JOANNE GIESBRECHT

PORTRAITS AND DREAMS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Sydney's Orange Hat

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy - but with life events that have left me little time or energy for doing my own work in the studio. Even my blogging slipped...sorry!

Since I don't have any new work to show you (other than eyes, noses, and mouths that I have been teaching my students to draw...), I thought I would post my first attempt at a portrait in watercolor, which was back in 2003! I can't believe how many years have passed and how quickly...

This portrait is of my first grandchild, and only granddaughter. Sydney was born just five days before the 9/11 event which changed the world... At this time, I was just beginning to explore painting, and most of my work was done on holidays and during summer as I was an elementary school teacher -full time. Enough said! But I had a dream that someday I would do art whenever I wanted, in my own space.

What I loved about this portrait was the combination of colors and how beautiful the blush on her cheek turned out. At times this was an exercise in frustration, but I persevered until I got a result that I was happy with. Since then, I have learned so very much, but I still like this painting and think I learned much from just tackling a project when I knew very little.

If you are just toying with the idea of painting, or of doing something in particular, I encourage you to try it. Persevere. Learn from doing. It will be worth the effort and the time. Since doing this painting, I have left teaching in the public system, and am now a full time artist. I now teach art to students in my own home studio. And I love what I do. You can live your dreams too. It takes courage, and there are times when your hopes may be dashed. But continue anyway. Get back on the road. You will be going toward that dream, and who knows what adventures you'll have along the way? It will be worth it all - I know. And I'll be cheering you on!!!

NEW BEGINNINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

new oil portrait on the easel

Yup - this is going to be a beautiful portrait in a couple of weeks...I just KNOW it!

PRINCESS MIKAYLA

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Princess Mikayla
9" x 12" oil

My friend's little girl is a princess indeed! She is all over posing for the camera, and getting prettied up for me to take her picture.
I am happy to have completed this portrait ...painting always gives me a feeling of peace and joy.

ON THE EASEL TODAY

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

oil painting currently on my easel

I got to work on this painting for a bit this week. Although this photo doesn't do a good job of showing the pink blush on her cheek and forehead, I am pleased with how the painting is progressing. There will be several more hours until she is done...I have to let the painting dry before I go back in with more detail. I have left out the dangling earring she had on, so once that area is completely dry, I'll lay that over the skin and hair in that part of the portrait. The day I took this photo, she told me she did her hair all by herself, and she looked like a princess! Strands of individual hair will show how she had it in a ponytail, wrapped in ribbon, and then doubled up and under the headband. So very, very cute! LOVE how the oil paint blends so smoothly!

Mayan Girl - a study in pastel

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Blue Hat
pastel

When my husband and I were in the Mayan Riviera last year, this little girl was on the beach with her mother. It was the blue hat which caught my attention, and I was able to snap a photo of her when she was waiting for her mom to get her something to drink. Her features were quite unusual in such a young child - heavy eyebrows and a very strong nose.

This little piece is done in pan pastel. I love how smooth these pastels are, but I have also learned that it is not necessarily easy to create the various colors that I need in a painting. It would be much easier if I had that color already in the pan! However, I am happy enough with this little study to say it is done.

ART CLASSES

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

My teaching sketchbook

This week is the beginning of another 6 weeks of teaching art students. I don't have many this term, but that suits me as I have not gotten much painting done over the last 3 months. First it was a 2 week trip in November, the holidays in December, and another 10 day trip in January. It's time to get back into the studio and get some new pieces done!

It is always interesting as to what people want me to teach them. This time, 3 of my students want to learn how to draw in pencil, with 2 of those wanting to learn portraiture. We'll start with learning about the eye. I think that if you can get the eyes right in a portrait, you really are more than 1/2 way there.

The other 2 students want to learn how to paint abstracts in acrylic. That will be lots of fun, teaching them how to create their own colors, using various mediums for certain effects...yup, I'm gonna have fun this session!

I hope my next posting will show a new work underway...but the beautiful warm weather we've been having in FEBRUARY is beaconing me to be outside walking. It's tough to fit everything in! What a great life. -)

MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Magnolia Blossoms
watercolor
22.5" x 30"

This watercolor of magnolia blossoms was a lot of fun to do! I may do another version of it at another time, but for now, I am content with this painting.

If you are interested in this or any other of my paintings here or on my website, please contact me: jogiesbrecht@gmail.com. I'd be happy to discuss prices, or to do a commission of a subject of your choice. :-)

Artist Tibor Nagy

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

THE LIVING BRIDGE

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The video on this structure is amazing! What beautiful features these people have...please click on the link to see this amazing living bridge:
http://www.snotr.com/video/7331/The_Living_Bridge

NANOOSE BAY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

NANOOSE BAY, BC

Each year my husband and I seem to end up spending a week of winter somewhere on Vancouver Island. This year, it is in the gorgeous area of Nanoose Bay. We rented a suite in a Bed and Breakfast which is modeled after Franklin Lloyd Wright's designs, and is situated right on an estuary which is packed with wildlife, particularly birds. At high tide, the water wends its way through the curves of the banks, and gently pours into the pond which is just outside our deck, which we access through sliding doors. Geese and several kinds of ducks lazily float along the incoming tide, and enter the pond to feed. As you look outside, there is a tall crag where 2 bald eagles roost every day. When they swoop down from their high vantage point, the other birds take flight. It is such a beautiful place to rest and relax! It is also a fabulous area to get photos to inspire my work this year. Here is the link to check out this gorgeous place: http://www.inntheestuary.com

ALMOST THERE...

