Nancy Wernersbach's Art

Oil painting from panorama photo

2012-01-19T20:33:00.000-05:00

"Osprey Nest & Egret, Orient Point", Oil, 12" x 24" ©Nancy Wernersbach
Here's the finished painting from the panorama photo in the previous post. The end result is rarely the same as the photo. The painting dictates what it needs and here it needed color & interest. I added the boat from another photo of the same area to make sense of the distant water and the egret on the left to create a circle of interest and keep your eye from flowing out of the painting along with the water. The colors I boosted from my observations of fall color in past years. This past year the hurricane really cooked all the foliage with salt water and everything was a burnt brown color. The hardest part was the marsh grass: the tendency is to paint every blade of grass and I had to keep wiping it out as I got too fussy with it to flatten and soften it so it would go into the distance. A lot of decisions go into a painting and a lot of work!
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Photoshop Merge for Painting Reference

2012-01-15T15:19:00.001-05:00

I print out most photos as reference for my paintings with Snapfish.com--I find it easier to shuffle through them and see possible combinations than staring at the thumbnails on the computer. I found two photos that fit together naturally of this peaceful marsh scene out near Orient Point on Long Island's north fork. Rather than getting out the scotch tape, I got up my nerve to try Photoshop (it looks so intimidating with all the buttons and icons!), but I tried the merge function and got a decent looking print out as reference for my new oil painting. I'm doing this one as a 12" x 24". I've been playing with my Photoshop Elements program more now and finding ways to correct my photos, so they can work better for me.
Happy Painting (and Photoshopping!)
Nancy

A New Use for Watercolor Pencils

2011-11-21T14:44:00.001-05:00

I've had a tough time making a detailed drawing when doing oil paintings: drawing with the brush is just too clumsy for me and messy to correct, pencil drawings are hard to correct and get graphite in the paint, so I decided to try my watercolor pencils to draw on canvas and it worked out great. It's easy to wipe off with a damp paper towel for corrections, leaves a crisp line and when painting it melts away into the oil painting, so there's no line showing through thin areas.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

2011-11-05T21:03:00.000-04:00

"Spring Bluebirds" © Nancy Wernersbach
Watercolor, 14" x 10"

It pays to get the artwork out of the closet and on display wherever you can show your work! You never know where it might connect with someone. Just sold this painting at the Mineola Memorial Library. It's a nice local library that has turned a hallway into a fine gallery space and the staff are receptive to the paintings. My paintings along with paintings by artist friend Carol Bruder are on display till Nov. 28th, 2011. 195 Marcellus Rd., Mineola, NY 11501. www.nassaulibrary.org/mineola

Studio East Gallery Exhibit "Women Only": Proceeds for Breast Cancer Awareness

2011-09-28T11:28:00.001-04:00

I'll be taking this new painting out to Studio East Gallery in Greenport for the Oct. show "Women Only" Oct. 8--Nov. 5th, Reception: Sat., Oct. 8, 6 to 9pm. 120 Front St., Greenport, NY 11944. www.studioeastgallery.com. Proceeds from sales go to Breast Cancer Awareness, "Save the Tatas".

Long Island truly has some beautiful places once you get beyond the endless shopping malls, gas stations, pizza places and banks that seem to create an ugly suburban sprawl. The East End, and especially the north fork towards Orient Point have magical places where the ocean and land mix and mingle in beautiful tidal marshes. As the seasons change the colors turn to brilliant red, purples, burgundy, gold and silver green. Looking forward to getting out there again to take photos as autumn changes the landscape.

Happy Painting!

Nancy

American Artists Professional League Exhibit

2011-09-15T13:22:00.002-04:00

"Facing the Tide"

Oil on canvas

22" x 28"

It pays to rework a painting if something's bothering you. This had large rocks behind the seashells, nasty lumps of seaweed and driftwood in the front. My tendency to overload with content got the upper hand. I went back in and painted over the bad stuff and it really opened up the painting and it got accepted into the American Artists Professional League 83rd Grand National Exhibiton. The exhibit runs from Nov. 1--11th, 2011. The reception is on Sun., Nov. 6th from 2 to 5pm at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Ave., NYC, NY 10003. The gallery is open daily from 1 to 6pm.

I'll have to look for a photo of the before image so you can see the changes.

Happy Painting!

Nancy

Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground

2011-05-03T19:48:00.003-04:00

Daniel Smith, my favorite watercolor paint, now has a new product called "Watercolor Ground" which you can paint on any surface and make it workable for watercolor painting. I tried it on my painting on paper to bring back the white on an area I had messed up and it worked quite well. The brushstrokes from applying the ground show through, so I think it needs to sanded a little. The paint went on nicely, flowed and blended very well. This could be an answer for watercolor mistakes! Will try it on other surfaces and see how it works.

Photos Lie!

2011-04-22T10:41:00.008-04:00

(At left) "Parisian Houseboat"
Watercolor on Aquabord
9" x 12"
Nancy Wernersbach©2010
(At right) photo taken on my France trip last year

Wow I haven't been back blogging for a while, but life intervenes when you're making other plans. Had my hands full clearing out and finally selling my parents house (40+ years of stuff!) and get moved into my new condo. I'm out of most of the boxes now and getting my life going at last. While framing this painting I was reminded of how photos can really mess up the impact of a scene that you want to paint. The Eiffel Tower is a massive structure (I remember seeing the tip of it pointing through the clouds as the plane came in over Paris), surprising in its size because all photos and tv pictures throw it into the distance and make it appear quite small.
I had a wonderful trip with a group of artists lead by artist Charles Gruppe to Paris, Honfleur and Trouville last year and we got out to paint one morning across the bridge from the Eiffel Tower and down on the dockside of the Seine. I'm glad I made an oil sketch while there, because when I went back and looked at my photo the size and scale of the Tower was completely off (And the water really is a beautiful teal green and the Tower a burnt sienna brown and one more thing: the sky was a pale peach down at the horizon and a soft gray above, so the colors in photos can be totally off as well). I chose to do the painting over in watercolor to really get into the details of the scene. The Ampersand Aquabord is a great choice as you can wipe off mistakes and lift highlights easily.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Painting with Holbein Duo Aqua Oils

