WHAT'S HAPPENING?

It's been my goal to eventually "cover" the rent at Karen's Studio #125. The rent currently is $530 a month with heat, light included. My other expenses include insurance, transportation, advertising (Vistaprint postcards and business cards) supplies and groceries (snacks/tea, etc.). The students pay $5 per hour. If I have 10 students for an hour, this means I have $50. I have added more hours to help bring the total up to $100 for one afternoon of work 2-6:45 p.m. I've opted to allow some of the "old timers" to come in for free, because they contribute through donating their time to help out with the Essex Studios Art Walks, bring in refreshments and help to teach the "newbies" what they know - they are my "assistant" teachers.

All of my students are making progress! I've been uploading pictures of their work on Facebook and on my Meetup "Art, Music, Theater" site. Starting out with stick figures, ink scribbles and lessons from John Gnagy's Drawing Course (eBay purchase), the students move to watercolor postcards or trading cards, perspective drawings and then to painting on canvas. They come into the studio - pick up their own folder with their work in it and move to a place in the studio where they can set up their work area. The supplies are available on the table or supply table and shelves. I continue to provide most of the materials. Some work at a table easel, standing easel or portable drawing board.

Some of us go over to the "snack area" for soup, instant coffee, tea or chilled water from the water cooler. The fridge offers some snacks, too and is there for keeping food chilled.  A microwave oven is available, too.


The "Art Library" is an area where students can find instruction books. There is a large selection of vintage Walter Foster books and many books about art and famous artists. Nearby are two couches and comfortable chairs available for a relaxing retreat into the "Art World".

Easy music is supplied from WGUC's Classical Music Station or from my  own "painting music collection". The air conditioner works well. Three overhead fans and two floor fans move the air throughout the studio. Wide, tall windows let in plenty of daylight.

I "interview" each student to help me find out what they want to do or accomplish. Each student seems to find their own "niche" - choosing the media that they like best.  Some like to work in watercolor, others like doing colored pencil work, others work in pastels. There are those who are painting with acrylics and still others are working in oil - "each to their own" - unique and personalized.

Now, all I need are more hours and more students to break even! Onward!

Update from Karen's Studio 125: More students, more fun, more creativity! Earlier this year I started teaching students from The Recovery Center at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays at my studio. I think at least 25 people have come and gone - some staying and growing. Others, other obligations and choices take them elsewhere. We're going to be starting the third session of 10 weeks next Wednesday.

It was a "big leap" for me to reach out and take a risk of expanding my teaching to more students. I had been accepting the fact that I had some "regulars" for years, some paying in cash others helping out with shows by bringing food, helping out, etc. - something of a "trade out". So now, I'm realizing some help with the rent, making it easier for me to accept that the "out-go" is more than "in-come".

Other people are coming into the studio just for company and companionship, others for some instruction and encouragement. Gradually, gradually I will finally have enough people to make it a "break-even" enterprise. I only charge $5.00 an hour "pay as you go", a bargain - designed to keep people coming into do their art for months and even years. It all "adds up".

Willie Evans of Framecare Studios comes in every other week to pick up art work to frame. He does an incredible job and is quite talented. He has a "traveling frame shop". He brings in his mats and frames. We show him what we want framed and he makes suggestions. We work together looking at all the various options - choices of double mats, acid-free mats, clear glass, interesting frames. Sometimes I just give him something I need to have framed and have him "choose". His choices are excellent and it saves me "all that decision-making"!

We've had two big Art Walks at Essex Studios (that's where my studio is located) with many other artists in the same building. Not only artists, but businesses, as well. The American Sign Museum was in Essex Studios for several years, but now has grown so large that it now has a new home! That location is now a church for "creative people". The Art Walks (Open House Events) are usually the first weekends - Fri., Sat. in Oct., Dec., Feb., and April. Many "outside artists" participate by "setting up shop" in the hallways. I like buying wonderful jewelry - inexpensive, nice. And, I love the food trucks that offer special food out in the parking lot. Being part of Essex Studios makes the whole "art experience" exciting and fun.

I list my classes on my Meetup.com group "Art, Music, Theater Meetup". Listing there helps me get more students and let my Meetup people know "What's Happening". Will update again, soon. Keep creating!

