Watercolor Workshop at Haut Baran

I know it has been awhile since I posted something of significance on my blog!  You probably wondered what happened to me.  Well a lot happened.  I was out of the country and traveled to France.  There for 10 days, I signed up for a watercolor workshop with fellow watercolor artist, Judy Morris.  As you can see, we were at a beautiful location in the southwest region of France.

All I can say is that it was a wonderful, inspiring experience with the company of one of the most  accomplished contemporary watercolor artist of our era.  We gathered ideas, reference photos, and shared techniques.  I observed Judy teaching her workshops and it was marvelous. 

We traveled to local villages and saw much history in the region.  We saw outdoor markets and went to a brocante, (french flea market). Here is a sample of some of my sketches and watercolor studies from the trip.

The following are photos of our studio.

Hope you can enjoy these shots as much as I loved taking them and being there.  This was an experience of a lifetime.  Now on to doing some serious artwork.

New Website

I have been spending the last few months in re-designing and updating my website. It is finished and on the net.  I learned how to use DreamWeaver from my Media & Communications classes so I am able to design and make my own.  I don't care for the "canned layouts" that several company's offer and I don't have to pay anyone else to create it for me.  A win, win.  I have left room on one of my pages for future paintings purposely to get me into the mode of new projects.

To take a look, click on the following:  http://paulafiebich.com/

On my contacts page, I have a column of interesting related links.  One of them being a tour of General Motors Design Center video of where I go to work everyday.  It is a behind the scenes tour that is not seen by the public as it is a very much a high security building.  Don't want all those future designs leaking out.

"Going Green" going on Traveling Exhibition in Shanghai!

I received a very special present on Christmas Eve this year from the Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition.  I was requested to have my painting be part of a traveling exhibition in Shanghai!

From 1.19.2013--1.27.2013 it will be on display at the CWI Children's Palace Shanghai.

And from there it will travel to the Oriental Pearl Tower Shanghai.

It will be on display from 2.7.2013--2.17.2013

My painting is currently doing more traveling than I am at this moment.What an incredibly interesting opportunity!

NYC Deli

I have been working on a series of paintings of scenes and places in NYC. This one was something that attracted my attention not only for the large chocolate chip cookies in the window of a deli but also for the figure of this  man starring out the window.  The marquees were running their daily news stories and I imagine he was watching the news go by from his spot at this deli.  The reflections in the window show the news going by.  Let me know

you think.

Up to 25,000

Views that is! I am able to track the countries that view my blog the most.  Germany held the most views for many months this year.  The tiny island of Malta must love watercolors.  Spain!  There are a lot of watercolor fans there.  Everybody is interested in the Shanghai Biennial being held this year.  I was lucky to be a part of it.  I love seeing people from Italy and France especially looking at my blog as I love visiting there. Did I mention Belgium??  I should as both of my grandparents came from there and settled in the Detroit area in the early 1900's.  And of course the USA, my fellow American artists and friends across the country taking a look from time to time to see what I have been up to.

 I will try to add going forward not only my art but other things of interest connected with watercolor painting and will let you know what becomes of the Shanghai Show due to start at the end of November.  I would like very much to travel to all of these countries.  They are all in my bucket list of things to do.

"Going Green" made it

Received word today that "Going Green" will be part of the 2012 Shanghai Biennial! Another accomplishment only to make me more determined to do better in the years to come.  I have not been able to devote my time to painting as some of the masters have been able to do but I see that there is nothing holding me back now.  I have been off to a good start.

Artists are their own worse critics at least I am.  I guess that is what makes you continue to press on.  Anyway, I look forward to seeing all the works of art accepted into the show.  I hear that the catalog is well done and am honored to be a part of it.  To think that 4000 entries were submitted and mine was one of the ones chosen.  That is stiff competition.

Typhoon Haikui

I know that watercolor artists from around the world have been anxiously awaiting the results of the exhibit for the 2012 Shanghai Biennial along with myself.  Well here are excerpts from a recent email received from Shanghai as to why the selection process and show has been slightly delayed:

"We understand that you have been waiting for the results of the stage 2 and/or awards selection. Thank you very much for your patience.