2010-10-04T21:50:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy Rosanne Kaloustian)
Went painting this last Sunday in Central Park, NYC with artist friend Rosanne Kaloustian and I think she was ready to kill me as I couldn't stop raving about the wonderful painting experience using the Holbein water mixable oils! I started about 4 years ago now using the Holbein Duo Aqua Oils, but I made the mistake of adding in the less expensive Winsor & Newton's Artisan water mixable oils: it was always a battle to get the paint to flow properly and have an even consistency--it seemed either too thin one moment and horribly sticky the next. I'm used to mixing different brands of watercolor paint with no ill effects, so I guess it never occurred to me that the water soluble oils would be any different--I thought it was the nature of the medium. Recently, I went to the brand new Dick Blick art supply store on Glen Cove Road in Carle Place and spoke to the Holbein rep about my complaint with the paint. He said that the cheaper Winsor & Newton has more binders & fillers etc. and wouldn't mix well. I figured he was trying to sell his paint, but I decided to just use the Holbein and see how it went. Well it was a "Eureka" moment! I was amazed and thrilled with the creamy, easy flowing consistency of the paint--just like regular oil paint. Instead of the battle I was used to, painting with the water mixable oils was a real pleasure. Clean up was easier too with soap and water--the paint came out of the brushes better. I'm chucking out all my tubes of Artisan and Grumbacher Max water mixable oils ( they're just too sticky and miserable to work with) and I'll stick with Holbein Duo Aqua Oils and the Holbein mediums from now on.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

3 Artists show at the Locust Valley Library

2010-10-01T16:57:00.003-04:00

Spring: Monet's Lily Pond
Nancy Wernersbach©2010
Oil, 14" x 18"

Artist friends Carol Bruder, Mun Hee Park and myself are having a show up at the Locust Valley Library, 170 Buckram Rd., Locust Valley, NY, 11560, 516-676-8164 from Oct. 2nd through Nov. 2nd, 2010. We just got everything up on the walls of this very nice library and it all looks great! Carol & Mun Hee are oil painters with landscapes, street scenes and boats as their focus for this show. I have a mix of my watercolors and oil paintings with a focus on floral paintings, garden scenes and paintings from Central Park, NY and my recent trip to France. The painting pictured here is from the beautiful garden of Giverny, Monet's home and creation. For garden lovers it truly is a slice of heaven on earth! It's tough depicting water in oil paint--I had to darken the values on the trees and sky reflection to make it look like water and keep all edges soft. In watercolor all I would do is paint the scene wet-in-wet, then when dry go over it with a pale wash of the sky color and that instantly makes it look like a water reflection. You would have to mask out the lily pads or go over them with gouache. For more info on the show see my Art Show Calendar page on my website: www.nancywernersbach.com.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

American Artists Professional League Exhibition

2010-09-20T16:52:00.003-04:00

"End of a Perfect Day"
Nancy Wernersbach©2008
Oil, 22" x 30"

Happy to announce that this painting was accepted into the American Artists Professional League 82nd Grand National Exhibition, Nov. 2nd through Nov. 12, 2010 at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003. Reception is Sunday, Nov. 7th, from 2 to 5pm. Open for viewing daily from 1 to 5pm.
I've been painting seashells for many years now and this is one of a series of large oil paintings that have finally gotten me into 3 national exhibits this year. I think it's good to focus on something that you really love to paint and keep working at it until you find a way to make a unique statement. One way to figure out your focus might be to ask yourself what would you paint if you could only paint one subject. When I have too many painting ideas all jumping up and down yapping like annoying small dogs, I try to sit quietly with all my reference material and sketch out a few different things until one idea comes through the loudest and won't be ignored. What works for you?
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Show

2010-09-10T16:05:00.003-04:00

"Tidal Castaways"
Nancy Wernersbach©2008
Oil, 20" x 24"
My fascination with seashells has finally paid off: this painting has been accepted into the upcoming Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 114th Annual Open Exhibition at the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, NY, NY 10003. The exhibit is open to the public from Oct. 5 to Oct. 29th, 2010, Mon. --Friday, 12--6pm, Sat. & Sun. 1--6pm. Call before visiting as the galleries close for other functions: 212-475-3424. The exhibit features the work of women artists in all media from all over the USA. The CLWAC is one of the oldest womens' art clubs in the country and was founded in 1896 in honor of Miss Wolfe, a prominent NY philanthropist & art collector.
Funny thing is this painting was passed over for an award in my local art league's members show (of course we have some darn fine artists & artwork in our shows, so I'm not surprised). But I decided that this painting deserved another shot and it was accepted into this national exhibit. Honestly, I'll never be able to figure out the art show game--sometimes if you believe in a painting you just have to keep trying.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Martha Clara Vineyard

2010-08-20T10:46:00.004-04:00

"Sunflowers, North Fork"
Oil, 9" x 12", Nancy Wernersbach©2010

Had a great day painting outdoors with the Art League of Nassau County Plein Air group. We trekked out to the rustic and beautiful north fork of Long Island to the Martha Clara Vineyard. The folks a the vineyard couldn't have been nicer. Instead of grapes I turned to the field of sunflowers and wildflowers, but like a fool I was standing out in the blazing sun (heck, it's been a hot summer). Had a hat, but no umbrella for the painting & me which was a mistake. It's really rough to see the colors on your canvas when the sun's hitting it full force and having my feet and arms cooking in the sun was not fun either. Must get an umbrella to clip on my guerilla box. Must say I love my 9 x 12 Guerilla Painter box. It's a chunky little thing--not as sleek and pretty as the Easy L or Open M easels, but everything except the brushes fits inside, even the finished painting & it's sturdy and just heavy enough to withstand the wind blowing across the field.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Horticulture Magazine Garden Art Competition

2010-08-02T13:40:00.004-04:00

"Essence of Spring"
Watercolor on Aquaboard
Copyright 2007 Nancy Wernersbach
Another example of just go ahead and enter a show--I submitted this painting to the online Garden Art Competition by Horticulture Magazine--I think I saw it advertised in either Artist's Magazine or Watercolor Artist Magazine--and it got accepted! Though not one of the award winners, this painting is being used in their advertising for the 2011 competition, so that was a nice perk for my painting. Also all art is featured in the Horticulture 2011 Limited-Edition 13-month Calendar available at gardenershub.com. Thanks to Horticulture Magazine for featuring the artists' impressions of flowers & gardens; florals seem out of fashion in many of the juried art exhibits right now--portraits & landscapes rule the shows in my opinion. Its great to have a place to exhibit beautiful floral & garden paintings by many talented artists.

