December 15, 2014
Happy Marriage Acrylic 11"x14"
This week's composition was inspired by a gift mom and dad
received many years ago in celebration of their marriage. They are still trying to puzzle out the
meaning of these two bears playing or fighting.
No matter the sculpture offers interesting forms and textures to
challenge our artist. Cannon likes to work with blacks and browns, both can be
challenging colors to keep lively. The
textures also offer a challenge. Cannon
touched the sculpture to see how the artist used 3D texture techniques to give
the impression of fur. But it may have looked like fur but it definitely didn’t
feel like fur. Cannon felt the fur of a
rabbit skin to get an idea of what thick, heavy, bear fur might feel like.
When I arrived both Cannon and Avalon were eager to show me
their decorated Christmas tree and other holiday decorations. This inspired us
to do two paintings today. One of the of
the sculpture and one inspired by Christmas colors. We would switch back and
forth between the two paintings letting each one dry between colors and
techniques.
We started with the Christmas inspiration. Cannon carefully directed me in the placement
of each color and then using his favorite tool used the brayer to move the
colors where he wanted them on the canvas.
The first layer was a combination of three different colors of
green. Then we set it aside to dry in
front of the space heater. 
Cannon then selected the colors for the bear sculpture
inspiration – black, 2 browns, dark blue and a touch of red. Next Cannon experimented
with a new textural method to give the impression of the fur on these black
bears. The colors were placed on the canvas and the secret element was added
and Cannon started painting with energy and enthusiasm.
The secret ingredient worked well.
Back to the Christmas colors composition with a layer of two
different red colors, some drying and then some more experiments with different
tools for adding flecks of silver, gold and white. We tried a tooth brush, then
a round brush and finally settled on the kitchen basting brush. Then off for a final drying time.
We took a break and studied the Christmas painting while we
enjoyed some special Italian holiday bread – panettone and a coffee for me.
Back to work! Cannon
added a few details to the “Bears” painting with a small brush.
All artists know it is important to know when to stop
working on a painting and Cannon decided this one was done. 
Back to the Christmas colors composition. Cannon wanted to share this holiday
composition with others so we divided it and created greeting cards each with an original Hoops canvas. They will soon be on their way to friends and
family.
It was a busy day and there was lots of clean up to do – we found
paint in the strangest places.
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| Check out the ear! |
Cannon finished our session with a “selfie”.
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| Shhh! The secret ingredient - Kitty Litter. |
