"Soft Landing" is in "The Art of Watercolour" Magazine

Here is the layout on page 8 in their 32nd issue out this month. Out of all the watercolor magazines out there, I feel that this one is the most professional and shows the best of the best watercolor artists around the world. I feel proud to have my painting shown in this issue.

The Meaning of Gaining Signature Status

 “The National Watercolor Society is a very prestigious organization, and the jurying in is so strict that to be able to put NWS after one’s name is really a feather in one’s cap,” Meg Huntington Cajero, a past president of the society, said. “The letters NWS matters to dealers who would be more inclined to represent an artist with them, knowing that the artist has been seen as having attained a very high level of skill and accomplishment, and dealers would point out the ‘NWS’ to potential collectors.” Yet others claim that it is worthwhile for an artist to let others know how he is esteemed by others.”

This is from an article:  Huff Post

La Cuisine Paris

La Cuisine Paris is cooking located in the center of Paris. Through a friend of mine, I had the opportunity to visit the school while she went to her pastry classes in Paris. While there, we went on a tour offered by the school called "Let Them Eat Cake" tour which meant that we were able to sample various Parisian delights of their Chocolatiers and Patisseries. Being an artist, I saw inspiration along the way for future paintings.  When I got back to the States, I proceeded to put these inspirations to paint. What became of it were two significant paintings from the tour along with of course other paintings inspired by France itself to form several paintings turning into offerings of prints and notecards.  La Cuisine was interested in letting their cliental know about the art in there latest newsletter. I am honored! Here is the Newsletter from Paris which show one of the paintings.  It is from the store called La Mazet located in the Marias area of Paris.

News Alert: Received signature status with the National Watercolor Society!

Yes, it happened yesterday with a call from Penny Hill. This has been my year for inclusion as a signature member in two prestigious watercolor societies. It is quite an accomplishment and sounds like it came so easily.  It did not. It might have come faster if I had participated more but let's face it, to get involved takes a not only a time commitment but also a financial one. Paying dues, exhibition fees to just send an image in for consideration for a show, shipping, crating, framing and travel fees if you go to see the exhibition can all add up. Hence, the cost of a painting. But the experience of it all is well worth it. When you do not get accepted or it takes awhile to acquire signature membership, it should just make one more determined to develop your painting skills and save up because when going to these shows, you get to meet some very special people. And it is a great accomplishment to have arrived to this status.

Watercolors on Display at Anne Fontaine

Yesterday, my watercolors from my travels in France went on display at the Anne Fontaine store at the Somerset Collection in  Troy, Michigan. This was to acknowledge and celebrate Bastille Day!

Celebrate Bastille Day!!

Here is the invitation from Anne Fontaine located at the Somerset Collection in Troy, Michigan to celebrate Bastille Day in which they will be featuring my watercolor paintings from various trips to France. I am excited about this opportunity! It should be fun and interesting. If any of my followers happen to be in the area on July 14 stop by to say hello.

Updated Website

What a trying two days!!! I only update my site every two years and I have to remember how I did it the time before. But after much grueling effort, it is complete! These are a few of the new pages to my updated website: paulafiebich.com

"Soft Landing" chosen for 98th NWS International Exhibition!

Received my congratulations from Penny Hill, director of exhibitions with NWS about my painting "Soft Landing".

They are checking into signature membership  as I have exhibited with them 3 times now. I will make that official announcement when I receive the information.

AWS Awards Dinner 151st Exhibit 2018

Here are some scenes from the AWS awards dinner.

From top to botton:  outside the Salmagundi Club, my  painting "French Lace", attending my first AWS meeting, fellow artist Sandy Delehanty with her painting "Notre Dame", plates getting ready for the dinner, fellow artist, Myrna Wacknov with her painting "Snapped", getting my certificate for my signature membership with AWS president Antonio Masi.

Catalog from the American Watercolor Society Arrived!

The American Watercolor Society Exhibition Catalog  for the 151th show arrived today! The quality of the catalog is first rate and nicely designed.  Excited to see the show.  I always learn something new from other artists whenever I attend the show. Honored to be a part of this as I have received my signature membership this year.