Give it a Try and Enter a Show!

2010-07-30T17:06:00.004-04:00

"Drifters on the Tide"
Oil 24" x 36"
Copyright 2008 Nancy Wernersbach

Had enough rejection slips over the years from juried art shows--the usual "thank you for your entry but due to the large number of entries blah, blah. . .", but sometimes if you believe in a painting you just have to give it one more try. This painting originally had a bright orange patch right in the center shell and had been rejected from several shows. I finally realized what was bothering me about and toned down the color and the whole painting came into focus. I boldly entered the Salmagundi Club Non-Members show this past month and to my surprise it got accepted! So I guess like the lotto commercials say "you have to be in it to win it". Now to get the painting sold. . . that's a whole different effort!
Happy Painting,
Nancy

Painting from a Bad Photo Reference

2010-02-11T13:29:00.005-05:00

"Snow Shadows"
Watercolor on Aquabord
9" x 12"
copyright 2010 Nancy Wernersbach

(on left side: photo reference for painting)

A snowy day a Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, LI, NY had myself and friends tramping through the drifts taking reference photos for paintings. I completely forgot that my camera has a snow scene setting and I was shooting into the sun which didn't help this situation at all, but I had to have a picture of the incredible shadows cast by that big beech tree on the snow. To create a painting from this bad photograph I had to reinvent the colors in the scene and exaggerate them. It helped to look at other photos around that area to get a better idea of the colors in the bushes and trees. I chose to do this in watercolor on the Ampersand Aquabord, because of the amazing lifting and softening effects possible with that board. Also watercolor gives me the ability to do the fine calligraphy of the branches that I can't achieve with oil paint.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Tips for framing art

2010-02-02T13:11:00.003-05:00

Here's a few framing tips from an article I wrote for the Art League of Nassau County newsletter:

You wouldn’t send your children out with torn clothes and dirty faces, so why do artists send their precious works out to face a world of art critics and potential buyers with dirty, poorly cut mats, chipped or just cheap looking frames? It boggles the mind! Here are a few tips to help make a professional presentation:
• Put the best frame you can afford on your artwork. A buyer will most likely change the frame, but a cheap frame or one that doesn’t suit your work will drag down the impact of your painting.
• Finding a good frame doesn’t mean an expensive trip to the framers. Doing it yourself is easy with pre-cut mats and ready-made frames from art supply stores, online & catalog frame suppliers. Sticking to standard sizes in your works on paper makes it easy to reuse a frame and mat.
• Double mats give a rich look & keep it simple. A white or off-white outer mat & a gold or colored inner mat with a gold frame makes a clean presentation. Acid free boards preserve your artwork. Foam core or acid-free foam core makes a good backing board. Don’t use cardboard, it’s too acidic for art.
• 2 sources that I’ve used for frames: www.americanframe.com, for catalog call: 800-537-0944 & Graphik Dimensions, www.pictureframes.com, 800-221-0262. They supply cut mats, frames, plexiglas & backing boards in standard & custom sizes. For do-it-yourself mat cutting, I like my Logan Simplex Plus mat cutter.
• When wiring the back of the artwork set the screw eyes or D-rings 1/3 of the way down from the top of the frame and allow no more than 1 or 2” of give in the wire—these tips will ensure that the wall hanger will not show and the painting won’t flop forward on the wall.
• Glass is not safe in metal frames over 16” x 20”. Metal can twist and a slight movement can snap glass. Plexiglas is better for weight and safety issues, especially when entering art in juried shows. Pastels of course must use glass to avoid static electricity, so a wood frame is sturdier with glass.
This is just a start and if you have any comments, tips or problems with framing I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Telling a Story in Paint

2010-01-11T13:56:00.012-05:00

(left) "Emerging Orchid Triptych" 18" x 24"
Watercolor on Aquabord
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2010

(right) Sketch for painting

Artist Joe Chierchio gave a talk at a recent Art League of Nassau County meeting on telling stories in your paintings to lift your work out of the ordinary and engage peoples' minds and hearts when they view your art. That's easier to do when painting figures as Joe does so well, but how to accomplish that with florals was my challenge. I gave it a try with this painting. I had taken a number of photos of my cattleya orchid opening. Originally I thought I would have three separate paintings that would hang together to show the opening stages of this amazing flower and so "tell a flower story", but as I sketched it out I liked the idea of the petals breaking across the barrier of the design. A color sketch (above right) was essential for working out this idea. I had planned it for a 24" x 36" size, but ended up adjusting the proportions for an 18" x 24" piece of Ampersand Aquabord which I had handy. I'm not sure if I'm 100% satisfied with this painting (am I ever?) but it was a good exercise and inspiration to try something different.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Benefit Art Sale

2009-12-13T17:32:00.003-05:00

"Autumn, Northport Harbor"
Oil, 8" x 10" Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

A great way to sell your art and raise money for a worthy cause is to hold a benefit art sale. I had a nice show and sale this past weekend in my home and gave a donation from the sales to the NYS Breast Cancer Hotline. My neighbor volunteers for this remarkable group of women and men who give support and aid to those in need of the right answers to deal with this terrible cancer. I put an ad in my local newspaper and sent out flyers to everyone on my mailing and to my neighbors up and down the street (a nice way to meet your neighbors and let them know you're an artist). The Hotline Director, Hillary Rutter, kindly sent out emails to all her contacts regarding my show. Had a nice turnout in spite of some nasty, cold weather. The little painting on the right that I had started outdoors and finished painting at home, sold right away. Small paintings seem to sell well--everyone has a spot and a budget for a little gem. It's good to have friends on hand to help you out with sales and keeping an eye on things. Many thanks to art buddies Mary-Beth and Viv for their assistance.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Painting Northport Harbor