New Year 2012

It's "about time" that I share an update of Karen's Studio 125 "happenings"! Since my last blog post we've had a couple of Essex Studios Art Walks which brought in many more people to see our art. And, the good news is: we're selling our art! Our next Art Walk will be Friday and Saturday, March 2nd/3rd 6-11 pm. I sold two paintings "Findlay Market" and "Gateway Quarter". My students also sold some of their work, too. 

My Wednesday classes now include students from The Recovery Center. They are definitely creative artists! We have a wonderful time together - sharing and laughing. I really enjoyed receiving a special birthday card from the ladies plus a stack of greeting cards that were designed and made by Recover Center artists. 
Then, more students are signing up for classes - making a day of 16-20 students. I will be expanding class times into Thursday and then setting up other class times, too.

I upload students' work and mine also to Facebook under Karen's Studio 125 and under my own name, too. Students are working in watercolor, oil pastels, acrylics, colored pencils, chalk. and making collages.

My current challenge will be doing more "Over the Rhine" paintings for The Symphony Hotel. I'm thinking, first, to take paintings from my personal collection to show at The Symphony Hotel as I gradually do more paintings.

Now to add some art work to this blog:

More Bricks

Starting another day of brick painting. Today, I finished "French Row Houses" with the little pink ribbon emblem and my signature, too. Then, I worked on and completed a brick that features 4 scenes - "Dawn, Day, Dusk, Night". If I can locate the Super Glue I'll add a sparkle to the star or use the "BeDazzler" gadget I got at Gatlinburg, TN a few years ago.

The next brick is triangular in shape. I'm using Sharpie lines to define the shapes and filling in the blocks with primary and secondary colors. I may do shades and tints of the colors for variety. Hoping to start the cafe one, too.

It's amazing how quickly time seems to pass when I'm absorbed in a painting project. I'll take some pictures and see if I can upload them, too.

Brick Designs

A couple months ago, I listed an announcement for "Brick Painting" on my Meetup.com Brunch Club group and my Art, Music, Theater group. For several years my students and I have painted bricks for www.breastcancerbricks.org for their annual Brick Cancer Brick Auction. We have completed nearly a dozen bricks. More are "in progress".

Today, I received a challenge on Me/You Daily Health Challenge to write about a problem for five minutes and come up with two solutions. So, this is my task for this blog.

I have several more bricks primed with Gesso that I want to complete. Choosing a unique design "to me", something that reflects my style is a challenge! I have completed "Froggy" - painted pond green (s) upon the outside of the brick, painted a blue center area, added a glued in frog from Bonsai arrangement (long gone) and clear colored flat glass blue bubbles also glued to the blue "pool" center. Froggy is clever and will possibly attract some good bids.

Another brick is called "Firey" (can't find word in dictionary). Painted all over in red/yellow and interspersed with black Sharpie lines.And, I'm now completing the "French Row Houses" - just a few tiny areas to finish. It has my "signature" pinkish street - using one point perspective, too.

Yesterday, while waiting for Riverfest fireworks, I sketched some other brick possibilities including a French cafe scene, a modern stained-glass design (multiple shapes of color), a brick of piano keys - pink ribbon notes, a brick wrapped in a pink ribbon "winding around it", pine cones glued to another brick - winter scene and another one that I've started - day to night - moving around all 4 sides of the brick.

The challenge is to choose from these or to design others. At the moment I'm up "against a brick wall" which has already been done in previous years! To meet the Me/You challenge, I've completed five minutes of puzzlement. Now, I'm choosing to do the stained glass block look for one brick and finish the day to night one, too. Enough for now! Onward!

Studio Happenings!

Karen's Studio #125 is "humming" with activity now that more students are coming to class. And, it's exciting to include Willie Evans' Framecare Studios as part of the "hum"! Willie comes into the studio every other Wed. evening with his frame samples and expertise. Several of us have been getting our art and photography framed. Willie is incredible and his prices are really reasonable! Now, if I can find more wall space!

My regular students who have been with me for years continue to come in and do their work: Lynn - watercolor, Candice - pastels, Susan - colored pencil and pencil drawings. Sophia and Mollie are adult beginners working through the challenges of perspective. Mollie is framing her covered bridge done from an old art instruction book by John Gnagy. Sophia is framing a square, brightly colored acrylic painting. Michelle and son Ty are working in various media. Ty's colored pencil drawing which he posted as his Facebook profile is incredible! Michelle's watercolors are wonderful, too! Cat is back from New York and has her supplies laid out and has begun working in watercolor again. Welcome Cat! And, I hope Chris starts this week, too.

