21 Thursday Mar 2013
Posted in Art, Julia Kay's Portrait Party, Portrait, Sketch
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Well sometimes it’s a good thing when your computer is down for a few hours. I’m glad I had my friend Serena’s photo on my tablet ready to draw last night. I need to shut the computer off more often!
17 Sunday Mar 2013
Posted in Art, Julia Kay's Portrait Party, Portrait, Sketch
Today’s sketch for Julia Kay’s Portrait Party is of Jane, she recently sketched me and I just had to sketch her in return. I love this group! I think my portrait skills are improving. Warning if you join Julia Kay Portrait Party it may become an addiction. Cheers! *Raises her cuppa tea.*
14 Thursday Mar 2013
Posted in Art, Julia Kay's Portrait Party, Portrait, Sketch
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Another sketch for Julia Kay’s portrait party. I really enjoy intriguing photo’s. This great photo of Mags caught my eye. Her pensive look, as she nervously bites her beads reminded me of myself in high school. I would play with my beads nervously in English class. I Drove the teacher nuts! When they broke and spilled all over the floor she was smugly pleased. I on the other hand was embarrassed.
Here is her original photo.
08 Friday Mar 2013
So, the other day I thought I’d take a stab at sketching Julia. The drawing was not going so well, so I decided to just mess with it, and not try to be so crazy perfect. I thought it was a fail. I even wrote FAIL on it. I was not at all happy. I revisited it a few days later (something every artist should do) and the sketch had grown on me. So here she is Julia Kay, and my wacky interpretation of her colourful photo.
05 Tuesday Mar 2013
Posted in Art, Julia Kay's Portrait Party, Portrait, Sketch
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This winter is coming to an end none too soon for me. I’ve had more than my share of sickness this winter. Maybe I’ve had too many good sick free years, and the germs decided that I’m not going to get away from them this year.
Well, that has nothing to do with the image I bring you today, other than I was sick as a dog coughing up a lung when I sketched this portrait from the JKPP site on Flickr. There are over 700 artists who put their egos at risk and allow other artists to draw, paint or sketch their likeness in this great group.
19 Tuesday Feb 2013
Posted in Art, Event, Life Drawing, Sketch
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We had an incredible sketch night last night sponsored by the Windsor and Region Arts Council. One of our members, Christy Lister, arranged a private party at a posh restaurant, the Gourmet Emporium! The restaurant is normally closed on Mondays, but this Monday they had a band coming in to do some video. We were invited to come in and sketch while the band was recording. The kitchen was not open, but we were able to have have a drink from their wonderfully stocked bar. If you ever get to Windsor you must visit the Gourmet Emporium. Sara & Ryan Fontaine played and sang original songs. They are a wonderful duo.
05 Tuesday Feb 2013
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I was privileged to be the host of yet another successful community sketch night on February 4th, 2013. A great group of sketchers got together and spent a couple of fun filled hours sketching each other, resulting in a great mutual admiration meeting by the end of the evening.
A bit of History on the ACRW Sketch Nights
The Arts Council-Windsor Region has spearheaded a unique community sketch night. They are scheduled for every other Monday. What is unique about them is that a different organization or artist hosts each sketch night. Each organization puts its own spin on the night.
Elizabeth Gaye MacDonald, President of the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society, will be hosting the second session of 2013 at Windsor Printmaker’s Forum. Elizabeth is inspired by the artist Julia Kay who spearheaded Julia Kay’s Portrait Party. JKPP is a communal project in which more than 700 artists from all over the world have so far made more than 30K portraits of each other in less than 3 years. It should be great fun. Bring your sketchbooks, and drawing tools.
ACWR Sketch Night is made possible with the partnership of local artists Dave Kant, Christy Lister, Elizabeth MacDonald, Mary Wheeler, Windsor Printmaker’s Forum, and the Arts Council of Windsor and Region.