2009-10-25T17:37:00.005-04:00

"Autumn, Northport Harbor"
oil, 8" x 10" (not quite finished yet)
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

Went off painting Thursday with art buddy Rosanne Kaloustian and found beautiful Northport harbor on Long Island's north shore. Caught this scene in a about an hour and a half of fierce painting while the afternoon light was changing and boats moving in and out of the harbor. Just as we were packing up to leave that big sailboat on the left put up its sail and took off--how's that for timing! The light quality in late Sept and Oct here in the northeast always amazes me--everything takes on a golden glow. And when I printed out the photograph I took ( on the left)I was really surprised by the lack of all the beautiful colors I had seen. Subjects for painting really need to be something that you've experienced rather than worked from a photo alone.
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Revising a Painting

2009-10-10T17:23:00.009-04:00

"Scattered Shells & Beach Glass"-- oil--14" x 18"
(original version on top and revised below)
copyright 2009 Nancy Wernersbach

I think it's always a good idea to go back and fix an oil painting or in the case of a watercolor start over again, if I see something's bothering me with the composition. I had this one framed already and it had been exhibited, but the arrangement of the beach glass and shells was bothering me. The glass pieces made a rectangle under the large shell and the spacing between the objects seemed too even. The second photo shows the revised painting. I added two more shells and more glass, made a shadow under the big shell and brought the seaweed down into the water so it would flow better. It's a little busier than the original idea, but I like the movement of the composition better. Sometimes I can see things better as a small image on the computer than I can when I'm looking at the larger painting.
What problems have you had with your designs and how did you solve them? I'd love to hear from you!
Nancy

Back Again!

2009-09-22T16:27:00.003-04:00

"Hampton's Farm Stand"
Watercolor
14" x 20"
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

I can't believe I haven't been back to my blog--what happened to the summer? Actually, kitchen renovation hell started and is finally coming to a close in the next week or so. I've been cooking in the basement with my trusty toaster oven and microwave and with tiny spiders dangling from the dusty rafters--eek! I keep saying it'll look great when it gets done. I say that a lot with paintings also--they seem to go through an ugly phase that you have to push through with persistence until it all comes together at the end. The painting above is from several photographs I took out on Long Island's east end. The variety of shapes are colors are fun and challenging to put together into a painting. What scenes inspire your artwork? I'd love to hear from you!
Happy Painting!
Nancy

Art Sale, Guild Hall, East Hampton

2009-07-28T15:27:00.003-04:00

"Dunes at Dusk"
12" x 16"
oil on canvas
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

Myself and art buddies, Carol Bruder & Rosanne Kaloustian will be making our annual pilgrimage out to the east end of Long Island to the Guild Hall, East Hampton, "Clothesline Art Sale", Sat. August 1st from 9 am to 4 pm. If you're wandering around the Hamptons this weekend, check out the show and support your local artists. I'll have 5 paintings for sale and a portion of the sale goes to benefit Guild Hall. This painting is among the ones I'll be showing. This was done from a photo I took at Fire Island, Long Island as the sun was setting. Photos get really dark though especially at that time of day, and I remembered this scene much lighter, so that helped in getting the light values brightened up for the painting. If you have any tips for photographing at early evening I'd love to hear from you!
Bye for now,
Nancy

Central Park Paint Out

2009-07-23T17:09:00.005-04:00

Had a great day last Sat. the 18th! Master artists Kevin Macpherson, Joe Anna Arnett, Kenn Backhaus & James Asher who are featured in a PBS series "Passport & Palette" hosted a "Paint Out" event at Central Park, NYC. My friends and I painted with them around the beautiful Bethesda Fountain angel and the lake. So much energy and excitement all around us. Folks passing by were very interested to see all the artists at work and were very nice with their questions and comments. Also I must say these master artists are nice people too: Joe Anna (photo above) was so helpful as we asked questions about her "plein aire" equipment and set up. Kevin Macpherson (photo on left above) signed his book "Landscape Painting Inside and Out" for me and gave helpful critiques to all of us. Kenn and James also came around to look at our work and lend encouragement. That really energizes the creative juices! My wet painting got slightly smooshed coming home, so I went over it and home and I think it came out okay. I'll have to check out their website and see if I can find the show--if not we need to call our local cable companies to get more quality fine art instruction shows on TV. Bye for now! www.passportandpalette.com.

Values are everything!

2009-07-07T17:01:00.002-04:00

"Sunny Meadow, Old Westbury"
10" x 8"
Oil on canvas board
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

Someone said "color gets all the credit, but values do all the work". I really learned the value of values at an outdoor painting workshop recently held by the Art League of Nassau County with artist/teacher Howard Rose. Painting indoors from photographs tends to make my paintings too dark, so Howard was trying to get us to see how light a landscape really is. He came along and put a swatch of color on my meadow and sky and because it was the correct value the whole painting just lit up as if the sun came out! The lower part of the sky is a white/pale yellow combination. The blues of the background trees were exaggerated to create distance--putting the horizon line high up also creates an impression of distance in a small painting. If you have any favorite landscape painting tips I'd love to hear them!
Bye for now,
Nancy

Fire Island Lighthouse Art Show

2009-06-20T14:27:00.005-04:00

"Standing Tall"
Oil on canvas
20" x 16"
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

It's time again for the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society Annual Art Show, Robert Moses State Park, Long Island, NY. Paintings are on display in the lighthouse from June 26th to July 19th, 2009 and a portion of all sales goes to the preservation of this national treasure. This is one of two paintings I have in the show and I'll tell you lighthouses are not easy things to paint! The perspective and the proportions are tricky. I draw one side of the lighthouse then trace it on tracing paper and flip it over to transfer to the other side to get both sides even. The Reception is June 25th from 6 to 9pm with shuttle buses from Robert Moses Field #5 to the lighthouse. If it's not raining (as it has been for a month here!) it will be a beautiful evening at the beach with the sunset on the dunes and the ocean.
Hope you can stop by!

