EH Sherman Art at the Ann Arbor Art Center
I’m honored and excited to announce that a collection of my new work is up over at the Ann Arbor Art Center!
The paintings are part of a series exploring mark-making and motion. Informed by color studies made from local, natural forms and given movement by sketches of bones, flower contours, striations and patterns found in rocks.
Acrylic / pastel / graphite / watercolor on paper and canvas.
All work is for sale, check with the gallery to see what is still available!
Art Show: Ann Arbor Art Center's Straight Up Summer Fling at Ann Arbor Distilling Co!
Last week I had the immense pleasure of being featured in the Ann Arbor Art Center's Summer Fling series. Part 1 of a three part show, this event was held at Ann Arbor Distilling Company and encompassed a look into a new collection of work, painting stations for show-goers to try out a few of my techniques, a live dj, and of course - the Distilling Company's signature cocktails and drinks.
The entrance to the tasting room.
Earthbones Series; I and II sold
Garden Study - hanging at the distillery
A few of the work experiments drying!
Taproom display!
It was a wonderful evening filled with old and new friends, some paint stained clothes and hours of fantastic conversations. I can't thank everyone enough who came out, feeling the love and support from all of you has kept me on cloud 9 ever since. Also huge thanks to everyone who followed along via instagram from afar!
If you are interested in a piece from the show, get in touch here! This body of work headed to another destination, but I can put you in touch with the gallery <3
Also - no worries if you missed my show, there are still TWO MORE events in the summer fling series! Make sure to check them out, I'll definitely be there!
Straight Up Summer Fling
July 19th at Hyperion Coffee: OLIVIA GUTERSON
August 23rd at Leon Speakers: JEREMY WHEELER
Much love!
Contour Sketches at the Arborteum
The Nichols Arboretum is one of my favorite spots here in Ann Arbor. Aside from being a beautiful outdoor space to walk, run and paddle - it's also one of my favorite spots to sit and sketch.
The first week of June is the best for viewing the Peony garden in bloom, so I headed over there for an afternoon of flower-watching and flower-inspired drawing.
I started with a few blind contour sketches, letting my pencil follow the curves and ridges of the blooms without looking down at the page.
By playing with placement and variances of petals/leaves/negative spaces I draw a sort of "map" of the way I see the flower. Sometimes the resulting compositions are interesting and worth exploring further, so I transfer those to a canvas or a larger sheet of paper. And of course, sometimes they are just a mess of lines that don't seem to tell a story or impart any truth of the plant and those just stay in the sketchbook.
(I used these Derwent pencils from Amazon for the contour sketches - I really enjoy the freedom to create lines AND washes from the same tool, less to carry with me and easier to quickly get sketches down on the paper.)
What about you? Have any favorite places to sketch outside?
Fieldtrip: Fredrick Meijer Gardens
The Fredrick Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids Michigan is a sight.
I was on a solo trip to Grand Rapids Michigan that weekend (about 2 hours away from Ann Arbor) so on the way back I thought I'd swing by the gardens for a little sightseeing and sketching.
SO. MUCH. has changed since the last time I was here (late 90s) and being a working artist now, I experienced what did remember in a totally different way.
Walking around the grounds is like an artifact hunt. While some of the sculptures are easy to spot from the highway, some are tucked deep within the foliage and it almost feels like some secret to stumble upon. It is a DELIGHT.
After walking around for a few hours I decided to find a quiet spot to do a little sketching. While it was very crowded that day, there are so many little paved alcoves leading to more sculptures I was able to find a bench to myself without much trouble.
I chose Ai Weiwei's Irontree (2013) as my subject and began with a few gestural contour drawings in my sketchbook. I was initially drawn to the treatment of the bark, to the rough texture in the surface and the lines that ran across each branch section, but as I worked I found myself more interested in the way the branches joined together and the shadows created.
After the sketch I was dry, I headed back into the park for more exploration, then to the cafe for a quick lunch.
