This isn’t really a humble brag – it’s a proud brag – but not about me. Right now I’m really proud of the work students in my Roaring ’20s have been doing, and I have to brag! I haven’t been able to paint recently because of our upcoming move… so this is a good excuse to brag – ‘humble brag!’
I like to share other people’s paintings each year to celebrate another year of the community here at “Art is Truth.” This year is my blog’s 13th anniversary.
Should I keep Blogging?
Every time I think about discontinuing my blog I hear from a reader who enjoyed it, or find myself looking something up from a previous year. So, I always change my mind and always seem to find something to write about.
So this year I’ll be sharing work from students in my Roaring ’20s program. We’ve been meeting each month for a year now. I’ve issued challenges and journal prompts and watched as each participant rose to new levels of creativity like the bubbles in champagne.
Different prompts inspired different people, but through the pandemic and storms of life, everyone kept painting. The thing that pleases me most is that each artist retained their own aesthetic and voice. The paintings do not look like they were all painted by me!
Roaring ’20s Examples
Here’s an example of one of the journal prompts that were meant to inspire painting ideas:
Influences – who or what influences your artistic choices? Your life choices?
And a painting challenge that artists took on:
Create a series of 4 studies of your subject. In each study, contrast one texture vs. 1.smooth areas. Make sure that either the smooth or the texture dominates (A lot of one and a small bit in the other)
I’ve also been proud of the level of commitment from participants in this program. Half of the folks from the first 6 month session signed up for session 2. That means they spent a whole year with me, and made huge progress.
I’m interested to know, how long was the longest course you’ve ever taken? What was the subject?
Without further ado, here are just a few of the paintings and comments from some of the ‘Flappers’ of the Art is Truth Roaring ’20s. Read all the way to the end for a chance to win! I’m giving away another block of Hahnemühle Collection Watercolor Paper!
Click on the thumbnails to view the full image!
Paula Fontanini
“Every time I stay at the Red Lion Inn in Pendleton I take photos of the view out the window of my room towards the south west. I tell myself that I will be painting it one day. Finally, years later, I am painting the contours and colors of the hills and farmland from my childhood.
Paula Fontanini – Eastern Oregon Landscape
Paula Fontanini – Minto Brown Park
Diane Pinney
Diane Pinney Taking a Dip
Diane Pinney The Apartment
Rose West
Thanks for all your advice. It kept me learning and, someday, it may all stick in my brain. I am going to go through the exercises again and again and try to ‘see’ like you do. I am still amazed that you could tell what I was thinking when I did a certain brush-stroke!
Rose West Still Life
Susan Schenk
Susan Schenk Tupelo Commission
Amanda James
These are before and after. I have learned that I can take a painting I wanted to do and that was bridges and make it better or I hope. Thank you for that. The class was liberating for me. I enjoyed the projects and look forward to trying to do more of them.
Amanda James
Amanda James Witness Tree
Judy R.
This past year, in isolation and quiet, my painting practice thrived through participating in Ruth Armitage’s Roaring 20’s program. Monthly challenges, forum postings and monthly critiques kept me disciplined and focused. I was able to clarify my individual style, to express nature and the human spirit. ?
I think this last painting integrates my last months of work – clarity of shape, color and emotional tone unified to express nature and the human spirit.
May in Oregon – Judy R
Shape Drive Along the Columbia – Judy R.
Kathy Seubert
The use of line differs in each of these paintings, but I learned how dominant a figure is within a painting.
Kathy Seubert
KSeubert2
Tara Choate
The last year has been full of zigs when we were prepared to zag. I signed up for Ruth’s Roaring 20’s mentorship program in July 2020, wanting to work on a specific goal. Did I hit the goal? Yes.
choate_transition_wso
TCsoft
Sue Tellock
The Red Kite Sue Tellock
The Far Beyond Sue Tellock
Alisha Whitman
Alisha Whitman DrippingWithLife
Whitman_ViewSublime
Anji Grainger
“Painting from the imagination amidst the challenge of implying texture without making it obvious…” One of the things that has really pushed me (and ultimately helped me) about Ruth’s mentorship program is her monthly challenges. They take me beyond what usually my “normal” way of painting would be and helps me to become a better artist!”
Anji Grainger Northwest Canyon Flyway
Nila Baker
Nila Baker Toned ground
Nila Baker Large texture painting 2
Kim Smith
Kim Smith Glass mural full size 4ft x 7 ft
Kim Smith detail glass mural close up 2
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Wow – what a creative bunch and gorgeous field of art
Thanks Kathy!