Anderson Swivel Easel

2009-06-19T16:11:00.004-04:00

"Spring Day, Old Westbury Gardens"
Oil
12" x 9"
Nancy Wernersbach copyright 2009

Members of the Art League of Nassau County had a great time painting outdoors at Old Westbury Gardens, Old Westbury, NY. It rained early, but stopped and held off for the rest of the day, so we trooped out to the gardens and found lovely spots to paint. Long Islanders if you haven't been here yet this is one of the prettiest places here. Painting on a gray day is challenging--it's tough to get the values right. My Anderson Swivel Easel got its test drive and I'm glad I got it. It's well made and the legs are attached and easily pop down to expand the height. The swivel easel is great--it goes into any position you like to be comfortable. For a lefty like me it was great to position the box off to the left for my palette instead of reaching across like I would have to do on a french easel. The weight isn't too bad--a little under 10 lbs. I got a folding crate with wheels and a handle from Staples, so I can stuff everything into it and wheel it over rough ground--with my old luggage cart and bungie cords everything was falling off to one side, so that Staples cart was a better solution. Just when I thought I'd finally gotten my act together painting outdoors I forgot about the hazards of carrying canvas boards! This little painting got smeared a bit, so I had to go back over it at home. I need one of those little boxes for carrying canvas--oh yeah, and an umbrella--and people think it's cheap to be an artist!
Happy Painting!

Old Westbury Gardens Paint-Out

2009-05-10T15:56:00.003-04:00

"Enchanted Cottage"
Old Westbury Gardens
Watercolor, 12" x 16"
copyright Nancy Wernersbach

Members of the Art League of Nassau County, Long Island, NY, will be getting out to paint at beautiful Old Westbury Gardens on Sat., May 16th, (raindate May 17th) from 10am to 3pm. A Meet the Artists Reception will be held at the Mansion from 4:30 to 7:30pm with a Silent Auction of the paintings. At Old Westbury Gardens there's a painting waiting to happen everywhere you look and hopefully we'll have good weather to capture the beauty of this unique place. You can check out the gardens at their website: www.oldwestburygardens.org. I've got a new outdoor painting easel: the Anderson Swivel Easel, so I'll give it it's test drive and report back to you.
Bye for now!

Watercolor Board & Daniel Smith Paints

2009-03-27T12:38:00.003-04:00

"Orchid: Blue Vanda"
Watercolor on Aquabord
22" x 30"
Copyright 2009 Nancy Wernersbach

I haven't gotten back here in a while! Do you find that the computer gets in the way of your time to create art? I guess artists stay up till 2 am painting or blogging--not for me, I need sleep!
Anyway I treated myself to Daniel Smith watercolor paint since I had heard and read about the quality of it in Jane Freeman's book, "A Celebration of Light". It really is the Haagen-Daz of watercolor paint: rich, creamy, plenty of tinting strength--a little goes a long way. The website handprint.com (which has more info on all things watercolor than you would ever want to know) rates this paint very highly. I like the quinacridone colors, and indanthrene blue and indigo--those dark rich blues came in handy for this orchid painting. Working again on the Ampersand Aquabord--KarenVernon's video "Watercolors, Unleashing Dynamic Color" is a big help in getting the right technique for painting on this board surface. Layering colors helps: I put down a pink layer for the flowers then a blue layer and lifted out the blue so the pink came through where I needed the highlights in the flower pattern. Another point that came up with this painting was that you can't trust photos. It seems to me the Fuji film prints you get at the drugstore come out on the red side and my Epson printer came out closer to the actual blue of the flower. If you want accuracy in your painting it really is best to know your subject. The central lip of the orchid is complex and doesn't show up properly in a photo so it was good to take note of the actual details of the flower rather than rely on the picture.
Happy Painting!

Healing Power of Art

2009-01-12T16:47:00.004-05:00

"End of a Perfect Day"
22" x 30"
Oil on board
copyright 2008 by Nancy Wernersbach

I entered the online art exhibit at Manhatten Arts International's website: www.manhattenarts.com because I certainly believe in the"Healing Power of Art", and wonder of wonders this painting was chosen and was one of the Award of Merit winners! Check out the show on the website above. The variety of individual artwork never ceases to amaze me--everyone has their own style and way of presenting the feeling of the show's theme. If a show suits one's work and seems like the real thing, I think it's a good idea to just go for it and enter, because you just never know what will happen. Of course, I have enough rejection slips to paper my walls (thank you but due to the number of entries. . . blah, blah), but I keep trying and once in awhile something clicks the right way.
Bye for now,
Nancy

Printing Sites for Artists

2008-12-29T16:47:00.003-05:00

"End of a Perfect Day"
Copyright 2008
Oil on panel
22" x 30"

I haven't been back here in a few months--my mother's illness and passing in November have kept me away. Just trying to get through these holidays . . .
I had to get postcard printed up recently and I thought I'd pass along some websites that do a good job: Had the painting here done on postcards with www.vistaprint.com and they came out really well & I like the watermark of the painting that they put on the reverse side with my contact info. Also handy is the smaller quantity--I only wanted 100-- modern postcard and others start at 500. For quantities under 100 and higher amounts www.zazzle.com also does a nice job. They are a bit pricey but they'll print on just about anything--you can even print your paintings on a pair of sneakers! I'd like to find a printer that would do T-shirts or mugs at a price I could afford to resell these items without resorting to go to China. If you have any other printers you use I'd appreciate your comments and feedback.
Bye for now!

Fine Art Exhibit & Sale

2008-10-31T14:58:00.003-04:00

"Autumn, Rockport, Mass."

oil on panel

16" x 20"

I'll be showing artwork for sale at the 6th Annual Fine Arts Exhibition & Sale at the First United Methodist Church, 25 Broadway, Amityville, NY. Meet the Artists Reception: Friday, Nov. 7th from 7 to 9pm, Sat., Nov. 8th, Show & Sale from 10am to 4pm. (Route 110 just north of Merrick Road). Along with some larger paintings like the one above, I'll have many smaller oil and watercolor paintings priced for sale at $50 to $200. I'm also bringing fine art giclee prints from $50 to $150 and plenty of nifty little gift items perfect for the holidays under $20: handmade greeting cards, ornaments, small prints, and tiny original oil paintings from 2" to 3" square each with their own easel (these are really cute!)

Hope you can stop by!

Get 10% off your purchase if you say you saw my blog!!

