Monday Morning Critique Group Meeting

The Monday morning group met at the Brunswick library this month. We had an excellent conversation about our art projects. We discussed everything from color temperatures, depth of field and all the other usual  considerations we have in a work of art. One person in our group, Dave, is very good at showing that cropping often helps and sometimes even creates two works of art. We always see different points of view and perhaps something that hadn't even come to mind when we had looked at our own work for so long.

Photograph by Bill

Pastel by Helen

Oil painting by Dave, plein air at Wolf Creek

Pastel by Lee   This is a close up of a very wonderful small painting.

Pastel by Lee   this is a close up of a very small painting. Small paintings can be very charming.

Photograph: Original size

Dave talks about possible cropping and more than one photograph.

Pastel by Helen

Colored Pencil by Donna

The beauty of all the greens

Lee talking about her pastel before the critique

Plein air pastel by Lee

Colored pencil of red coon hound puppy by Valorie

 

Colored pencil by Donna

Oil plein air painting by Dave

Thursday Evening Critique Group Meeting

Acrylic "abscape". Started out as an abstract.

 Thursday night's critique group was very interesting and fun. We had a very good time and had lots to contribute to each others art work. People brought in one or two pieces and one person was new and didn't bring anything in. I bring this up because this is perfectly fine. We still all had lots to say and it's a good way to get use to the group and see what it is all about.
We are a friendly and non threatening group. The point of our two groups ( Monday and Thursday) is to say what each person thinks is good about the art and to contribute what that individual thinks might be constructive information that could improve that piece. It's then up to the artist to use that information or not. The most important part of the information is to not take it personally or to be defensive about it. It is a good learning experience both to hear this and to examine others work and be able to talk about art in this way.

Kelly's Cafe, discussion while looking at art.

Oil painting, plein air

Studying art before making comments.

Acrylic

Some things need a closer look.

Photograph

Photograph with textures printed on canvas

Acrylic pure abstract

Watercolor on gessoed water color paper

Acrylic

Photograph with slight sepia

Thursday, 6/7/12 Evening Critique Group

Pastel Still Life by Mario

Watercolor of statue by Teenia  Geig (camera shy)

Acrylic still life rendering by Neil

Colored pencil by Liz

Medina photograph by Bill

Necklace by Barb (camera shy)

Colored pencil by Liz

Abstract acrylic  rendering by Neil

We had a wide variety of styles and media represented this evening.  It is so scary to present your art to a group, especially in public, and especially if you are a relatively new artist.   Of course, it is also difficult to critique..   I applaud everyone who participates in these critiques for being willing to risk.  We're all learning.

A good way to start the day! Critique Group

Photo of scene from Vincenza, Italy (Bill Beuther)

Getting in close to view Mary Ann Peto's watercolor

Seeing double!  Two different takes on a California coastline (Donna Crane)

Acrylic abstract on its side - folks decided they liked it best viewed this way (Lee Beuther)

Old house on Rt. 18, watercolor by Mary Ann

Acrylic landscape by Valorie Snell

Valorie showing photo she worked from.  Unanimous:  a better painting than photo!

Pastel landscape, North Park in Brunswick (Lee)

Black and White photo of Spring Grove Cemetery (Bill)

Colored-pencil portrait (Val)

We had an energetic group at this month's Morning Critique.  Some lovely artwork and insightful comments to help us all grow as artists.