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

watercolor magnolia almost completed

I have been having some computer issues with my main computer, and so it has taken me about an hour to download this photo onto my laptop and get it up here for you to see. ***sigh*** I will need my son to come again and help me fix the problem!

Magnolia Blossoms is coming along, and will be done the next time I post it. I think the piece of watercolor paper that I used must be quite old as it has been bleeding where it shouldn't...making things a bit more challenging than usual. Oh well...it just keeps me on my toes I guess. :-) I can hardly wait for spring when we will see blossoms around here. That will be in about 4 more months. Seems a long ways away.

MAGNOLIAS ON THE EASEL

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Magnolia blossoms in process

I absolutely love the way that Magnolia blossoms look. I have never seen one in person, but my daughter tells me they are gigantic.

There is a website where you can purchase the right to use their photographer's photos, and that is where the original picture for this piece came from. I think magnolias really suit the watercolor medium as they are so delicate in appearance, in spite of the fact that they are such large blossoms. I'll post this piece again when it is completed.

NEW WORK IN PROGRESS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

work in progress

I am liking how this oil portrait is coming along. It has a long way to go, and I could ruin it at any point I know, but for now, it is coming along quite nicely...

MAGIC PALETTE COLOR MIXING GUIDE

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Here is a little resource that I really love. It takes the guesswork out of mixing your paint colors, and if you purchase the smaller one (as I have) the paint colors on the sides are probably tubes you already have on hand.
One side has the dominant color, the other has the mixing colors. Old friends like Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Sap Green and Payne's Grey are all on this chart. I love how I can see a color, and choose it , knowing what combination of paints I need to create that color.
As well, the sheet is LAMINATED, making it paint-proof. Yay! for those of us who are "messy" painters!
So if you are in an art supplies store, or ordering online, you might just want to include this inexpensive but invaluable tool in your purchase. :-)

PENCIL PORTRAIT 2

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Tristan and Ethan 1
pencil portrait

This is the second portrait of Tristan and Ethan. The mom, who commissioned the pieces, said that the grandmothers cried when they opened this gift at Christmas! How special is that!

DICK BLICK - YOU ROCK!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I am so excited! My first art order of the year has arrived, and in it is the very first set of expensive Kolinsky brushes that I have owned!

The brushes are from a company called da Vinci, an amazing manufacturer of quality brushes. When working in watercolor, you can paint an eyelash with these brushes, as they come to such a beautiful point. But wait! That's not all! You can also paint a wide swath with these brushes just as readily as the eyelash! I am really looking forward to working with a quality brush after so many years of fighting the brush as well as the paint! :-)

As you can see, the brushes are laying on top of my new Incredible Art Board. It is so light weight I can hardly tell I am carrying something in my hand! I can stretch my watercolor paper on this beautiful surface, and carry it around with me, or go plein air without any trouble at all! Again - I can hardly wait to begin a new painting with these awesome tools.

Other than some paints that I ordered, the other BIG item is my new mat cutting machine. This is really wonderful as it will make everything easier for my framer when he does my watercolor paintings, pencil drawings and pastel paintings. And I DO want to keep my framer happy. After all, he lives with me....

I know I have exclaimed the praise of Dick Blick Art Supplies before, but I must do so again. I received notification via email this morning that my order had shipped from the States yesterday. It arrived at noon, my time, in Calgary, Canada today. I am so impressed with the speed and efficiency of this company, the selection of art supplies and resources that they have available on line, as well as the decent prices they offer. I have not found another company that I like better. Dick Blick - you rock!!!

BRANCHING OUT ART SHOW

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Come out this Friday and see all the fabulous art and artists that are a part of this show. I have 3 pieces in Branching Out, and would love to see you there!

PENCIL PORTRAITS OF TWO BOYS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Tristan and Ethan

pencil portraits

As promised, here is another pencil portrait done as a Christmas gift. This time it was the mother of the boys who had the piece done for one of the grandmothers as her Christmas gift. She also had a second one done from a different pose for the other grandmother as well. I'll post that one next time. When I delivered the two pieces, I got to meet the little boys. I felt like I "knew" them after spending hours working on their features! It was such fun to see them busy playing and eating, and finding that their personalities really were reflected in these drawings.

GIFTS GIVEN AND RECEIVED

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I am now able to show you the pencil portraits that I completed earlier in the fall of 2011, which were gifts given and received at Christmas. It was a lot of fun to see the reactions of the people who commissioned the drawings when they picked them up. I knew if they liked the portraits, chances are that those receiving the pieces would also like them. And I was right.