However, we have experienced some very severe weather in Shanghai during the past month, as the result, all schedules have now been delayed. We have been trying very hard to keep the opening on time; however, as of today, many paintings have still not been delivered; and the re-scheduling of all the events prove to be extremely difficult. We are aiming to do the stage 2 and awards selection on 25th and 26th September. Hence delaying the opening to around 13th October. Paintings will still be returned within the previously proposed time frame.

This decision has just been made, we are still working out all the details, and hope to have everything confirmed as soon as posible. I will keep you updated.

We understand this change must be extremely difficult and inconvenient for you, and we will try our best to make amends. It is very unfortunate that the opening have to be delayed, but we are determined to put on a stunning show. Your understanding would be greatly appreciated.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you."

Thank you very much.

Typhoon Haikui hit!  Thank god that "Going Green" made it in early safe and sound.  Hopefully the ones missing will show up soon.

New Painting

Have a new painting to add to collection.  This one entitled "Blue Bowl", is from a still life that I put together some time ago.  It is 23x30 done on Kilamanjaro watercolor paper from Cheap Joe's Artist Supply.  When I had won the Gold Medal back in 2007, Joe whom I had met at the reception for the AWS Awards Ceremony had sent me some watercolor supplies.  In the packet that I received, which I was thrilled to get, were different grades of Kilamanjaro Watercolor paper which is Cheap Joe's signature brand.  I have to say that I really like it!   It gives some surprising textural qualities. What attracted me to doing this subject was the color in the cloth and the text printed on it.  It added to an interesting composition. Lighting, to me, is everything and the shadows created by the whisk and the folds in the cloth added to a unique design.  I'll put a link to Cheap Joe's under interesting websites on my blog.

Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition

My painting, "Going Green" has made it through Stage I of the selection process for Shanghai, China Biennial Exhibition at the end of September!  I am thrilled! The show will have a collection of 200 to 250 paintings open to the world to participate.  From what I gather, the competition has been stiff because of 4000 entries from around the world.  To have made it this far and to be asked to send it to China for them to judge is an honor.  This is not a done deal yet as to whether it is a definite to be added to the show.  It has to pass stage II.  My thinking on it is this: they probably want to see if the real painting lives up to the digital images that were originally submitted.  With Photoshop enhancements available to everyone, an image could be worked on to look more of what it actually is.

After passing stage II, a select group with than determine the 15 awards to be given out.  All in all an extremely interesting event.  I will keep you all posted as to the progress.  Now to figure out how to wrap this baby up and send it to China!

Painting a Picture of Mom

Ok, This is so not easy.  It is not suppose to be.  My Mom past away last Sunday evening at the age of 96. A good long life this is true.  And when you think that she was born in the year of 1915,how monumental can it be to have experienced and seen all that she has seen in the changes to the world up to 2012.  This new age was not neccessarily to her liking not so much because of all the technology which senior citizens have a problem with but more to the change in people.  She was part of a golden generation in which it was common to make friends easily with neighbors, co-workers, and to be understanding and concerned about each other's problems and to try to help out.  That generation knew the importance of having each other's backs.  She was beginning to see a lack of that in the new and upcoming generations simply because now it is possible to communicate without coming face to face so how can you truly develop the deep emotional bonds with others.  She knew something about communicating.  In fact, I would call her an expert as everyone close to her knew.  And she had something to say.  She kept up with current affairs, politics, and was an avid reader.  Albeit, it was mostly romance novels which could transport her to another world while not leaving her apartment.  And being the  home body that she was, that was just fine with her.

Her company was enjoyed by many because of her lively sense of humor something that her children benefited from and learned to develop at an early age.  She encouraged it!  She worked up to the age of 80 and her "boys" that she worked with were very important to her as they enjoyed her as well.  Quite a statement for a company that was willing to keep an 80 year on their payroll.

She drove her 1990 Ford Escort up to the age of 93.  It only had 35,000 on it.  She missed that car when she recently had to give it up.

The most spectacular aspect that has left us all amazed was her mental agility even up to her last days.  She was smart even though she would never label her self as being smart with finances, paperwork or math, but her street smarts were right on.  Her ability to size up people was remarkable and 9 times out of 10 she was right on.  I depended on her wisdom more times than I care to say.