New Giclee Print--"Beachcomber's Basket"

2008-10-24T14:28:00.003-04:00

"Beachcomber's Basket"

8" x 10 1/2" = $50

11" x 14 1/2" = $75

18" x 24" = $150

Just had this painting made as a print by Omega Fine Art. Caryn Segal is so easy to work with--see her website at www.omegafineart.com. It's printed on fine William Turner paper which has a fine watercolor look and each print is signed and numbered by me. For ordering information, please visit my website at www.nancywernersbach.com and click on purchase info. More prints are also available on my website, just click on the giclee prints gallery.

Bye for now!

New Watercolor Board

2008-10-13T15:59:00.003-04:00

My old zip clamp watercolor board finally bit the dust--the plastic clamps cracked apart--since they don't make this anymore, I had to find a new way of stretching my watercolor paper. I'm not keen on wasting time stapling to a gaterboard, so I was glad to get the "Guerrilla Painter Watercolorboard". It's a nice sturdy board with metal clamps that screw down to hold the paper. It holds the paper well with minimal effort and makes a nice looking embossed edge on the paper when you take it out--I have to figure out how to work that into a framed painting it looks so nice! The "Guerilla Painter" products are in a nifty little catalog from Judsons Art Outfitters--http://judsonspleinair.com. It's chock full of interesting products for outdoor painters. I got a good laugh out of the "Critic-Be-Gone" T-shirt--on the back it answers all the questions people ask you when you're trying to paint outdoors--there always seems to be an "Aunt Mary" or cousin who paints! Do I need to hear about all of this? Well, I enjoy talking to people and don't mind answering their questions as long as they don't tell me about their gall bladder operation!
Happy Painting!
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Trying Different Watercolor Papers

2008-10-05T17:39:00.004-04:00

"Fall in the Hamptons"

16" x 20"

Watercolor

I haven't been back here in a while--family illness took top priority--thank God things are better now! Anyway, let me get to a little bit of info I'd like to pass along: Sometimes I think we get stuck using the same materials--if it works don't mess with it right?--but you never know that something better might be out there. I've been using Lanaqarelle watercolor 140 lb paper for years--liked the bright white surface and lifting quality--Bright White Arches seemed to grab the paint and not let go, which is no good for me as I seem to lift off as much paint as I put down for highlights and corrections. I got disgusted with the Lana, since the quality seems to be worse than it was--several batches of paper had bad sizing or something that created terrible streaks after soaking and stretching. I tried Fabriano Uno paper which was a no no! The color sucked down into it and wouldn't let go. Jerry's Artarama had a sale on Fabriano Artistico in their catalog and a testimonial by artist Laurie Humble--her amazing paintings are in Watercolor Artist this month. So I gave it a try and it's excellent! Tough as the Arches, but with beautiful lifting qualities better than Lana and less expensive than both of them. So this is my paper of choice from now on. The fall image above is done on the Artistico. Also, it's manufactured a more environmentally friendly fashion than other papers. So it's good to try something new!

A quick little note

2008-07-11T17:15:00.003-04:00

"Dahlia Festival"

Watercolor

Check out the cover of July Natural Awakenings magazine for my painting on the cover. They did a nice write up too! It's good to get the artwork out so people can enjoy it. They have a nice website at www.naturalawakeningsmag.com .

Bye for now!

Art Shows: free spaces and different places

2008-06-19T09:59:00.003-04:00

"Boardwalk to the Beach"

Oil, 9" x 12"

We had a nice turnout at our show receptions--It's the best thing to get the paintings out of the house and up on the walls anywhere that they can be seen and enjoyed! Libraries are free spaces to show art, and my friend Vivian made a sale already! Check out our paintings (by yours truly, Rosanne Kaloustian and Vivian Hershfield) on Viv's youtube video: VHershfieldArt, Jericho Library Reception.

Historical Societies may also offer opportunities to show art: I'm in the Bayside Historical Society show at Fort Totten in Bayside, NY and the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society show out at the Fire Island Lighthouse, Long Island, NY. See my website and Art Show Calendar for more info on these events: http://www.nancywernersbach.com/ . The little painting shown above is the north side of the lighthouse. Hopefully someone will buy it as a portion of the sales benefits the preservation of this beautiful landmark.

Tips for Art Shows

2008-06-04T13:32:00.004-04:00

"Moon Snails & Slipper Shells"
Oil
24" x 18"
copyright 2008

Getting ready for these shows, I gathered a few points in my head to share with you. If you have any more ideas, please share them with us!

I like to keep to a theme when hanging a show, rather than having a bunch of different subjects--a landscape here, a portrait there, still life etc. It's alot easier to hang when everything relates to each other--all seascapes, or landscapes. Also, it looks pulled together.

If you stick to a theme chances are you'll have similar frames on these paintings and that gives a cleaner less cluttered look.

Don't forget your business cards, brochures etc. for the reception!

Do framing ahead of time, especially if you have someone do it for you! I do it myself and still ran into a snag: I called up to order a frame and it was discontinued, so I had to pick another style. Good thing they had something similar! I get frames online at www.americanframe.com and www.pictureframes.com. They'll send free samples if you're not sure how something will look.

When hanging line up paintings with all tops level or all bottoms level so it looks even. And don't forget to bring some framing supplies in case a screw eye breaks off . Fun-tak works wonders for paintings that won't stay still on the gallery rods.

Happy Painting!

Upcoming Shows

2008-05-20T10:11:00.003-04:00

"Drifters on the Tide"
Oil
24" x 36"
Nancy Wernersbach, copyright 2008

Two shows coming up in June with good friends. I think its a great to have a show with one or two friends: Having your art buddies support is great of course, but you can divide up some of the work, help with hanging the show, a busier and more fun reception and you don't need as many paintings to fill a large space.
June 1st through the 29th: "Three Artistic Friends", Paintings by Vivian Hershfield, Rosanne Kaloustian and Nancy Wernersbach, Jericho Public Library, 1 Merry Lane, Jericho, NY, 516-935-6790. Reception: Sat., June 7th from 2 to 4pm. I'll be at the reception from 2 to 3 pm.
June 7th through July 6th: "Land & Sea", Paintings by Carol Bruder and Nancy Wernersbach, Locust Valley Library, 170 Buckram Rd., Locust Valley, 516-671-1837. Reception: Sat., June 7th from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. I'll be at the reception from 3:30 to 4:30pm.
Yep, both receptions are on the same day, so I'll have to run from one to the other!
For directions see my website at www.nancywernersbach.com.

