August Art Update

"Your life is already artful - waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art." Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

R.I.P. Toni Morrison (1931-2019)
by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

I have been incredibly busy this summer since my last blog post and, with lots more travel in my immediate future, I thought I would post a quick August art update.

Captain Tom Workshop

Since my last blog post, a highlight for me has been the workshop that I attended on July 20th with Tomas Pajdlhauser (aka Captain Tom) called: “Effective and Expressive Urban Sketching” http://captaintom.studio/about

Photo  by Tomas Pajdlhauser at his workshop July 20.

I have already posted pictures and details about the workshop on the Ottawa Urban Sketchers Blog https://ottawaurbansketchers.blogspot.com/2019/07/ottawa-workshop-with-captain-tom.html and what I wanted to add here is: I went to the workshop as a fan really hoping to simply witness Tom's process more than anything else. What I walked away with at the end of the day was so much more.

For starters, even before the workshop started, I added neutral tint and turquoise to my palette because they were listed in Tom's emails. It had been a long time since I purchased any "new colours" for my palette and I absolutely love them!

• Neutral tint was developed in the 18th century by English watercolorists and is essentially a light red (red iron oxide) + indigo (or iron blue) with a touch of yellow (gamboge or yellow ochre). It was preferred over sepia ink as a neutralizing (de-saturating) mixer because it did not dull either warm or cool paint. It is apparently very effective for stormy sky and Tom said he loves using it for his winter skies.
• Turquoise is a beautiful earth colour on the cool side and it is the preferred colour for Tom when mixing greens (Tom mixes with yellow ochre.) I bought a Winsor Newton Cobalt Turquoise (PB28 PB30) from all the turquoise variations available for sale.

More details on what I learned from Captain Tom can be found here: https://moynahanstudio.blogspot.com/2019/08/effective-and-expressive-urban.html, One of the outcomes was to a project to DRAW 50 CARS!

#50Cars

Realizing at Tom's workshop that I edit out cars from almost ALL of my city sketches, I created a new project for myself to draw 50 cars. I'm not even half way through the project and the exercise has already been helpful in building confidence so that, in the future, I will stop avoiding these essential city objects! I've been tweeting some of my car sketches: https://twitter.com/cindiforeman/status/1155120136942161920?s=20tps://twitter.com/cindiforeman/status/1155120136942161920?s=20://twitter.com/cindiforeman/status/1155120136942161920?s=20

This is NO.5 of 50 cars that I have challenged myself to draw.

Ottawa Plein Air Adventures

I have been available to attend only two of this summer's Ottawa Plein Air Adventurers outings. The first one at Mer Bleue Bog was dreadfully hot and once the horseflies and mosquitoes found me I called it a day. I managed to get some quick field studies done for a future acrylic painting for the ArtEast Art Show (scheduled for 2020).

Mer Bleue Bog quick field studies

The second outing that I attended was at Petrie Island with there was yet another weather warning in effect but I managed to find some shady spots to do some quick watercolour sketches

My shady spot at Petrie Island

Quick Petrie Island watercolour study

 #DrawingAugust

Drawing August is a fun activity where artists are challenged to sketch every day and share their sketches on social media (twitter, Instagram) and I really enjoy these challenges because I use them to experiment with materials, subjects and styles and get feedback from other artists online. https://www.painters-online.co.uk/techniques-and-tips/view,improve-your-drawing-skills-as-you-join-haideejo-summers-for-drawingaugust_18503.htm

#DrawingAugust No.11 by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

#DrawingAugust No.7 by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

#DrawingAugust Day. 4 by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

Ottawa Urban Sketchers

I was invited to speak about Urban Sketchers at the Ottawa Art Gallery to the Ottawa School of Art class taught by Maya Hum. I was surprised and delighted to receive a gift from Maya - a small handmade sketchbook that I filled with sketches of "Humans of Ottawa" and I finished this sketchbook with a sketch of myself!

Lovely handmade sketchbook gift from Maya Hum

Humans of Ottawa sketch

Self-portrait sketch added to Humans of Ottawa sketchbook

My sketchbook travels with me everywhere I go and I love the times that I can stop and do quick sketches here and there. I plan to sketch every day for the rest of August and hope you will join me in "Drawing August" https://www.painters-online.co.uk/techniques-and-tips/view,improve-your-drawing-skills-as-you-join-haideejo-summers-for-drawingaugust_18503.htm

Happy sketching everyone!