I guess I am on my own now to fend for myself.  But I have been trained well and the beneficiary of a very wise woman.  She was an exception to the rule.  I love you Mom and I will miss  you till the end of my days.  With love Paula.

The Year Of The Dragon

It is finished!

First one of the New Year!

Hope this year holds happiness

and prosperity for 

everyone.
Opinions and reactions
to this piece will be welcome.
It should read "The Year of the Dragon
Reduced"

The Year of the Dragon

2012 is the year of the Dragon!  Here is a painting that I am currently working on to celebrate.  Again on a recent trip to NYC, (I should just move there I think) going through the SOHO area there is a store called "Pearl River".  Love this store for the color explosion and intriguing items from the Orient.  They have paper dragons hanging from the ceiling, lanterns all over and bamboo bird cages.  I have been harboring some photos that I took and am now bringing it to create my first painting of the new year.  What better than to start off with a dragon theme in honor of the Chinese New Year.  Here so far is my step by step progress on developing the painting.

Discover & Download Revisited

I started this painting last year. Liked it but was not satisfied with it.  I put it aside for a few months and got it out again during my time off in December.  It was a good thing that I did not scrap it, because looking at it again, I made some adjustments to it that seemed to suit me better.  This is the result.  A little background on the painting...took a trip to NYC what is now a couple of years ago and took some pictures while in Times Square.  Just the place for someone who like a lot of 'eye candy' in their paintings. What I adjusted were the people in the foreground.  I put them more in the shadows. I enhanced some shadowing and some reflections.  All in all, I will now have it part of my new collection for the new year.

It's been an Interesting year!

I'll say it again.....its been an interesting year.  Quite a bit was accomplished and I am on to a fresh start for the new year.  Cleaned up my studio, have some new ideas and new projects.  I feel like I am just now getting started with what is to come in the future.  This is a good place to be.

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas around the world. Thanks for the interest in my art and the comments.  Happy Holidays!

Solo Show-GM Design Center Gallery

I am having a solo show coming up this month at the General Motors Design Center Gallery.  This is my first solo!

Thanks to the GM creative design department, this is the poster that they designed to announce the exhibit.  They incorporated my Reflections III painting to use as the background for the type and design.  It will be running from 10.20.11 thru to 11.28.11 with the opening reception on 10.20.

I will let you all know how it goes.

Commission for the "Love Bridge", (Ponte Degli Scalzi) Venice, Italy

How would you like to be proposed to? On a bridge named Ponte Degli Scalzi in Venice, Italy? Well it did happen for a lucky couple and I have been commissioned to immortalize that moment in watercolor. I wish I could have taken a trip there to gather my reference photographs and sketches but such a luxury does not always exist. Thank god for the internet for supplying the necessary views from the bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice.

Maybe next year............I will be the lucky the girl. To go to Venice, I mean. (or maybe for something else.) Any way, I hope for the best for everyone. Just as long as Linda & Tony are happy that is all that matters. And who is Linda & Tony?? There will be only the special few who know.

10,000 Views!

Well I just crossed the 10,000 mark of how many views there have been to my blog! I thank all the avid watercolor artists out there interested in the medium and curious to see someone else's approach. I believe a lot of the exposure was due to being on the cover of International Artist Magazine along with my crazy cousins who have discovered an artist in the family. LOL to all the cousins! I love that they have taken such an active interest in my art. But beside all that, I truly feel that with the onset of the internet and how we are able to network globally, has given us the opportunity to learn and enhance the quality of our individual artwork.

I have been taking a brief break this summer and recharging the creative batteries and I will soon be back putting my various ideas to paint. I can only hope to keep this all alive and interesting as I have found the blogs and websites of my followers to be equally as interesting.

To all my international followers and people that have sent me emails from other countries and locally, I thank you for your compliments and it has been exciting to be discovered overseas.

Michigan Watercolor Society 2011

Here are the photos from the 2011 Michigan Watercolor Society Show. The painting shown above the logo for MWS is the painting that took the highest award. All in all, it was an interesting show highlighting the talent in the State of Michigan. I have had people ask me how large My "Going Green" painting is. With me standing beside it, now the proportions can clearly be seen.

