Staying Organized with a Downloadable ArtPlanner Page!
I keep a studio planner.
Some days are literally just "PAINT" in all caps with two squiggly arrows running up and down lengthwise to denote time. Other days are scheduled out down to the half hour with meetings, reminders, notes about orders and shows. For both sorts of days I use the same basic layout; a full page broken up into sections and times where I can rank the most important tasks for the day.
The last time I posted I my studio planner on instagram I received an influx of questions regarding how I set up the page, my ranking system, etc. So this time - I thought I would turn my basic art planner page into a pdf - you can download it and try out the layout and see if it helps organize your studio practice.
If you try it out, tag me with #artplannerpage - I'd love to see how you use it!
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