22 Tuesday Jan 2013
Posted in Art, Moleskine, Portrait, Watercolour
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Julia Kay is an amazing, and wonderful woman who’s totally obsessed with drawing a self portrait every day, even at times in her sleep! Well, maybe she’s not totally sleeping but nodding off. As I’ve said many times, Flickr is a wonderful photo sharing sight that has an incredible supportive arts community. That is where I came across Julia Kay. I’ve joined her group. The unique thing about her group is that you are not allowed to submit self portraits, instead you submit photos’ of yourself for others to draw. Julia warns everyone that if they are squeamish about the way they maybe depicted in someone’s photo it would be wise not to participate, as the diverse styles are not always flattering. Once I submitted my photo it didn’t take long for people to start drawing and painting away on traditionals and digital media. I am inspired by all the different ways of seeing this group expresses. I encourage you to have a look at the group, and especially at Julia Kay’s work.
As for me, well I may not get a portrait a day in, but I will accomplish something and more than if I’d not joined at all. Oh, and I’ve not drawn or painted many portraits so I’ve a lot to learn in the process. It’s too cold to paint outdoors so this group will keep me from getting rusty over the winter.
Have a look at Julia’s selected sets from her Daily Portrait Project, in which she’s been making an image of herself every day since 3/15/2007.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliakay/collections/72157621793904933/
27 Tuesday Nov 2012
Posted in Art, Event, Life Drawing, Watercolour
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The Arts Council-Windsor Region has spearheaded a unique community sketch night. They are scheduled for every other Monday. What is unique about them is that a different organization hosts the sketch night each week. Each organization puts its own spin on the night.
The first night was hosted by a talented young artist. His take on the event was a method called the “Exquisite Corpse”. Each person started a drawing, and when time was called the drawings were passed to the right. The event stopped when your drawing made it back to you. It was very interesting what others did to your original work. Passing your work onto someone else was quite a scary proposition. It helped detach me from my work and see the unique directions others would take it in.
Yesterday, Monday November 26th was hosted by Sho Art, Spirit & Performance, a fairly new gallery in the city. They hosted a life drawing evening. There was an incredible turn out. Standing room only! My friends and I were one of the first to arrive, so we were able to get our pick of locations.
The next event is hosted by yours truly, at Windsor Printmaker’s Forum, where I am Vice President. I plan on setting up a number of unique still life stations for people to draw. They will rotate between the stations throughout the evening. I’m quite excited, and nervous at the same time.
Please have a look at the drawings that I did at Sho.
30 Tuesday Oct 2012
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I am pleased to announce that I will be one of the hosts for the Arts Council Sketch nights. My night will be Monday December 10th from 6 until 9. Location and theme of my sketch night will be announced soon. Each night is hosted by a different artist or art group. We are really excited about what will be taking place during these evenings.
Here is the post from the Arts Council site followed by a link.
The Arts Council Windsor & Region is facilitating bi-monthly Sketch Nights in partnership with local artists, businesses and organizations.
How do you become involved?
–Become an ACWR member
-Fill out the form below
We want you to make this event/workshop/semi-collaborative sketching time your own! Have any suggestions on how to make this open sketching group awesome? Potential partners or themes? We want to hear them! Come out on Monday, November 12, meet the group of sketchers and share your ideas.
There are 3 sessions to lead Sketch Nights into the new year (all sessions are at 6pm unless otherwise noted):
Monday, November 12 – Exquisite Corpse style drawing session lead by Sketch Night member Dave Kant @ ACWR (1942 Wyandotte St E)
Monday, November 26 – Live nude model session lead by Sketch Night partner SHO Art, Spirit and Performance @ SHO (628 Monmouth Rd)
Monday, December 10 – TBA Sketch activity with Plein Air artist Elizabeth Gaye MacDonald
Please Note: Our goal is to make sketch night accessible and affordable for everyone. However, due to material costs there may be reasonable supplementary fees for certain Sketch Night activities.
Questions? Please email info@acwr.net or call us at 519 252 2787.
Elizabeth Gaye MacDonald 