk8ZSohQwjjL12j1QTas5cPOYKcJxAyqe4cHeZszYy6ek1u0kp-RoohQ/s320/myrosesm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264623951510128674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpmWMZHajLEXF-GohWR_V3pAYNasx2lDU2mR1AiT_-fck0biT42KEjX4ajJkzlz2Df-69kpNmOnlbAdyQNrzQEXYc-hPB9YZADIQYYM1GGm-LbFilw4sZj4m4nNPyccKLnSjCdpevkQ/s1600-h/myrose2sm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpmWMZHajLEXF-GohWR_V3pAYNasx2lDU2mR1AiT_-fck0biT42KEjX4ajJkzlz2Df-69kpNmOnlbAdyQNrzQEXYc-hPB9YZADIQYYM1GGm-LbFilw4sZj4m4nNPyccKLnSjCdpevkQ/s320/myrose2sm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264623951653737842" /></a><br />Boy, how time got away from me there. I just recently finished my rose for the Roses on Parade event for the Tournament of Roses event.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-3295969837526663452008-06-11T22:46:00.000-07:002008-06-11T22:55:44.834-07:00Finished 2 paintings today - not too big, but still nice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BXYLfTKklmmxp1lVVesh8MSHlMNwWZ0j4WB7ZyTi6JdsqHPba69CgkaVRKYep4whJfHuxOdm4TN36eSOrUSA2hyTWsZdObdttmK9ZSa-gl8pYF5b8bz6qZcLmQV_XfMaAuv5jg9veg/s1600-h/class+calpoppysm.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BXYLfTKklmmxp1lVVesh8MSHlMNwWZ0j4WB7ZyTi6JdsqHPba69CgkaVRKYep4whJfHuxOdm4TN36eSOrUSA2hyTWsZdObdttmK9ZSa-gl8pYF5b8bz6qZcLmQV_XfMaAuv5jg9veg/s320/class+calpoppysm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210869603005060930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzACZw1MLCVAlwrhNoR8XsNJHsfkFTXOoPedaLUeVXHsCaOY0nZcB1mmW-9H6JeVtgX94P91Vov6nLBIoXBAHJah4xzyYneqiUoagRO7uUAhiTg5HuPjOGke1yY9s2kamcHY_mwujOBw/s1600-h/class+matilijasm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzACZw1MLCVAlwrhNoR8XsNJHsfkFTXOoPedaLUeVXHsCaOY0nZcB1mmW-9H6JeVtgX94P91Vov6nLBIoXBAHJah4xzyYneqiUoagRO7uUAhiTg5HuPjOGke1yY9s2kamcHY_mwujOBw/s320/class+matilijasm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210869344159709794" /></a><br /><br />I was surprised after Class today, I finally got 2 paintings finished. They are quarter sheet watercolors, 11x15". I have been working on these a little here, a little there, but finally got them done. I also have another painting that is almost done, probably finish it tomorrow. We'll see. I was hoping to join the Thursday paintout group tomorrow, but I just found out they will be going to Bonnelli park in San Dimas. Unfortunately that is just too far for me to go when I consider my gas budget. Or lack of budget. Now if someone just wanted to buy a painting -- I might be able to swing it. I guess I had better post those pictures.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-61687455765915734382008-06-08T17:36:00.000-07:002008-06-08T17:44:01.702-07:00You can now see some of my work at the Tirage WebsiteI have been with Tirage for - I don't know - over 10 years, but since I don't always do a whole lot of paintings, they haven't put me on their website with pictures and everything until now. If you go to http://www.tirageart.com/artists/barnes.shtml you can see some of my stuff, plus see more work by all the other great artists who are represented by Tirage, etc. <br /><br />And if you want to see these and other paintings the old fashioned way - by going to see them eyeball to actual painting, you can visit the gallery which is located at 1 W. California in Pasadena. That is the northwest corner of Fair Oaks and California in a little complex with a bunch of very nice antique stores as well as a very good taco restaurant.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-27653852198837566372008-06-08T17:33:00.000-07:002008-07-15T13:36:00.345-07:00Plan for my Summer Classes beginning in Mid July - sign up before all the spaces are GONEWell, it will be a few weeks until the Summer classes start up, but it is probably a good thing to sign up now to be sure you can make it and the Watercolor class schedule works with that amazing Summer schedule you have planned. After all, now is usually the time people start planning "What am I going to do this Summer?".