May 2023, Newsletter
Click on the images for a larger view
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"Near Pebble Beach", 22"x 30" Acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper.
Painterly; a term that we hear
a lot these days.
Several years ago I had an exhibit in a local gallery with a host of other artists from around the country. One of the paintings that I exhibited was a small oil painting of a waterfall that was painted from a photograph Diane had taken a few years earlier while she and her daughter were hiking in Alaska. When I painted the piece I chose to use a very loose style of painting which included a lot of scumbled edges rather than minute details. At that time I was primarily a watercolor artist, so it was somewhat unusual for me to do an oil painting , but I just felt the urge to get the old brushes out of the drawer and see what I could do with them. I was originally trained to be an oil painter but I was a little rusty. That painting was one of only a handful of oil paintings I had done in the last twenty or so years, nevertheless, I decided to give it a shot. The painting actually turned out better than I had anticipated so I framed it and put it in the exhibition.
At the opening reception one of the more prominent artists in the group approached me and asked if I painted the waterfall. When I told her that I did, she stated "it's very painterly". I had no idea what that meant but I could tell from her smile and pleasant demeanor that it must have been a compliment. Surprisingly, in the last couple of years I have started hearing that term more and more frequently so I decided to look it up and find the definition. You guessed it; I Googled it. Apparently there are numerous definitions but they all say pretty much the same thing. Here are just a few of them:
"(A painting or its style) characterized by qualities of color, stroke, and texture rather than of line."
"...marked by an openness of form which is not linear and in which sharp outlines are lacking."
"Painterly refers to the application of paint in a 'loose' or less than controlled manner, resulting in the appearance of visible brushstrokes within the finished painting."
Wow, I never knew. I'm glad that I did a little research on this because it helped me to better understand my style of painting, especially with my with oils and acrylics. I have also heard of this style of painting referred to as "brushy". The painting above, "Near Pebble Beach" is a good example of my "Painterly" style when I am using heavy body paint such as oils and acrylics. Another example is the painting of the Bonsai Tree that is further down in this newsletter. Anytime that I use heavy body paint I intentionally use bold and direct brushwork for the majority of the painting. I still incorporate some blended edges when necessary, but generally I let the colors and brushwork define the subject. I usually do not include a lot of detail because it would most likely go unnoticed and would be insignificant. I also incorporate some of the painterly brushwork in some of my watercolor paintings, particular in my abstract pieces. Until recently, I was not aware that they are "painterly". To me they have always been paintings that were dominated by bold and expressive brushwork to create drama and movement. Now I view them a little differently.
Having spent the first part of my art career as a photo-realist, I have enjoyed the transformation of allowing my paintings to be more expressive and less defined than the way that I had previously painted. Nowadays, I give the viewer enough information to make a decision but I don't give them everything. You know, the old saying "less is more" applies to my painting style. For the most part, I am old school and believe that as an artist, we should always leave a little room for interpretation in our paintings. As I learned years ago; "always keep em guessing" at least a little.
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If you do not have an artists website and would like to have one go to;
www.FASO.com
They have several very affordable plans to choose from where you can build your own custom website. They also have GREAT tech support.
If you are concerned that you may not have the technical skills to build a website; have one of your children or grandchildren help you. I'll bet they know how to do it.
***PLEASE NOTE***
If you live in the U.S and would like to order from our website store, the quoted price of the item will now include the shipping costs rather than the shipping costs being added separately.
We regret that because of exceptionally high shipping fees we will only ship to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. If you live in Canada or Mexico and would like to place an order, please email sterling@sterlingedwards.com
and we will get back to you with shipping, pricing, and payment instructions.
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Here's what I've been up to lately
April really kept me on the move. I taught a five-day watercolor workshop on Abstract Watercolors in Santa Fe, NM with a very energetic, fun, and creative group of artists and a three-day Live Zoom Workshop on Acrylic Abstracts.
I have also been working a new series of Abstract Watercolor videos for Artefacto.
