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Bison Love to Roam!

Man Cave Painting
Bison Love to Roam!

Thanks to all of you who visited my “Possibilities Endless” art exhibit at the BAGA art gallery in Bismarck, North Dakota, in  the past 3 weeks. Many of you attended the artist reception, and/or  participated in my watercolor workshop. It is always a joy to meet new people  to whom I can refer to as friends. A special thank you to  Paige Peterson from Bismarck for sponsoring this exhibit at the BAGA.

We all know bison love to roam, and that is true of my paintings, too. National Champion, Man Cave Painting, Bison on Fire, Grassy Beaut, Winter Trek, and Bison in the Pink all left with new owners because of this exhibit. I was very pleased to have sold a total of ten paintings there. It allows me to continue to paint!

I am also happy to announce that, as my exhibit ended, I was given the opportunity to leave several paintings at Art Gallerie on Main, another downtown gallery in Bismarck. Art Gallerie on Main is owned by artist Lydia Richez-Bowman.   Please check it out at http://www.artgallerieonmain.com.   Art Gallerie on Main  is a quaint and beautifully designed gallery with a French accent, and I am honored to have my work hanging there very soon.

On Saturday, July 8th, I held a Creative Journey I Drawing and Watercolor workshop in Bismarck and was blessed to see eager learners flourish in only one-day! I am pleased to let you know I will be teaching again there in the spring. Details will follow when dates are determined. I am looking forward to returning to Bismarck next year!

 

 

Possibilities Endless: My upcoming solo exhibition and one-day workshop in Bismarck, North Dakota

National ChampionI am pleased to announce that I will be having a large solo exhibit titled, Possibilities Endless, held at the BAGA Gallery, 422 E. Front Ave, Bismarck, ND from June 28—July 22. There will be a public reception on July 8th from 5-7:00 pm. In conjunction with the exhibit,I will be teaching a one-day workshop, Creative Journey: Exploration in Drawing and Watercolor on July 9th at the BAGA gallery. This workshop is geared toward all levels of ability.  Workshop information is printed below. Contact the BAGA gallery at 701-223-5986 for additional information.

 

 

The Creative Journey I: Exploration in Drawing and Watercolor

This one day workshop is an overview of drawing and watercolor techniques to spur the creative energy of all levels of artists. This course includes topics such as sketchbook journaling, making effective value studies, making sense of the color wheel, tips on creating strong compositions, and learning to deal with the “inner critic.

Fee per student: $125 plus supplies.

Supply List: If this is your first time painting, please consider purchasing high quality materials as this will make a huge difference in your painting experience.

Sketchbook (at least 8.5”x11”)

Pencils: HB (No. 2) and a 6B drawing pencil

Pencil sharpener

140 lb. professional watercolor paper– I prefer Arches or Fabriano Artistico 100% cotton paper. You will need at least 5-6 sheets of 11×15 paper. If you purchase 22”x30” paper, you will need two sheets. I will supply practice papers for exercises. If you purchase large sheets of paper, I will show you how to tear them to the size needed. Do not cut them.

Professional grade watercolor paint in .5 ml size . Hues listed are suggestions. If you have other paints close to these, that is fine.

One tube of yellow (Cadmium Yellow, Aureolin, Hansa, or Lemon)

One tube of blue (French Ultramarine, Cobalt, or Phthalo Blue)

One tube of red (Cadmium Red, Permanent Red, or Alizarin Crimson)

One tube of Payne’s Gray

One tube of Quinacridone Burnt Orange (Other paints are welcome, but for the workshop, you will need only these five tubes.

Support- (a firm surface to support your watercolor paper) should be at least 11”x15”. I use Gatorboard OR Masonite board OR lightweight plywood painted white

Plastic Palette for mixing paint- I use a Frank Webb or Robert Wood palette, but any palette with a large mixing surface will do.

Watercolor Brushes

-One large round brush (size 8 or 10)

One small round brush (size 5 or 6)

-1” flat brush

Container for water, such as an ice cream bucket

 

Four binder clips

One roll of  1″ or less masking tape

Roll of paper towels

A household sponge

An old terrycloth towel

 

 

You are invited to the Plains Art Museum Spring Gala!

Popeye and me at Gala auctionThis coming Saturday, May 7th, 2016, the Plains Art Museum is hosting its annual Spring Gala and Silent Art Auction. The 2016 Art Auction is fabulous and filled with great variety of work in a variety of mediums by a large group of artists.  This year I entered my bison piece, titled, Popeye, named after my dad, Johnny Benda. My dad was a member of the 1930 State Football Championship in North Dakota, earning the nickname of Popeye because he was a tough and determined lineman. This painting is a tribute to my dad, the NDSU Championship Football team, and the magnificent bison itself.  If you want to know more about the Gala and the Silent Art Auction, please go to: http://plainsart.org/exhibits/2016-spring-gala-art-auction/