For this drawing of these two precious girls, the grandparents wrote that the gift was a "jaw dropping success"! Sweet words to my ears. :-)

Addison and Elise
pencil portrait

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Toward the end of 2011, we suddenly lost one of our border collies - within a day and a half. We think she was kicked by a moose, and died of internal bleeding.

One of my art students, who has been taking lessons from me for almost two years (and is now 11 years old) decided to do one of the most sweet things possible. She painted a picture of Meg for me as a Christmas gift. Here is a photo of her painting (acrylic on canvas paper).

Meg
original painting by Leah J. 2011

I am so grateful to be a part of Leah's life, and see her talent blossom!

I love hearing of acts of kindness and compassion, such as Leah gave me in painting our Meg. I love being a part of this kind of giving and generosity.

May your 2012 be filled with love, kindness, compassion and small to great acts of kindness toward others. May it be the best year yet because of simple acts of love and caring in your sphere of influence. Happy New Year of 2012!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

In Hawaii, poinsettia trees/bushes grow on the sides of the roads. It is quite amazing to see the brilliant red against the dark green, growing twelve feet and higher, right along the highway! Here in Canada, we struggle just to keep them alive during the few weeks of our Christmas celebrations. :-)

I want to thank each one of you who has visited my blog this past year, and has followed me on both FaceBook and Twitter. 2011 has been, in many ways, one of the most difficult years I have experienced, but your emails and comments have brightened many a dark day. Thank you.

I wish each of you much joy and peace as you celebrate Christmas, and as this year ends. May 2012 hold many wonderful surprises for you, happiness and good health. Happy New Year! I look forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Joanne

KOI FISH #2

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Koi Fish
7.5" x 11"
watercolor

This is the second in this series of paintings of koi fish. The water was absolutely clear at the hotel in Hawaii where I shot the photos. Such beautiful fish when you can actually see them! I love how the reflections of the fin and the bubbling of the water looks in this painting! Fun to do!

UNDERWATER IMAGING

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

While on the Big Island in Hawaii, I met a diver who takes amazing pictures in the ocean. Her name is Cynthia Hankins, and her work is spectacular!

CYNTHIA HANKINS
underwater photographer
Kona, Hawaii

She takes her Canon camera, in a waterproof contraption, and dives anywhere from 3 to 6 days per week. She patiently waits, hovering above the coral, for the perfect shot - and she has had MANY!

I bought 2 of her photos - both in as large a print size as I could afford. They are currently waiting until I can save the money to frame them. Here is one of them - 3 Oval Squid - in electric colors. So beautiful! (Click on words to go to the link).

The second photo we bought is called "Feeding Station". I love the turtle faces she has captured in her dives!

Cynthia's photos are one-of-a-kind, and not too expensive if you are looking for a wonderful and unique gift. She ships all over the world, so be sure to contact her if you are interested. She is easy to "talk" to, and very accommodating!

I got to take pictures of sea turtles feeding in the water - from above the water, not in it. Standing on the shore, on slippery rocks, my friend Donna and I stood taking pictures for long periods of time... The photos are not from underwater like Cynthia's, but the abstract patterns of the turtles' shells and flippers were amazing! The water is so very clear that you can see all of this from above the water line. I plan to paint several of those. If you wait long enough, the turtle lifts its head out of the water to breathe, and you can get some nice photos of their markings...here is one of my pics of that for you to enjoy!

Sea Turtle, Nov 2011, Big Island, Hawaii

As I was shooting the turtle lifting its head in the City of Refuge, Donna was cheering me on - literally. We had been the only 2 out on the rocks at that point, but soon there were half a dozen people beside us, searching out what we were so excited about! It turned into a photofest. :-)

KOI FISH #1

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Koi Fish #1
11" x 15"
watercolor

This painting is now completed. There will be four more paintings of these koi fish coming, hopefully before the end of the year, in a slightly smaller size of 7.5" x 10".

When I took the photos of these fish, the reflections on the water really seemed to abstract most of the fish. In choosing the next four paintings, some are more abstracted than others, but they are all interesting!

Can't wait to show you the next one!

HAWAIIAN GECKO

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

click on photo to see larger version

I could wish I was back in Hawaii right now, what with the cold wind and snow making roads icy...but I suppose it is beginning to look like Christmas with everything under a blanket of white!

This is one of the Hawaiian geckos that I was able to get several photos of. His colors are just astonishing - especially on the plant in which he and his mate lived. They had a little stash of water where the leaves all came together at the bottom of the plant, and there must have been some sticky, honey-like substance on the leaves as well, because I caught him licking the leaves. As I moved in closer and closer to get better pictures of him, he got more and more nervous. Finally, he turned and stared at me, as if to dare me to come closer...he was ready for me!

These little creatures move incredibly fast, so I was thrilled to get so many shots of this guy and his female. Look at all the colors! Florescent greens, yellows, reds, and BLUE! He even listened to me as I talked to him. What wonderful creatures!