Fate.

Internet, I must tell you how excited I am about the most recent painting by friend and fellow artist Terry Strickland!! Terry has created a fabulous painting centered on the mythological Three Fates, using none other than we three Women Painting Women contributors (myself, Alia El-Bermani and Sadie Valeri) as models! It's a touching and beautiful tribute to the spirit of "Women Painting Women," and completely fitting as we were all fortunate to get to know Terry through the Women Painting Women exhibition and painting expedition in Charleston, South Carolina in 2010. Here's the link for more info on the painting: http://www.terrystricklandart.blogspot.com/2012/01/three-fates-complete.html

 The Three Fates, 30"x40", oil on panel, by Terry Strickland

Congratulations to Terry on another amazing painting!! Check out more of her work here, and stay tuned for more information on the exhibit at Principle Gallery this April, "The Expedition and Beyond," which will feature this painting as well as work from the 13 other artists on the Charleston, SC painting expedition of November 2010.

Sprick!

My brain is hopelessly full right now from an awesome couple of days – I took a weekend workshop with Daniel Sprick at Studio Incamminati here in Philadelphia. I’m not going to lie: IT WAS AMAZING. His demo was amazing, his lecture about his work was amazing, and he’s an amazing individual to speak with on a personal level as well. Some painter friends of mine flew up from North Carolina for the workshop, and the lovely and talented artist Rachel Constantine was a gracious host for some extra painting and drawing time (and social time) in her studio. There was such a great vibe in the class all around, with some really super-great people in attendance, including PAFA students Mike Manley and Will Sentman, Studio Incamminati instructors and painters Lea Wight, Natalie Italiano, Jen Hagen, Steve Early, Leona Shanks, Vanessa Fenton and Peter Kelsey, North Carolina artists Alia El-Bermani and Sue Lyon, local painters Rachel Constantine, Catherine Carney and Luiz Vilela, Massachusetts painter Stuart Dunkel, and others. Below are some photos from the weekend – and you can click this link for more photos from Will Sentman’s blog, which include photos of Daniel Sprick’s drawing demos:

After painting with Daniel Sprick at Rachel Constantine's studio: Sue Lyon, Daniel Sprick, Rachel Constantine, Alia El-Bermani

After a lunch break on day 1 of the workshop: Rachel Constantine, Sue Lyon, Alia El-Bermani, Lea Wight.

Daniel Sprick's first drawing demo of the morning

Daniel Sprick's second drawing demo

My drawing from the afternoon session, day one

Exhausted artists after the workshop's end, enjoying a visit from painter Alexandra Tyng

Me with two beautiful ladies from North Carolina, Sue Lyon and Alia El-Bermani

Much of his workshop - and what spoke to me in particular from the workshop - had to do with edge quality, and judicious treatment of edges and line. We were also lucky to have enjoyed a presentation by Daniel on his own work... and, seriously? The man is amazing. Here's an example, if you're unfamilar with his work:

  Painting by Colorado artist Daniel Sprick

******


Wait: there's more! Fellow artists and workshop attendees Will Sentman, Mike Manley and Alia El-Bermani have also posted blog entries about the workshop; check them out here, here and here, respectively. Also: check out these works produced by Alia El-Bermani, fellow North Carolina artist Susan Lyon and myself during the workshop:

Ron, drawing from class by Alia El-Bermani

Paint sketch by Susan Lyon

 Drawing by me on day #2 of the workshop

Painting. With KITTY!

Hey, so I mentioned a painting that that friend and fellow artist Alia El-Bermani had started of me last year in this post... she's worked on it some more in the interim, and now it looks as though it's finished, yay! Here is is, and it can be found here on Alia's blog:

Diane with Kitten, oil on panel, 20" x 16", by Alia El-Bermani

Snow day.

Phew! SNOWMAGGEDON, indeed. Being snowed in this weekend has meant I've had some time to paint, though of course never as much time as I'd like... anyway, here's a sketch of Alia that I was working on tonight...

Addendum 2/18/10: maybe this is a better representation of the sketch, below - I'm a terrible photographer! Arg.

Clue.

A game of Clue, for the first day of the new year...

It was Ms. Feissel and Ms. El-Bermani...

...in the Philly Museum...

...with the Eakins paintings.

Eakins!

Love, Triangle.

Sending some love out to the (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) Triangle!

First off, John and I went to the National Women's Roller Derby Championships this past weekend here in Philly – unfortunately, we attended only the last day thereof, and therefore we missed the Philly Rollergirls playing (and, well, losing) on Saturday. Sadly, our beloved Carolina Rollergirls didn't rank high enough in the Eastern Division to compete in the event... but we did get to see Carolina player Eva Lye, who was at the event selling her awesome jewelry. Plus, John and I wore our Carolina T-shirts in solidarity with our original favorite team. Yay Rollergirls!

Roller derby! At the Philadelphia Convention Center

Also: I just read this really reeeeally nice post from fellow painter and awesome friend Alia El-Bermani - who I super-duper massively miss now that we're here in Philadelphia. A big shout-out to Alia, who I hope to drag up here to Philadelphia as often as possible until we convince her that she needs to be here permanently. Sigh. Anyway, check out the post - she started a painting of me before we moved, and she added in her AWESOME kitten, who is possibly the best kitten ever. Love that kitten, love that Alia. Sniff!

Painting by Alia El-Bermani: Diane with Kitten, oil on panel, 24" x 18".

Also – while I'm on the subject of great Raleigh peeps, here’s some nice news about the fabulous Megan Sullivan - she will be showing work at Jack Hanley Gallery in NYC as a part of the upcoming show "Four Women." The show is up through December 24, check it out!

Bottle Blonde, 2008, cotton and polyester, by Megan Sullivan