Let's Get Out and Paint!

2008-05-01T15:15:00.004-04:00

Started this little painting outdoors with two other painting friends on the first really nice spring Saturday. There's nothing like getting pink cherry blossom petals stuck in your oil paint! I only had two hours, but even that little amount of time is refreshing. Best way we found to handle these fluffy cherry trees is to treat the blossoms as a mass of shape rather than a lot of little dots which looks too splotchy. At the end I'll add some little accents to indicate blossoms and petals. I'll have to finish this indoors from my photo sometime and I'll put it up here.
Happy Painting!

Join an art league!

2008-04-02T11:15:00.003-04:00

"North Shore, Long Island"
Watercolor on paper
20" x 29"

I was lucky to win an "Award of Merit" for this painting at our Art League of Nassau County Membership Show at the Great Neck Library, Great Neck, Long Island, NY. The judge was Marc Josloff a fine watercolor artist, teacher and illustrator. It was especially nice of him to give our group a critique of the winning works at our show reception and stay to help any artists who wanted a critique of their painting in the show. This is a very valuable aid --when you work alone you can't always see what you did wrong or right! And it was certainly brave of Mr. Josloff since artists can be testy about their masterpieces! I would encourage artists to join a local art league in their area. So often our day to day affairs take us away from our art, we really need to get together with like minded artists and share our experiences, knowledge, wins and failures. From the artist demos at our monthly meetings I've learned about many types of mediums beyond watercolor and we also have workshops to get outdoors and paint with well-known artists. I've also made some wonderful new friends! For more info on the ALNC, go to www.artleagueofnc.org . And for more info on our Spring show, check out my art show calendar on my website at www.nancywernersbach.com.

Helpful Art Stuff

2008-03-24T16:53:00.003-04:00

I've got little post-its and scraps of paper fluttering around like confetti here with all my notes, so I'll put some of this down before they get sucked into the black hole that exists invisibly somewhere on my desk:

I've been asked about the Ampersand Aquabord for watercolor and how to seal it so you don't need to frame with glass--they have a Clayboard Fixative spray that goes on with a matte finish. I give it a few coats and it doesn't interfere with the look or color of the painting.
A beautiful book I got through the NorthLight Book Club is Jane Freeman's "A Celebration of Light". She has gorgeous paintings done in mind-boggling detail and many interesting suggestions for color choices and layering colors for a more vivid look.
She suggests an amazing website that is an encyclopedia of watercolor knowlege with more info on paint, paper and brushes than you could ever think to ask: http://www.handprint.com/. The home page is a little strange--click on the color wheel to get to the watercolor section.
A very nice watercolor magazine is "Watercolor Artist", published by the same people who make "The Artist's Magazine". Handy articles and excellent paintings featured.
Free websites at http://www.artistsites.org/ and at http://www.artcalendar.com/. Art Calendar is I think a must have magazine for the business of art!

Happy Painting!

Watercolor Artist Magazine

2008-02-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

I just subscribed to "Watercolor Artist" magazine, www.watercolorartistmagazine.com and I find it to be a great little magazine: practical articles and a nice look at what watercolor artists are doing all over the country. I have to share with you this excerpt from the Feb. 2008 issue; the article was an interview with Sanford Smith, producer of fine art and antique shows, regarding the Works on Paper fair and his thoughts on watercolor: "The other thing about watercolor is that it takes a really good artist to do a watercolor, because if you make a mistake you can't really correct it. If you make a mistake on a canvas, you can overpaint it; you can't do that with a watercolor. I think people who paint with watercolor are among the best artists around, because it's such a difficult medium to master. And most of the watercolor artists I've seen who have become successful are really very fine artists. They're not putting cows into formaldehyde." (Making a Splash, "A Fair to Remember" by Jessica Canterbury) Wow, I like the way he thinks! I've found plenty of ways of correcting mistakes in watercolor, but I'm not going to argue if he thinks watercolorists are darn good artists! And I especially like the remark that "they're not putting cows into formaldehyde". So often I get frustrated when I see these "artists" who are fooling the public, hailed by art critics as being "cutting edge", "trendy" & "the ones to watch!". I'm ready to fall on the pointy end of my paintbrush and end it all! So a thank-you to Mr. Sanford Smith for his keen observations. Let's keep slinging that paintbrush!

Serenity & Orchids

2008-02-01T16:48:00.000-05:00

Serenity & Orchids
Watercolor on Clayboard
22" x 30"

Just finished this painting on the Textured Clayboard for Watercolor. I'm growing to like this new surface. The lifting quality is great, especially since I don't do figures very often! I found it easy to lift off areas where my drawing wasn't correct and to push paint around and lift to get her facial features. This piece was inspired by photos my art buddy Vivian took at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. The Buddhist and Hindu statues are overwhelmingly beautiful in their magestic serenity--they have strength, power and complete peace with the world. I surrounded the goddess with orchids that might be found in India and China: the phaius is tall with rust on the front and white on the back of the petals--a fascinating flower, but not one I can grow here at home (I sent it to "orchid heaven"). The phaleanopsis are from my own windowsill collection that are doing their blooming now. I'm always mixing photos to get the look I want for a painting. Must be careful to keep the lighting the same throughout the painting. Also, photos don't always give all the information needed. For example: her face was in deep shadow on the lower portion. I didn't want her to look like she had a beard, so I lightened the shadow and looked in some books on Asian art to get the facial features I needed. The background is a faint watermark pattern I drew out based on asian textiles. Yes, a lot goes into creating a painting--it's not just copying a photo!

The horror of framing

2008-01-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

Here's a new watercolor I just finished to help us think Spring!

I swore I wasn't going to spend anymore money on frames, and here I go making a new painting that needs a custom 22 x 30 frame--I'm thinking a clean, simple white frame would be just right. . .