I was honored to read the interview about my transition from realism to abstraction in the March issue of The Art of Watercolour Magazine that is published in the UK and distributed worldwide. The article also highlighted several of my abstracted and stylized watercolor paintings.
Lastly, I have recently posted some new Whiskey Paintings on my website. Several have already sold.
New Print Service
We are pleased to announce that we now have a new print on demand service thru FASO and are offering prints of some of my favorite paintings. Go to our website; www.sterlingedwards.com and click on
The images are printed on Premium Archival Matte Photo paper or canvas and come in a variety of sizes and prices. You can also choose to have the print custom framed and shipped directly to you.
Newsletter Archive
If you would like to see some of our past newsletters click on "Newsletter Archive" in the top tool bar of my website; www.sterlingedwards.com.
It's not always up to date but nevertheless; it is a long list of previous newsletters with editorials and artwork.
Gift Certificates
We have received several request for Gift Certificates recently so Diane and I have decided to offer Gift Certificates for $75.00 or $100.00 that can be redeemed for Videos, Live Classes, Art Supplies, and Paintings. The Gift Certificates can be purchased on our website; www.sterlingedwards.com under Art Supplies.
(Not redeemable for live, on location workshops)
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Upcoming Live Zoom Classes hosted from our studio
All my Live Zoom Classes and Workshops are designed to illustrate and explain a multitude of creative techniques. There will be plenty of painting time for each participant. I am available throughout the entire class to offer suggestions and/or critiques as you work on your paintings. As an added bonus, you will receive an unedited video of each class for future study.
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"Watercolor Abstractions"
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May 22, 24, 26, 2023
Just a few spots left
If you've ever wanted to paint watercolor abstracts then this is the workshop that you won't want to miss. This will be a three-day watercolor workshop that will cover three different ways to approach abstract painting. There will be a multitude of creative techniques and discussions on finding abstract ideas and building a strong composition.
Day One: Abstract Expressionism
Day Two: Abstracting Structures
Day Three: A Picasso Style Abstract Still Life
The dates are May 22, 24, 26, 2023
From Noon til 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time.
This workshop is suitable for ALL SKILL LEVELS.
$300
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"Learning Negative Painting" |
June 1, 2023
Space is limited
This is a four-hour LIVE ZOOM CLASS on learning to use negative painting skills with watercolor. In this very informative class, Sterling Edwards will show you and explain an exercise that takes the mystery out of negative painting. He'll also paint a piece similar to this painting that really illustrates the added value negative painting skills can add to your paintings.
This class is intended for the intermediate to advanced watercolor artist.
$100.00
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"Painting a Stylized Floral with Watercolors"
June 22, 2023
In this four-hour LIVE ZOOM CLASS Sterling Edwards will explain and demonstrate his techniques and process for painting a loose and stylized watercolor floral similar to this painting. You will see tons of creative watercolor techniques and a discussion on creating a strong composition.
This class is intended for the intermediate to advanced watercolor artist.
$100.00
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Acrylic Abstract Expressionism
July 10, 12, 14
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This will be a no holds barred three-day LIVE ZOOM WORKSHOP on painting eye catching, colorful, and dynamic acrylic Abstract Expressionist Paintings in the style of this piece.
There will be a lot of techniques and ideas on how to find and create designs that will grab the viewers attention. Whether you're already an abstract artist or just getting started, you find this workshop full of exciting ideas and energy.
This workshop is suitable for ALL SKILL LEVELS.
$300
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"Stylized Watercolor Landscape"
July 25th
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Why just paint a landscape when you can learn how to create a unique piece of art that has intriguing color, movement, and design similar to this painting. There will be a lot of creative watercolor techniques explained and illustrated in this creative and dynamic one-day LIVE ZOOM CLASS.
If you're ready to take you watercolor landscapes to a higher level then you will definitely benefit from this class.
This class is intended for the intermediate to advanced watercolor artist.