<br /><br />If you have decided that with fuel prices going up you might do fewer things far away from home, maybe it is time you learned something new. After all, the conventional wisdom regarding the aging brain (something I can relate to) is that you need to keep it active. Who says your brain stops growing at adulthood? New research shows our brains need novel things to work on in order to stay healthy and continue to grow into old age. Consider a new watercolor class to be brain food. Start a new you by learning to paint like you always wanted to --- but didn't know how.<br /><br />My classes are small so I can take beginners to advanced students. And while watercolor is not easy, it is learnable - I teach how to think in watercolor, and how to get the paint to do what you want it to do, not go off and puddle here and there and make you crazy. You may still find that we are crazy in the class, but that is fun crazy, which is totally different.<br /><br />One of my goals in this class is to teach you to recognize what you did to the paint to make it do that weird thing that you didn't used to understand. I am not saying you will be an instant watercolor genius, but watercolor IS understandable, and I can tell you a secret - it is frequently possible to change or remove watercolor paint - you don't ALWAYS have to live with your mistakes. That is something else I cover in the class.<br /><br />So come on down and go with the flow - watercolor is about the triumph of the heart and the agony of - of - well there is agony enough to go around - we will try to minimize that even though we can't always make it go away entirely.<br /><br />My watercolor classes meet at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena, located at 2029 N. Lake Ave. - on the corner of Morada and Lake Ave. Each class session lasts for 8 sessions, and costs $175 for the series. For an additional $20 I will bring paint/paper/brushes so all you have to bring is yourself. I only take 6 students per class so you won't get lost in the shuffle.<br /><br />The Monday night class begins on July 21st and meets from 7:30PM to 10PM on every Monday evening except we have to skip the first Monday of each month (the room I use has another meeting that meets the first Monday of the Month, and they have been doing this for far longer than my classes have been going on.) That means the Monday night class will meet on: July 21st, 28th, August 11th, 18th, 25th, and September 8th, 15th and 22nd.<br /><br />The Wednesday afternoon class begins on July 23rd and meets from 1:30 to 4PM every Wednesday afternoon. This means the Wednesday afternoon class will meet on: July 23rd, 30th, August 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th, and September 3rd and 10th.<br /><br />If you want to see what kind of paintings I do - which of course would give you an idea of where you could be heading - my website is www.barnesroberts.com.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-47645912478012934392008-05-14T21:17:00.000-07:002008-05-14T21:23:30.385-07:00My Radio Commentary is in the Archive Place NowNow that it has been a couple of weeks since my Radio Commentary was on KPCC, you can get to the archive of that program and hear it by going to this URL: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/shows/2008/04/26/index.html<br /><br />I have been busy lately what with the California Art Club Gold Medal Show at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, and helping out my mom with some issues, so I have not been painting a whole lot - but plan on joining the Thursday paintout group tomorrow morning at Eaton Canyon in Pasadena. Maybe see you at the paintout tomorrow or at the Museum show - I will be stopping by the museum at least Friday and Sunday afternoon. Contact me if you want to meet up.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-6406145492910860442008-04-27T09:20:00.000-07:002008-04-27T09:29:32.489-07:00If you want to hear my commentary about realistic art and the California Art Club Gold Medal show that opens today, April 27th it is already available on the web. If you go to the "Off Ramp" website, which is a show on KPCC 89.3FM, you can hear my commentary streaming on the web or download the podcast. Here is their website: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/. My commentary begins about 29 minutes into the program.