Framing art seems to be the worst part of the whole painting experience--so many questions: frame color, width, style-should it match the couch? Friends ask me for advice (funny since I've always been a quiet soul --I guess I'm getting to be feisty and full of opinions in my middle-age!) As an artist I follow a few rules I've developed over the years--

Well here goes:

Frame to match the art not the couch! The painting will have the colors for the room. The frame should enhance the painting.

Gold rules as a frame color. It's warm & it comes in different shades to complement the art.

When you're hanging a number of paintings on a wall several different frame styles are okay as long as the color is the same. In a small room one large painting looks better--a bunch of little ones looks cluttered.

Metal frames are good for photos, posters or very contemporary art. To me it looks cheap on traditional fine art. Wood frames in gold, neutral tones, wood tones or white looks richer.

Always put the best frame you can afford on a painting. Chances are the customer will want to change it to suit their taste, but if you have a cheap frame on it, the painting will be dragged down too!

When I'm hanging my paintings for a show, I stick to gold frames in different styles for my landscapes, gold or white for florals and white or driftwood for seascapes. Matting on watercolors is simple with cream outer and gold inner mat or white double mats. Too many mat colors can make a display look disorganized.

Hope that helps! If you have any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear from you!

The Joy of Mini Paintings

2007-12-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

Recently, I started painting small oils (6" x 8") and discovered the joys of minis! Small paintings are excellent for trying out color and composition for a larger painting and it also comes in handy to have a small version handy in case a buyer likes but doesn't want to spend money on the larger piece. I discovered after that it's impossible to get ready made frames in the 6 x 8 size-we can learn from each other's mistakes anyhow! As it turns out they don't really need framing. Little paintings look great displayed on tiny easels available from any craft store. My inspiration for all this came from an art buddy Rosanne Kaloustian (check out her website at http://www.kaloustian.com/). Her tiny oil paintings of teapots and other subjects have a great "presence" in a small size. A small canvas is also handy when painting outdoors. It's easy to get overwhelmed by Mother Nature without having to fill a large canvas as well. A small size can be completed before the light and weather changes. Well, it's snowing like crazy outside as I type, so view this beach scene and think summer!

New Watercolor Materials

2007-09-07T11:35:00.000-04:00

Found a surface for painting watercolors that I'm learning to like--Ampersand Textured Clayboard for watercolor--I think they changed the name to Aquaboard--anyway, you can paint watercolor on this surface and frame it like an oil painting with no matting needed or glare from plexiglas which I think is a big plus, especially when you want to paint larger watercolors. The surface can be lifted and erased to make corrections which is another plus in watercolor, however if there's a way to ruin a surface I can find it. If you wipe out your mistakes one too many times you end up with a slick surface that's hard to work on. I also found it difficult to get a large smooth wash, but it's great for lifting effects. Also found that my favorite salt technique doesn't work. Ruined three boards in the learning process! Here's one painting that worked out.

Artistic Inspirations

2007-09-07T11:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I had a busy summer and didn't think to get back to writing a bit here. Looking through some back issues of American Art Review that a friend gave me (what gorgeous art!) I came upon an article on a painter named Frank Virgil Dudley (1868-1957)--really lovely landscapes of Lake Michigan area. What struck me was a quote on his art philosophy and I have to agree wholeheartedly: "I believe in representative painting. Not too literal, but understandable, with a wholesome respect for the fundamentals of drawing, color, values and craftsmanship. . . I do not believe that beauty in nature is 'sweet sentimentality'. I think one of the greatest of God's gifts to humanity is the beauty and the joy in the ever-changing moods of nature. Yet the majority of us go through life unmindful of it, taking it as a matter of course, utterly blind to a source of great happiness." This summer I've found that getting outdoors and painting is a wonderful way of focusing on nature and its true colors. Working too much from photos really causes me too get off track with my colors.

Recharging your creative batteries

2007-06-05T17:31:00.000-04:00

When you need creative inspiration the best thing to do is get out and look at art. Walking the galleries down in Chelsea with two artist buddies was refreshing, overwhelming and inspiring! I'm constantly amazed at the range of artistic expression--from figures sculpted out of folded newspapers, wire sculptures that twirl like dandelion puffs on the breeze to large scale florals that are on fire with color. And the works that are truly great often take familiar themes and look at the them with a bold, new angle.
I'm definitely looking to do something on a larger scale--so many subjects present themselves to be painted it can get overwhelming, but I've found I just need to sit and listen to them until one idea is jumping up and down and yelling "paint me!" louder than the others.
Workshops are also a terrific learning experience and a way to get fired up again about making art. I just finished a weekend workshop sponsored by the Art League of Nassau County at Clark Gardens in Alberton with a wonderful oil painter and teacher, Howard Rose. He was generous with his knowledge of painting. It was an excellent experience for me since I'm still learning my way around oil paints--I still love my watercolors, but the oils give a softer, richer look for landscapes that I like very much.
Let's keep slinging that paintbrush!

Welcome World!

2007-04-13T15:25:00.000-04:00

Hello and welcome to my first step into the wider internet world! I would like to use this space to introduce you to my artwork--to share my experiences with other creative folks and to encourage those of you looking to add art to your homes to consider original art.

Along those lines I'd like to share an excerpt from an excellent book: The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Room by Room, by Terah Kathryn Collins:

". . . When you buy local artists' work you are benefitting from their creativity while supporting your community. Although only a few of us can afford the original art of the great masters, most of us can afford creative works of our local artists. . . .Your art, like everything else that surrounds you, is meant to lift and nurture you on a daily basis. Enjoy collecting art that reflects your goals and dreams. Express yourself, and relish the process of creating a home that is, in itself, an original."

And there's nothing better than knowing that the person acquiring one of my paintings has the same excitment about the subject that I had in painting it! An artist can create and put paintings in the closet, but it's really all about sharing that idea or beautiful scene with others.

In the hopes that spring will finally arrive, I recently finished the above painting of irises and delphiniums from Old Westbury Gardens. Long Island, NY has so many beautiful places beyond the shopping malls that we sometimes forget. I'm always glad when people recognize a scene in my paintings and say, yes, we should visit the gardens! Let's get out and enjoy nature, if it would ever warm up and quit the snow flurries!