$100
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"Painterly Acrylics"
August 7, 9, 11
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Expressive brushstrokes, rich colors, and dynamic design are all concepts that you will lean in the creative and exciting three-day LIVE ZOOM WORKSHOP on painting Acrylic floral and landscape subjects.
Lots and lots of techniques and design concepts will be explained and demonstrated in the workshop. Forget the details, this is all about design, brushwork, and rich colorful statements.
This workshop is suitable for ALL SKILL LEVELS.
$300
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ARTIST WORKSHOPS
2023 Workshops
- May 9-12, 2023 Lowell, Michigan...Watercolor from A to Z. All SKILL LEVELS
This workshop will focus on painting a wide variety of subjects with watercolor. You'll see landscapes, floral, stylized, and abstract. There will be techniques galore in this four-day class.
Contact; Kathy Bechtel, kbechtel@lifeprocesscenter.org
- June 12, 14, 16, 2023 Big Brush and Bold Color Watercolors LIVE ZOOM WORKSHOP hosted by Cheap Joe's.
This Live Zoom Workshop will focus on using big brushes to paint the majority of your painting and on creating different and exciting colors that make your work unique. A lot of creative techniques will be covered in the workshop.
Contact Edwina May, edwina@cheapjoes.com 1-800-227-2788
Now taking reservations
- August 21-24, 2023 Colonial Beach, Virginia, Creative and Expressive Watercolors.
There will be a lot of creative ideas and techniques in the exciting workshop. All designed to make your work stand out and command attention. ALL SKILL LEVELS
Contact Janice Jones, theartscenterofmontross@gmail.com
- September 13-16, 2023 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Watercolors from A to Z.
This watercolor workshop will cover a wide variety of subjects and a multitude of create watercolor techniques. Contact; Louise Hall
louise.hall@shaw.ca www.greatartworkshop.com ALL SKILL LEVELS
- October 4-6, 2023 Reno, Nevada...Stylized Interpretations with Watercolors.
This creative workshop will show you how to push design and color to create a unique and thought provoking visual statement. You'll learn a multitude of watercolor techniques and design principles.
Contact; Anita Watson, tarnished@sbcglobal.net ALL SKILL LEVELS
- Oct. 30, Nov 1&3, 2023...Big Brush Watercolor Landscapes, LIVE ZOOM WORKSHOP, hosted by Cheap Joe's
In this workshop you will see how to paint a watercolor landscape using mostly large brushes while keeping unnecessary details to a minimum. There will be a lot of creative techniques and subjects in this workshop.
Contact; Edwina May, edwina@cheapjoes.com, 1-800-227-2788
Now taking reservations
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"Apricate"
30" x 22" Watercolor
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"Branching Out"
20" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas
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Untitled
22" x 15" Watercolor
This is another demonstration painting from my recent workshop in Grifton, NC.
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This is a photo of Diane and me taken at one of the many North Carolina vineyards that we explore when we have the time.
Sometimes we just have to get back to nature and rough it a little.
A special thank you to Diane for all that you do to manage our business and keep things running smoothly. It's a full-time job and your attention to detail and professionalism is appreciated by all. I couldn't do this without you.
Spread the word
Please tell your art loving friends about our website and newsletter; word of mouth referrals are by far the best advertising. They can sign-up for the newsletter on our website; www.sterlingedwards.com . Thank you.
As always, we appreciate your support.
Art; it chooses us
Ponder this:
"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth"
Pablo Picasso
(Scroll to the very bottom for one more painting)
"Story Teller"
22" x 30" Watercolor
As someone that really loves the southwest, I have always been fascinated with the ancient trees that grow in the deserts. Some of them are well over a thousand years old. This tree was growing on the rim of Canyonlands in Utah. The natural movement of the tree suggested that I should paint it in a very stylized manner.
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Sterling Edwards / Artist, LLC
230 Sunny Acres Drive
Lewisville, NC 27023
USA
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