The Portland Art and Soul Retreat workshops are coming right up! Right now I am focusing on getting ready for my Watercolor Toolbox workshop. It is for beginner and novice watercolorists that want to improve their skills and learn useful watercolor techniques.

We will cover how to properly set up your palette, techniques for adding watercolor to paper, how to build up color with the appropriate paints, and how to use pigment value to create stunning paintings. I will even show you a secret way to fix a painting! Using our newly learned skills we will paint some small paintings. Your examples and paintings can be bound into a journal creating a toolbox of ideas for future reference.

Here is the link to sign up for this workshop: Art and Soul Retreat

Many of my students will remember the excitement we felt when we saw the Van Gogh exhibit and the MONET exhibit at the Carrieres des Lumieres in Les Baux de Provence, France. Carrières de Lumières is the former quarry now a center for immersive art displays. It is a projection that typically lasts about 35-40 minutes, repeating a loop throughout the day. Once you have paid the entry fee, you can stay and watch the loop as many times as you like. Carrières de Lumières is the largest fixed multimedia installation in France. The 50 foot high walls are the backdrop that 70 video projectors use to broadcast images.

Well guess what! The Van Gogh exhibit is coming to Portland, Oregon! Beyond Van Gogh Portland: The Immersive Experience – ON SALE!

It will be touring in many other cities as well: Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

If you were lucky enough to paint in France with me, you will remember how awestruck we were at seeing this incredible, colorful event. You may want to go see it in the US!

Watercolor painting is fun and easy to do while traveling! I am planning my next watercolor workshop in Orvieto, Italy, May 22-28, 2021 with Adventures in Italy. I thought it would be fun to treat myself to a new palette.  People often ask me what colors I use and how do I set up my palette.  I want to share with you the best way to set up a new watercolor palette.

The MEEDEN Empty Watercolor Tins Box Palette Paint Case is perfect for creating small paintings and sketches on the go! It holds 12 Pcs Half Pans of paint. Just squeeze your favorite colors into the 1/2 pan, let it dry, and you are all set to paint while traveling!

A few scenes from my traveling watercolor journals:

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The fun part is deciding which colors will go where.  I always use a color wheel to figure out where to put my colors. The first thing to do is to pull out the tubes of color that I want to add to my new palette.  This will take some time and careful thought.

THE COLORS ON MY PALETTE
If I have to narrow my choices down to 12 colors, this is probably what they will be!

Lemon Yellow
Cobalt Blue Teal
Manganese Blue
Cobalt Blue.
Phthalo Blue
French Ultramarine
Quinacridone Purple
Permanent Rose
Permanent Red
French Vermilion
Permanent Orange
New Gamboge

Don’t Worry, Be Happy! I will be teaching the Secret to Colorful Neutrals in my Wonderful World of Color workshop at Art & Soul Portland, Sunday and Monday, June 20-21, 2021 : https://www.artandsoulretreat.com/retreat-pdx21-5543…

What strange and interesting times we live in at this moment in time. 

As I write this I am trying to stay warm as the snow is starting to fly and it has dropped to 19 degrees.  Sitting in my big oversized chair with Olive and Milo, my two Jack Russells, we are keeping each other warm. They are in my lap vying for the best position, pushing my computer out of the way so it teeters awkwardly as I write.  Lately, one of my favorite pastimes, besides watching CNN nonstop at history in the making, is birdwatching, especially from my big picture window. 

I have a variety of different feeders and have been attracting lesser goldfinches, house finches, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, adorable tiny bushtits, white-crowned sparrows, and even wintering Anna’s hummingbirds.  Unfortunately, the starlings come too. My feathered friends are inspiring me to do some bird paintings in my watercolor sketchbook Journal. Please check back and I will post some of my paintings! If this is something that interests you, I will be teaching an A Naturalist’s Art Journal Watercolor class at Art & Soul, Portland, June 23, 2021

Fine Art America is having a 25% off all artist tote bags and zip pouches. There are many sizes and styles available. This sale ends on November 21st at midnight eastern time so hurry and get your order in!

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/poppy-dance-jacqueline-newbold.html?product=tote-bag

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/poppies-and-pods-jacqueline-newbold.html?product=pouch