There was a good showing opening night with about 200 to 300 in attendance. I'd like to personally thank my cousin Linda and her husband Tony for coming in from Ann Arbor to lend support and interest. Also long time friend, Dale, who spiffed himself up to mingle with the art crowd in Birmingham.

Also thanks to Jerry Bowman. Glad to have met you and talked with you for such a long time. Your watercolors are awesome.

Michigan Watercolor Society Show

My painting "Going Green" has been chosen to be part of the 2011 Michigan Watercolor Society Exhibit for 2011. This is the first time for me to do something locally and I am excited to see the show. Miles Batt is the Juror for this show and will be giving a lecture the night before the opening on May 20th.

Stay tuned for further postings about the show.

Venetian Gold on Front Cover of International Artist Magazine

About a year ago, I received an email from Vincent Miller Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of International Artist Magazine in which he was interested in doing an article about me and my watercolor art for the magazine. There was a file sent as to what kind of information they were looking for and the structure of how to send everything to the magazine. I was just getting back to work about that time after a long layoff from the automotive industry here in Detroit and still going to school to pursue my digital art and animation degree so I didn't send it off right away. About three months later, I thought I should pursue this and plug along with getting all the package of information they wanted me to submit. I got it all done and sent it off to Australia where the magazine originates from.

I have been busy. Very busy. It crossed my mind a few times but thought maybe they decided not to do anything with it. I went out to my mailbox this last Thursday after getting home from work took out the mail, carried it into the house and let it sit there for a few before I went through my mail.

I had to do a double take when I got to my April/May copy of International Artist Magazine. I took one look at the cover and I was at a complete loss for words. There was my painting "Venetian Gold" on the cover.

It took me by surprise! Thank you International Artist for the honor!

Art Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

The latest technology makes it possible for an artist to publish their own art book. How great is that!

Linge de Maison

This is it! Linge de Maison. Which means household laundry in French. How appropo with laundry hanging out the window to dry. I added more texture and enriched some areas with another layer. Now it is no longer a WIP.

WIP 3

I am close but I still want to play with it for awhile. I get an idea of what I am trying to achieve and sometimes it comes together and sometimes it comes close. Still adjusting some affects. Will let you know when I am satisfied. When you get to certain level with your art, you would think that it comes easier but I am seeing that each painting poses its own challenges. I want to see what I can still make of this painting. I could leave it to the point it is at right now. Maybe I might, who knows. Later.

New Watercolor WIP 2

Progressing on my painting, I have now worked out more texture on the building facade and have put in more detail on the shuttered windows. I also added the wrought iron balcony with pots hanging from it. One thing I can say about both France and Italy is that they do make there windows interesting will all the things they put on display. Still much to work out.

New Watercolor WIP

Hi! It feels like a long time since I have been able to sit down and concentrate on my watercolor painting. Life gets in the way of what I should be spending all my time working on; that being my painting. Work and school for me have taken me away unfortunately. For all artists out there, you know what I am talking about. And now that I have more of a following, I feel it necessary to produce which is a good thing. Enough about that. What I have here is the start of a new composition and hopefully a new series of paintings (3) of exteriors that I found interesting in the South of France. I have decided on an elongated size to add interest and emphasis. This particular building was one that I came upon in the old part of Nice, France. I love the texture and age of the building and the things that the residents hang outside of their shuttered windows. There was a French Linen shop below. You will see as I develop the new painting.

The Launch of my new website

It's official! I now have my own .com! I have been working on this site for sometime and I am thrilled to have it up and running thanks to the technical people at GoDaddy.com.

After taking a semester of Dreamweaver, the result is now having the expertise to not only create my own but also to offer my services to others. Click the title of this posting to link to it. Any comments are welcome. You will find that I have included several links to other watercolor related sites that I have been personally involved with. So if any of my fellow artists would like a website designed for them or would like to refresh what they already have, feel free to contact me.

Featured on: Chris Beck Blog

Hi everyone! This must be my lucky week! I am being highlighted on Chris Beck's blog. I see that I already have a few new followers and I would like to say a collective welcome to my blog! I'm sure that I will be equally interested in checking out all of your paintings as well. So for those of you that have not discovered the above links to Chris's blogs, do so and you will be pleased.