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-63027422586761066402008-04-24T08:45:00.000-07:002008-04-24T14:07:18.860-07:00What a Surprise! On Saturday, April 26th from noon to 1PM, if you listen to the KPCC program "Off Ramp" on 89.3 FM, I will be giving a commentary about realistic art and the upcoming California Art Club Gold Medal show being held at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. You can even hear the commentary on line at the KPCC website after the show if you miss the commentary on the radio. The show also repeats on the air Sunday evening from 8-9PM.<br /><br />Saturday evening, I will also be attending the Gala opening of the Gold Medal Show at the Museum, so I hope to see some of you there. You can contact the California Art Club through their website for tickets to this event. Of course my paintings will be there through the 18th of May which is the last day of the show.<br /><br />And if you are interested in taking classes from me, I have a new 8 week watercolor class starting May 9th. Contact me for details.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-76274161462569384712008-02-05T20:17:00.000-08:002008-02-05T20:43:07.544-08:00Postings of new paintings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQXH6kYFKmZXvA4zh0FDYGhXO7-o0LOeXU1vILOOOPgaO16-rzzIlJ2v6OfuGUzf3BI8likvu2RQ-HYO5dzJUbFUoB0AR4czjWn5jMKR8_ZsIOZdn65ykZEDZp1FuirTpIfOCuFZwYw/s1600-h/pet+the+kitty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQXH6kYFKmZXvA4zh0FDYGhXO7-o0LOeXU1vILOOOPgaO16-rzzIlJ2v6OfuGUzf3BI8likvu2RQ-HYO5dzJUbFUoB0AR4czjWn5jMKR8_ZsIOZdn65ykZEDZp1FuirTpIfOCuFZwYw/s320/pet+the+kitty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163718007225344706" border="0" /></a><br />I was talking to a friend on Ham Radio today, and realized that I hadn't posted any new work to my website for years. Since she was interested in seeing one of my paintings, and I am not sure when I will be doing my website redesign, I decided to post these paintings here on my blog for now. These 3 paintings were each finished in the last few months. The oils are part of the show I am having at the Coffee Gallery, but the watercolor of the little girl and the cat are at Tirage Fine Art, which is located in Pasadena. All of these images are also available as ar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6tsgY9wcSrHxn-bMz72isiJFSIStvNGB35Pib-OX2ueB_Q_miDprHT-5s9yf2l6qbjQkfQSUSvINHspBZqeB2qqCwD-vN3P_C0BZ-qmYzwXpTzGjKS3QahXrpLCour4I_E8zSEiUUA/s1600-h/echoountain+pk+fountains.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6tsgY9wcSrHxn-bMz72isiJFSIStvNGB35Pib-OX2ueB_Q_miDprHT-5s9yf2l6qbjQkfQSUSvINHspBZqeB2qqCwD-vN3P_C0BZ-qmYzwXpTzGjKS3QahXrpLCour4I_E8zSEiUUA/s320/echoountain+pk+fountains.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163718020110246626" border="0" /></a>chival<br /> giclee prints made my me using archival pigmented inks on archival paper or special canvas. These prints are strictly limited in number and will be signed and numbered by me, the artist.<br /><br />These three paintings are called, "Pet the Kitty" (watercolor), "Red Hot Ladies" (oil), and "In the Heart of LA: Echo Park Lotus with Fountains" (oil). I also have blank notecards with these images on them. At the moment, the only place you can buy the notecareds are by contacting me via email, or by visiting the Coffee Gallery in Altadena, where t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQTpmXJ1jBsTvmSA8LPMmhZQBMOyvpB4w-90rB-zcYUy67gOH70k6d4usRXxMGap6UALW8e40SVDvrD2HgoWjOWLL3RSV6gzXAC-DVhKP_RYs9SHBHpnspM07YBpHno8sZtcnFE-itg/s1600-h/redhotladies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQTpmXJ1jBsTvmSA8LPMmhZQBMOyvpB4w-90rB-zcYUy67gOH70k6d4usRXxMGap6UALW8e40SVDvrD2HgoWjOWLL3RSV6gzXAC-DVhKP_RYs9SHBHpnspM07YBpHno8sZtcnFE-itg/s320/redhotladies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163721657947546354" border="0" /></a>here is a rack with these cards set up.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-18177110552562863302008-02-01T14:22:00.000-08:002008-02-01T15:01:51.575-08:00Yay, got two paintings in the California Art Club Gold Medal ShowYep, I just found out that the painting I finished last month, plus another older small painting of the Colorado Street bridge were accepted in the California Art Club Gold Medal show. This show is a pretty big deal, they have a catalog of the paintings, and it is held in April at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. This show has a national audience, not just local stuff.