AND THERE WAS A PLANT WALL.
On leaving I was greeted by a sight from one of my personal favorite artists, Michele Oka Doner; Beneath the Leafy Crown (2009)
She also created the floor in the Miami airport - which I have spent YEARS admiring.
Icing on a very beautiful cake.
If you find yourself in the area DEFINITELY make a trip over, there's so much to see and so many beautiful paths to walk (not to mention an entire Japanese garden and greenhouse!) and there's more planned for the coming years too.
<3
My Brush Story
If you follow me on instagram you know how long this first segment has been in the works. Originally I assumed I would get a few neat stories and maybe a picture or two in response to my post (see here) - but I was blown away by the multitude of thoughtful, heartfelt stories - and I’m still receiving them! I couldn’t simply do one small post and capture the depth, breadth and journey of paintbrush experiences.
So I’m introducing the first of a monthly series: My Brush Stories. Each month I’ll pull a few stories from the collection I’ve been assembling and share them on my blog here, my instagram and other media (still in the works, more information soon!).
So without further ado, here is the first of what I hope will be an exploration into other artist’s practices, their work and how it’s made - starting with our favorite tools.
(To submit yours, head over to the My Brush Story page!)
Katrin Bauck | @katrinbauck
At first glance, there's nothing special about my favorite brush - it's a usual bristle brush, natural wooden handle (light brown), which I think I have bought for my son's school equipment years ago.
When I started painting in 2016 I tried out every brush I could find in our house so also this one went into my toolbox. :-) Immediately I fell in love with the shape and softness of the handle, the broadness of the bristles and their wildness.
In summer 2017 I took a small selection of brushes with me to our family vacation trip to the Baltic Sea, including that brush. After days of lovely laziness, long walks at the beach, collecting shells and stones and taking countless pictures, one afternoon back “home” at the lovely Danish cottage I took out my brushes and was stunned by their beauty, especially by this one’s paint splattered handle.
Inspired, I googled for a lovely quote on brushes and found this one, which is still one of my favorites, by Henry Ward Beecher:
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
I wrote it into my sketchbook and took two pictures, one with the quote and the brush and one just a close-up of the handle (see both attached). And somehow then, in the soft afternoon light in the Danish cottage, I connected that lovely slow summer feeling and that quote with this brush and whenever I hold it now, it inspires me to slow down, to watch for the beauty and when I paint, to dip my brushes in my soul. :-)
Katrin Bauck
Katrin Bauck
Julia Cusworth | @juliacusworth
I have had this thick, flat brush for about 5 years. Once I decided to start pursuing art in my spare time, I delved back into my old supplies from college and university but found myself lacking in the brush department. I ordered a pack of iconic yellow Daler Rowleys and although I love them all, this is my favourite. It creates the most beautiful thick, fat strokes; stripes, swirls and ink splatters. It is bold and obvious - much like my art. It is the brush I reach for first and the one I know I could never replace. It helps guide my work when I don't know where to go next and it understands me. Not breaking or giving up when I don't always wash out the ink or glue but instead developing it's own unique texture, making it even more personal to me.
Julia Cusworth
Julia Cusworth
Sabrina Cottrill | @sabrina.cottrill.art
My brushes are definitely not fancy or expensive and yet I realized a large chunk of my brushes have been with me a really long time. To some of the first ones I purchased back in high school for my first painting class. (Hello early 2000s) To then my college art days picking some up here and there when I could afford. Eyeing up the clearance ones working part time at an art store. They've moved from home to home and I got used to being a new mom and have finally found their way up from the basement and into my studio.
Sabrina Cottrill
There is just something so magical about seeing into other artist's creative worlds.
Thanks to everyone for sharing the stories thus far, I am so looking forward to sharing more next month in Volume 2.
Have a favorite brush you want to share? Tell me about it in the comments, use the hashtag over on instagram or head over to the page and submit there . Can't wait to read them!
<3