All you have to do is 'click' on the title to this post.

"Venetian Gold" in Splash 11

The new edition of "Splash 11-New Directions" is out on the bookshelves! My painting "Venetian Gold" made it into this book because of the new direction that my paintings are taking recently.

The quote by Anais Nin is one that I supplied keeping in theme with the book. The quote reads:

...."and the day came when the risk it took to remain all tight in the bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

This is so true in many areas of life. We don't care for change but in order to grow and blossom, you have to move forward even when it seems painful and scary to do so. I recently went through a scary time of uncertainty, not knowing what was going to happen in my life, but you have to trust the universe to help you out along with yourself. I'm happy to be a part of this wonderful book and I feel that the design and layout of this one is the classiest in the series. Check it out yourselves.

Discover & Download

"Discover & Download" is finished! Accept for a few "twikings" here and there. This painting shows a snapshot in time back to 2007 to Times Square in New York City. This was the year that I won the Gold Metal from the American Watercolor Society. Many photos were taken of the city at that time. What drew me to this one was the abstract design. Each window which shows reflections of the city or the times we live in had a contained abstract design which made a whole composition of abstraction. I wanted to show the energy of the city in this painting.

For the most part, it is finished but I might just make a few small, subtle changes.

International Artist Magazine is Out!

The April/May edition is out with my painting on page 13. Along with the painting is an artist statement about my inspiration, design strategy and working process. And of course, contact info. I am happy to be going international with my art especially when I see that I have people following my blog from across continents. Spring is here!

Progress

As you can see, I am developing reflections of the city in the windows. Lots of detail and I am pleased with the progress. I have developed the MTV images in the bottom row of windows.

Start of a new painting

I have started a new painting. This one is from a scene in Times Square in New York City. Between myself and a friend, we took several pictures all over the city in two recent trips there.

As you can see, it is appearing to be the building in Times Square that displays the "Lion King" advertisement. I have a habit of taking on complex paintings with detail and this will not be short of plenty of eye candy. Its the composition that will give it its sense of activity and size. Possibly you will get an idea of how I work. I did the initial drawing with my reference coming from the above mentioned photos all around the city. From there, I am laying in washes of color, starting with the main focal point of the Lion King sign. I then move on to some of the graphics shown in the windows below—gradually building up tones. I make a color chart for myself of the watercolors that I have in my collection and spend time picking out the palette of colors that I want for this scene. My paintings are time consuming, but the results are to my liking.

Latest News Bulletin! Made it into International Artist Magazine!

I just received word that my painting "Going Green" is going to be published in International Artist Magazine April/May issue. It is part of their flowers and Gardens competition. Now I have to get busy and write some info about the painting i.e. inspiration.

The Series

Here so far is the series of glass watercolor studies that I have completed.

Glass Reflections III

After spending more time on my digital work and not enough time on my watercolor painting, I have completed number 3 in my series of glass studies watercolor paintings. This is one of a Murano glass bowl by Fratelli Tasi in Venice and of Paper Nautilus shells that I happen to be lucky enough to have in my collection of interesting objects. They are rare finds in that, they rarely wash up on beaches because they are delicate shells that crumble before being able to do so. If I have my facts correct, they are shells from baby octopus. They are related to the Nautilus shell family.

I happen to get my hands on them from an acquaintance who received them from a friend living in South Africa and saw them on the beach and sent them through the mail to him. He didn't know what to do with them and asked me, the artist, if I would want them. Of Course!

I love the play of light on glass that is why I have done a series called Glass Reflections. They are abstract in nature but yet representational. Any comments on my latest addition is welcome.

Followers of my Blog

For those of you that follow my blog, I apologize for no new watercolor entries since June of this year. My focus and attention has been on my training as a multimedia artist. If you click on the link to the Digital By Design website, you will see the work that I have been doing. But enough about that. This blog is dedicated to the art of watercolor painting. I have a work in progress going on right now and it is close to completion. I will post as soon as it is done. I do not want to rush it even though I want to keep a steady pace with my fine art.