<br><br />I also got a bunch of my paintings formatted in Photoshop to be able to make greeting cards (blank inside), and have already sold a bunch, down at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena. This is the only place that has them so far.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-46877004106343692672007-12-06T18:29:00.001-08:002007-12-06T18:35:22.319-08:00Another busy day or twoBoy, I am surprised at how much I get done in a day or two and how much I don't.<br /><br />First, I finally finished the painting of the Echo Park Lotus complete with the Great Blue Heron. I call it "In the<br /><br />Heart of LA - Lotus with Heron". I think it worked out reasonably well, so it is time to start the next project. I<br /><br />have several things in the works, a watercolor of California Poppies with Gillias (another native flower), a painting<br /><br />of my daughter as a Goddess in oils, a painting of the San Gabriel Mountains. All this will take a while. <p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.barnesroberts.com/gallery/heartofla.html"><img src="http://www.barnesroberts.com/gallery/heartoflat.jpg" height="538" width="400" /></a></p><p><br /><br />Painting just done! Not even signed yet<br /><br />Last night Phil and I went to see one of the Watson Lectures at CalTech's Beckman Auditorium. Presented by David J. Anderson, who is the Sperry Professor of Biology at CalTech, he spoke about genes, neurons and emotional behavior in Mice and Flies. It has become rather amazing what can be done with special mutant genes that can alter the way various neurons behave in the brain and can result in behavior changes that can be quite dramatic. If you really must see this lecture, you may be able to get a copy of it from CalTech - they do make some of their lectures available on DVD, but I don't know if this one will be available. </p><p><br /><br />As an aside, some years ago, Caltech was looking for an artist to paint some portraits of Sperry and some other luminaries to install in their new Biology building. I sent them a portfolio of work - but I must admit I had very little to show in oil painting at that time. I sorta made the mistake of letting a fellow artist know about what was happening, and she got the commission. They even lost my portfolio - at least it never was returned, and that was expensive at the time. However, I never knew if they actually installed her painting, as she had a lot of problems pleasing the powers that be. Her name is Lynette Williams, and I don't think she paints a lot any more - having her hands full with other challenges. So every time I see the name Roger W. Sperry, I am reminded that I never got to meet him, and I think I would have loved to have that opportunity, even though Lynette said he was a bit of a curmudgeon.</p><p>And now it is on to a Christmas Party hosted by Half City Productions, located just down the street from us in beautiful Altadena. <br /> </p><p></p>watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174942761922274830.post-63534513202876993442007-12-04T19:19:00.000-08:002007-12-04T19:27:52.135-08:00Almost doneSometimes it seems that I spend forever with a painting in the "almost" done place. I have been working on a full sheet watercolor of the Lotus at Echo Park in Los Angeles, CA. <p>This is such a fabulous place. In the middle of an eclectic and sometimes gritty neighborhood lies a truly beautiful lake, complete with fountains, ducks, a bridge, pedal-boats, and in Summer - Lotus. <p><br />This year's lotus was disappointing, it looked like half of the lotus was gone, but the year before it was everywhere, and there was even a Great Blue Heron fishing in the middle of the lotus! <p>Now, if you are from Florida or other places where these great birds are common, I suspect that seeing a heron in the middle of LA doesn't seem fabulous. But it is. They just don't like people, hubub, and general commotion. <p><br />That is what the painting is about. Of course it is not done yet. Hope to finish it tomorrow.watercolorfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15950139687286505251noreply@blogger.com0