We're BACK!

We began a NEW semester this week with 20 people now in the group!

For the upcoming weeks we will dig deeply into the book Saying Yes, Accepting God’s Amazing Invitation to Artists


Our leader, Melanie Morris adds a few comments with:
I’m excited about our studio time next week and think our focus on shells is a great start to the semester. Our books talks about how God was the first artist and there is certainly great artistry in the beauty of shells. I’m already thinking about what I’ll do. I can see a really great close-up of a shell that becomes an abstract painting– which would definitely be new for me. I also can see how shells would provide inspiration for an intricate pen and ink drawing or a loose and colorful collage from tissue paper or magazine photos. If you are new to painting, don’t worry because anything goes – you could even use food coloring to dye sand and create your shell with colored sand.
MELANIE


This weekend some of the artists in the group are heading South..for some creative time with toes in the sand- our SPRING RETREAT.

Check back with us next week as we draw on inspiration from the sea!

Blessings!

Allison

Melanie Morris

From the TGV

Provence, France

Acrylic on Canvas – 12 x 24



Melanie Morris is an award-winning painter whose work has been shown in galleries across the South and featured in numerous juried shows. You are invited to see Melanie’s newest paintings.



Fine Art in Brentwood Show

Friday, December 5

5:30PM to 8:30PM



Saturday, December 6

10AM to 6PM



Sunday, December 7

12PM to 4PM



Brentwood Academy

219 Granny White Pike

Brentwood, TN

www.melaniemorrisart.com

Palette Knife Painting with Melanie Morris

This week we got together at my house to watch our leader lead us in
PAINTING WITH A PALETTE KNIFE.

She turned me on to this one year ago and I have never looked back!
I LOVE the palette knife. As a fast painter...and one with little patience
for oil, it has given me the freedom to layer and layer in fast strokes...
throwing control to the breeze...

It is the "happy accidents" that propel the work to something deeper than
what we were intending...

take a look at some of these from the class!
The notes will follow in another blog...
A picture says a thousand words....

Alabama Artist Colony

Melanie Morris attended the Alabama Artist Colony workshop at
Lake Martin this past week.

The link to their site is HERE: Artist Colony

We hope it gives you great inspiration.
Melanie will share some of her knowledge in an upcoming meeting.

She studied under Roger Dale Brown, a plein air painter from Nashville who also
happens to be a strong Christian with an incredible story.

He studied art in school, but "got a real job in an optical boutique" and after getting married, moved to California with his wife as she began studying art. He met a muralist by "chance" and began working with him.

He soon found his gift and set GOALS (one of our topics today that we discussed from the Creative Call...along with forgiveness :)). One of his goals was to paint 365 paintings that year (he finished 260) and create 100 studio paintings. He also had a goal of being in a gallery by that October. He was.

He has been painting about 6-8 years now and his work is nationally recognized.

Check out his website with a CLICK HERE

Thanks Melanie for sharing!

He also studied under Scott Christianson (CLICK HERE TO SEE HIS WORK)


Lesson for today?
Take time to learn from other artists...it can change your life.
I began painting with a palette knife 1 year ago this week after Melanie did a demo
(and began this blog 1 year ago as well on this, my annivesary week (Happy Anniversary Chad!))

Do something different. (Melanie introduces us to plein air painting)

Value Christian artists. There IS a difference. Don't we all want our work to express what we know about Jesus to those who don't know?

SET GOALS! Begin now with a plan for taking your art to the next level!

Find a GREAT group of like-minded friends and nurture each other until you all SOAR!

Thank you to my awesome creative call group of friends! I love you! Allison

Have a blessed week!