Last Wed., four young adults started class, too. Their father is a Tattoo artist. He wants his children to learn the basics. He learned a lot about art from his Grandmother who told him to draw his hand, his face and now he is a professional artist. For our first lesson I asked the young people to "free-wheel it" - draw whatever they wanted for the first page of their sketch book. I then introduced them to "materials' - drawing materials - charcoals, erasers, stomps, pencils, Conte crayons, etc. For fun, I gave them copies of a fence, round moon faces and stick people which come from an antique book I have about learning how to draw.

Next week we'll progress to "lines". I have a stack of graphic arts books that may be helpful, too, for ideas and for showing how various lines are used in drawings.

I think I'll be getting even more students. I "advertise" on my Meetup.com site which helps a lot. I'm going to have students doing the breast cancer bricks again this year. The bricks are painted and donated to a silent auction in October.

Hoping the weather stays cool. I'm hoping that two more fans will help, too. Ordered two from QVC which look like they will "cover" more of the room. Classes continue on Wednesday afternoons 4 - 6:45 pm $5.00 an hour, $10 for two hours. Eventually I will have enough students to "break even". Sure hope so!

Cincinnati Artists

From My Studio

Cincinnati Artists in Fold

By Karen Kelly

It may come as no surprise to you that Cincinnati has many artists within its fold. Designers, poets, writers, dancers, musicians, painters, sculptors, craftspeople and many other artistic persons are working long hours in order to increase their skills which may or may not be shared with the consuming public.

If the artist seems to be obsessed with the desire to create, he (or she) should be cherished and nurtured.

He (or she) should be encouraged, not destroyed. The artist has the same need for love and recognition as his fellow man, therefore his awareness and sensitivity should note be demeaned.

One word which is felt by creative persons is PAIN. Imagining and idea and trying to find the means by which it can be expressed can be very painful. However, it is through this pain that the creative person produces a work which may or may not bring enjpyment to other people.

It is difficult enough to go through the creative process without feeling the dded pain of unwarranted, untrained criticism.

Many fine artists are lost to us because they can not bear to share their work with the outside world. The daring one, the ones who care enough to try, try in hope of sharing something they feel with other people.

As you reach out to increase your own artistic understanding you will find that you have many of the same creative urges within yourself that you may have thought were reserved for artists only.

It is possible for you to create a new space within your thoughts for artistic sharing. Open your mind and extend your hand in friendship while saying, "Yes, I have creative feelings and I share your creative feelings with you. I am so glad, that you, the artist, are able to share my thoughts through artistic expression."

*Note: I've written the article again, so that it's easier to read!

Column Announcement

This is a picture taken in my 7th floor studio, 1968 (August?). It was one of a series of Karen's Studio. There were a lot of windows with a view East toward the Cincinnati Post Building and Mt. Adams and a Southern view facing a couple of churches and other buildings. This room had my drawing board, some shelves, some chairs a bulletin board and plenty of room to paint. It was my space to create. The rest of the studio had a very large room where I hung my big paintings and shared it with others for Tai Chi and Ballet Classes. I had an art show, too, and sold some of my abstracts.

One painting of the Cincinnati Post Building that I created in watercolor and black ink lines was purchased by my mother, Lois Brown Dale, Director of Clermont Senior Services in Clermont County, Ohio.She gave it to one of her employees and it disappeared! Mama had a lot of my paintings showing throughout her office complex at Clermont Senior Services.

A lot of my paintings have been donated to WCET's Action Auction. I don't know who collects them, but they do sell. I do know that Charlie Vaughn, former director, bought one called Purple.

*Note: The bell-bottom denim jumpsuit was a favorite. I bought it in New York city when I went with my Cincinnati Art Academy buddies. It was a wonderful trip, but I got very sick and needed to come home.

Here is a copy of the painting from a slide of "Purple" Acrylic, 22"x 30". Signature was cut out by the scanner. I just learned how to scan and print out a slide on my HP Photosmart C8180 All-in One.




PURPLE