Some examples from day 1 of Landscape class
Composition gives the eye a path through the landscape
Despite the arctic weather we’ve been having, the new classes are going well because people are staying in and painting!
This session I divided my courses between Watercolor Landscape, and Watercolor Portrait Painting.
Proportions illustrated on a sketch and selfie
A class member starting from a photo
to creat a watercolor portrait
My graduation photo. The slate reads: “Because of [Progressive Rehabilitation Associates], I can:
–Walk –Sleep –Get in/out of my car!”
Celebrating my graduation from Progressive Rehab! Physical therapists Lori and Brittany got me back on my feet after two knee surgeries, lower back and hamstring pain. They always made me feel like I could do it — it just hurts a little bit but then gets better.
This February is so much better than last year. Being able to walk to class and sit and stand when needed is awesome, I praise my body all the time. I will continue to do my exercises they taught me.
The Johnson County Ukulele Social Club
performing last Sunday afternoon at
the East Side Artists Show and Sale
Dancing to the music with jingle bells, celebrating a very successful show.
We helped out Lila Mae, too!
Wishing you times of joy and celebration!
(click image to view larger)
The Annual Show & Sale postcard
A radiance of cardinals,
by watercolor class members
(Above left) The postcard for this year’s Eastside Artists Annual Show & Sale features my cardinal painting. I sent them three to choose from, and they picked this slightly frumpy young bird with his feathers a little ruffled.
(Above right) My watercolor students got in the spirit and painted this splendid array! According to this National Park Service site, a group of cardinals may be called a “radiance.”
With Eva at Wheatsfield, trying out scarves
We had a good day at Wheatsfield on Saturday! I’ve been introducing tote bags and scarves printed with my artwork, to complement the “Notecards for a cause.” Proceeds from all these items will go toward awareness of human trafficking, starting with support for Lila Mae’s House (link is to a Sioux City Journal article; note the “Ways to help” and “Signs of human trafficking” in the left-hand column).
My appreciation to Wheatsfield Co-op for providing the space; to my friend Eva for helping me unload, staff the table, and load back up again; and to everyone who stopped by! I’ll be putting more online about the scarf designs — you can see a sneak peek from the photo shoot below.
Update: See the Creating for a Cause page to see all the scarf designs, plus notecards and bags!
Samples of the bags, scarves,
and cards
Behind the scenes with a scarf
model at the photo shoot
With friend and fellow painter Jeanette
(left) at the Bridgewater show
I had a chance to see my stretched polyester prints in a grand space when I was one of several artists featured in a show at Grand Living at Bridgewater, in Coralville. This room is an area for performances such as speakers or musicians. It sorta blew me away as to the size of the prints; in my small apartment you don’t get the same effect as when you can stand back and see what they would look like in a larger space like a lobby.
(You can also see one of my shower curtains hanging out on the display doors behind me.)
One of my paintings from the workshop
Nationally-known watercolorist Janet Rogers served as judge for this year’s Iowa Watercolor Society (IWS) Annual Exhibition, and I attended one of the workshops she taught in conjunction with the IWS annual meeting. I have been teaching and drawing from a live model for a couple of years and felt I was ready to learn more from a master figure painter like Janet. I immediately felt a kinship between her painting style and mine.
Her teaching style also felt akin to how I teach my classes. We started with drawing. Then a first wash, and let it dry; second wash, and let it dry; then finish off the painting. The drying is important to achieve a layering effect — you can’t get too impatient! I enjoyed learning from Janet, and the camaraderie of seeing my painting friends.
During the watercolor workshop at La Poste,
a renovated 1914 former post office
building in Perry, Iowa
Workshop participants with
our artwork in front of La Poste
(Janet Rogers is at the railing at right)
The “teachers” visiting in my kitchen before the reunion
Konrad making himself at home
I was Vice President of my high school class in 1963, so it was about time I was on the reunion committee! With our high school days getting more distant, I brought along ten “teachers” to help stir our memories at my class reunion in Boone. The cutout figures are made of foamcore, painted with acrylic paint and some acrylic spray paint.
We could talk to the cutouts and let the images bring back old times. Once the stories started flowing, it was a riot what people remembered! Classmates have been sending me photos of the cutout teachers they took home, entering their houses, peeking out, etc. — fun stuff.
Updated to add the maestro making himself at home in his new abode (at top right). Thanks for the picture, Marilyn M.!
The reunion committee (at left) and some more of the attendees,
posing with photo props and a photobombing “teacher”
(committee photo courtesy of Fred Westfall)
Sample back and front of a card
(click image to view larger)
Prototype of pouch to hold Abundant Homes notecards. Styles will vary.
Response to the Canticle notecards has been so enthusiastic that we’re working on a whole new set! Abundant Homes is a set of 9 notecards with envelopes, each with an image from one of my paintings on the front, and some words to contemplate on the back. Once again the cards will be bundled in a hand-painted pouch, this time in the shape of a house!
Abundant Homes
card designs and messages
(click image to view larger;
PDF, approx. 682 KB, rev. 09 Jan 2024)
In the photos below, I called in the reinforcements to help paint pouches for the Canticle notecards — we got into “St. Francis mode” and let the color flow. I’m looking forward to working with groups to make the new “house” style. See the Creating for a Cause page to see all the notecard designs, plus scarves and bags.
Proceeds from sale of the cards will go toward awareness of human trafficking, starting with support for Lila Mae’s House, a project started by Franciscan Sister Shirley Fineran with the goal of creating a “place of healing” for trafficking survivors. Contact me (email jomyerswalker@gmail.com) if you’re interested in the cards!
For more informaton:
Painting pouches for a cause
(At left, buddies from a couple of different Catholic
churches in Ames; at right, fellow Franciscan Associates)
(click image to download PDF)
See previously: Mercer mural revealed
Jo Myers-Walker's Blog 
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