There will be news to follow as I am being published in "Splash 11-New Directions" coming out next year. Promise to post something new soon.

Going Green

The painting that I have been posting on my blog in stages is finished. There might be some slight twiking here or there but will be minimal. You have to know when to quit. I find that after I finish a piece, I can't really see it anymore. I have to get away from it. This was one of my largest paintings that I have ever done. You learn something with each one. I believe I will call this one, "Going Green".

Progress

Slowly but surely, this painting is coming around. More of the background is developed and the seeds are becoming more detailed. Also, I am intending to create a more blended affect up at the top which will travel through to the large background area above the hydranga. That will be my last section to do on this painting. This painting is large, 30x40, as the hydranga itself is almost the size of my head plus a small another one so if that gives any idea of scale, is why it is taking some time. But so far, I am pleased with the results.

TWSA Show

Well I am back from Kenosha and the TWSA show. Some very interesting and good art and some that were a matter of taste. This is me with my painting. The gallery was first rate along with the placement of the paintings. While I was there, it was rainy and cold. For June, this seems strange. So much for global warming.




The highlight of my night was getting to meet John Salminen. We sat together for dinner and had some interesting talks. For those of you reading my blog who don't know John Salminen, I will post a link to his website under interesting websites on the right. You will see why he is a prominent and leading watercolor artist of our day. For those of you who do know, know that I was lucky to have had the opportunity to talk with him.

I also saw the works of of Cheng-Khee Chee up close. He also attended the dinner. It was good to see Judy Morris again and hopefully we will run into each other again. I will also have a link to their sites as well.

Progression

Before I go off to the TWSA show in Kenosha, I wanted to post my progress on the "Going Green" painting. I'm starting to develop my dark green in the background and layering in the seeded eucalyptus.

Latest WIP

I am working on a "going green" painting. This is just the start of a rather large watercolor. The flower is a Hydranga. Just starting and documenting as I go.

The American Museum of Natural History

On my trip to NYC, I met up with an artist friend that works as a staff artist at The American Museum of Natural History. I got a behind the scenes tour at the museum of where the exhibits and dioramas are worked on. All extremely interesting. What was an interesting connection was how similar materials are used in the creation of show cars for the auto industry. Animals are carved out of dense foam, clay armatures are created and fiberglass molds are used. There is an area where airbrushing is used and areas of casting certain parts.

Check out my link to Joi Bittle-Knights website to see some of her extraordinary work.

Accepted into TWSA

Just heard word last week that my painting Reflections 1 will be part of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America show for 2009! TWSA has strict regulations when it comes to paint materials and technique. Such as, this show is strictly for artists who work in transparent watercolors only. No opaque, no acrylic, strictly transparency. I really favor this idea because when it comes to "watercolor societies", it was my impression (before I became involved) that that was what they were all about. For most of the others, you can use acrylic, tempera, casein or a mix of several just as long as the paint base can be diluted with water. And you can also use yupo paper or canvas panels made for watercolor along with of course watercolor paper. But to me, if you are going to do something on canvas to have it look like an oil painting, why do you want a watercolor to look like a transparent oil painting?

I am a purist. All my paintings have been done with transparent watercolor. That is what I like about watercolor. For this society in particular, even painting somewhat opaquely will not be accepted. My painting is simple, but it does show the transparency of the medium and I believe that is why it was chosen.

The show is going to be held at the Kenosha Public Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The opening is June 6, 2009. Judy Morris, who in my book. is one of the best watercolor artist around has been included in the 2008 edition of "Who's Who of American Women"," Who's Who in the World 2000", and" Who's Who in the recent addition of Who's Who in America". Wow! That is a lot of Who's Who!

Study in Glass

Here is "Glass Study 2". The second in my intended series on glass. These objects were placed on a mirror so as to achieve a lot of reflections. The material that is swirling around the glass objects was a gauzy, unique scarf purchased while in New York at one of the top museums there. I find that the museum stores carry some very interesting scarfs with interesting and different patterns that I use in a lot of my watercolors. In this case, it has added an abstract background.

I like using light to achieve different feelings and effects. I believe now that after many years of painting with my favorite medium of watercolor that I am starting to achieve just that.