Fresh Paint (Peinture Fraiche)

Here is a new painting "Peinture Fraiche" or Fresh Paint! When on a tour of all the fabulous patisseries and chocolatiers in the Marias district in Paris, we came across this lovely very vivid yellow shop called "Maison de la Prasline Mazet". The outside had just received a fresh coat of yellow paint and they had signs all over letting you know not to touch or you will have a fresh coat of yellow paint on you also. As part of a series that I am developing of patisseries in Paris, I would like to have a collection that can possibly be turned into a future calendar or cards etc. If you look inside the shop, you will see a head of someone in the corner looking out the window. Also, of note, is the hand print to the right indicating that someone did not pay attention to the signs.

Anne Fontaine

Excited to report that I have been approached by Anne Fontaine at The Somerset Collection in Troy, Michigan to exhibit my watercolors for a special store event! They are interested in my paintings done from various trips to France being they are a store from Paris! I am honored and excited for this opportunity. Details to follow.

I have achieved Signature Status with the American Watercolor Society!

I am proud to have received notice that I have been accepted into the American Watercolor Society as a signature member! My painting "French Lace" will be part of the American Watercolor Society 151st Exhibition for 2018! When working on a painting, you get a feel for how it is developing and while working on this one, it was coming together very well. Looks like another trip to NYC is in store this year.

Detroit at Christmas

For those of you that have never visited Detroit or have heard all the worst possible things about it overseas, I hope to give you a different view on our city. This is an aerial view looking down upon the ice skating rink located at Campus Martius, a city center in Detroit. The city is experiencing new growth at a speed that is remarkable. It has also become a haven for artist. A lot of artists in New York City can't afford the studio space or living space anymore so they are flocking to Detroit in groves. The rent is gradually going up but for now, it is very affordable for artist to rent out space. This scene has watercolor potential.

Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors

This past weekend, I became a member of the Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. I had been invited to join this great group of women artists in the Detroit area. by local artist, Chris Unwin.  The society has been around for over 100 years. They sponsored a "tea" at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan and this was my first time meeting with this group. Here are some pictures from the event. Along with posting my artwork on this blog, I also like to post about any creative activities that I am involved in. The tea was an elegant affair.

French Lace

I am happy with the outcome of this painting!  "French Lace" is what I intend to name it because this was a window that I saw in Monpazier, France awhile back.  It is funny how sometimes you have an image of something for a future painting but think that maybe it won't really be a hit but as I was working on this one, I really enjoyed it. That is a good sign.  I have worked on other paintings that I was sure to be a hit but to my mind did not turn out the way I wanted it to.  The message is that you just never know when you sit down to that blank sheet of paper what masterpiece it might turn into.

This painting is 23" x 30".

New Hydrangea/butterfly watercolor

This is my latest painting.  I do not know what I want to title it yet.  If anyone out there can help me give it a great title, please send along your comments.  I have done this hydrangea in the past but from a different angle and format.  I compared the two.  The first one I did in 2012 and it went off to an international biennial. I did a better job on this one so experience does show that you do improve through the years of keeping at it. Look back at paintings you did 5 years ago and see if you can see a progression in your art. But please, if anyone has any clever idea of a good title, please drop me a comment or message.  Thank you.

Italian Villa Commission

I am now able to unveil my latest watercolor project!  I was commissioned to do a painting of a family villa in Italy.  Of course, I tried to have them send me there to do research work but alas, I worked from photos only.  I introduced a watermark effect in the foreground which is a family emblem located on a wrought iron gate to the family home.  This home has managed to stay in the family for many centuries.

I took photos of the progression of the painting which I submitted along the way to my client for their approval.

Low Tide-Mont Saint Michel

This is my latest painting.  I worked on a very ambitious painting of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France.  I visited the monastery last year and it was amazing to see. 

The day that I went there, it was an overcast, on the verge of raining kind of day.  It was at low tide and approaching the site, there was a small sailboat embedded in the sand waiting for the water to come in to set it upright.

In this painting, I wanted to convey the mysterious feeling and age of this structure and the weather that day aided in trying to achieve that affect.  I put a lot of texture into this painting and was also pleased with the sky.  That was the first part that I had painting because if that did not turn out to my liking, I was not going proceed with the painting.  But as luck would have it, and after some practice, it turned out just fine.

The making of "Au Petit Versailles"

For some of my paintings, I recorded their progress by taking photos along the way.  I would like to share the steps it took to show the development of the painting to the final result.  So below are photos showing the gradual progress to this painting that might give some insight for other artists.

When all was said and done, I was happy with the result.  I did end up cropping a little bit off the bottom.  Thought it made a better composition.  As you can see, I also muted the background street scene to put more emphasis on the objects in the window.  I will gladly answer any questions viewers have in addition to what is shown here.