Yellow Springs Arts Council “Isolation Exhibit” is online

 

Walk Together through the Woods

  This is the piece I created when the call came out to create a piece in response to the current isolation caused by Covid restrictions, etc. by the Yellow Springs Arts Council for a virtual show. “Isolation Exhibit”.  Last night was the virtual reception by Zoom and it was a good experience. Holly Underwood hosted (with help from Tim and another Holly with technical aspects and questions).  I created this piece after yet another hike and coming out of the woods to a beautiful sunset.  

  If you look closely, you’ll see the family walking together through a tangled woods.  When I made this, the US was still embroiled in a divisive argument about vote legitimacy that tore families and friends apart and resulted in a riot at the Capitol building that caused even more torment. We are still reeling from dealing with Covid and the loss of friends to it, etc. 

  I spoke of how nature inspires my art-making, that I’m making more art than ever, painting every day. I’m exploring digital watercolor/drawing...mostly as a tool for drawing up designs for potential paintings. However, this piece says all that it needs to say as is, in it’s digital form. I printed it and the colors are accurate. I have it framed and ready to hang. $55.  I will put it at Village Artisans Gallery where I am a member..it is open and is across the street from YS Arts Council!  

Thanks for reading and I hope that you go to the Virtual show. https://www.ysartscouncil.org/gallery/

Painting Keeps me Happy!

This time of social distancing has been a true challenge for artists...we create because it is in our blood, something we must do to stay sane and happy but...we also hope to sell a painting occasionally to somehow justify the enormous amount of time and energy we devote to our craft.  I have numerous other responsibilities and jobs, of course.  

The Airbnbs that I run bring in somewhat steady money and require attention.  But - I’ve made time every day to paint, to read about painting, to listen to podcasts about art, even to attend an online painting session with an artist whose work I admire - Vladislav Yeliseyev...so fun.  

I am truly happy to have sold 2 pieced during COVID-19 and a huge batch of custom greeting cards.  I’ve had a friend ask to take watercolor lessons - we’ll figure out how to do that if it ever stops raining and we can do it outside!  I’ve been asked to donate a piece of art to the Yellow Springs Community Foundation - a wonderful organization that organizes many funds that help people, etc here in our town.  I’m happy to give a painting to them...

Please, world,  don’t ask me to donate all the time....sometimes, I feel like the ‘Crane Maiden’, a children’s story about a crane that gives back to the farmer who rescued her from a trap by turning into a woman, then pulling the feathers from her back to weave into cloth..for him to sell : ).

 

‘Primrose’ Watercolor - 24x18 $750 
This painting is in a show ‘Art to Uplift’ at the Winds Cafe thru 9/6/20

Birdies Dining - SOLD, watercolor

‘Island Vibe’  Watercolor  16x12 (20x16 framed) $350

Watercolor Sketch Class Sept. 18

Come join me for a mini workshop next month at the Hertzler House in Springfield, OH!

En Plein Aire Workshop,     Tuesday, September 18, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Hertzler House Museum Advisory Committee Programs

Hertzler House Teacher Libby Rudolf will lead ‘en plein aire’ watercolor workshop at the Hertzler House. Artists should bring their own paints and brushes and a sturdy back board.  Arches paper and ink pens will be provided. ($15 per person) Registration limited to 15.

Watercolor Sketches Plein-Air (outside, if the weather permits).  I’ll teach how to pick a subject for your WC sketch, compose your design and use ink and watercolor to make a lovely painting.  We’ll have the chairs, etc for you to pick your chosen spot, WC paper and ink pens. You bring anything you need to be comfortable outside (hat, sunscreen, water bottle), your paints and a few brushes and a board to paint on (clip board size). I like to use a small and a larger round brush as well as a flat brush.  I’ll bring some extra brushes for people to borrow.  I’ll also bring along some sample watercolor sketches.  Come join us and have fun painting in this beautiful historic setting!

In 1800, ladies were expected to be proficient in a variety of fine arts. The Hertzler House Museum Committee is sponsoring two such crafts for area ladies. (Embroidery class 9/11 w/Sue Rudolf)

If interested in either class, please register and pay in advance by September 1 with Barbara Arnold at 937-864-1046 or bsadragon@sbcglobal.net. Write checks to the Hertzler House at 162 Green Vista Drive, Enon, OH 45323.  Here’s the website from Clark County. http://www.clarkcountyparks.org/upcoming-events/.  

‘Antique Bed’ Watercolor and Ink - Libby Rudolf

New Exhibit at the Senior Center - A FAMILY AFFAIR

'Yuba River'  Watercolor  16x20  $450

  Here is one of my watercolors that will be on display at the YS Senior Center on Main St from early March through the end of April.  There will be a reception on Friday, March 16....4-7, I think.  Should be fun!

  I'm putting together the exhibit with paintings, stained glass, woodwork, embroideries, handmade books and mixed media sculptures from my work and my family.  I'll have one of Dan's computer board designs.  I'll also have one of my Mom's beautiful handknit fisherman sweaters along with Sue's cool designs using dyed fabric, embroidery and various elements, Eric's wooden creations, Melanie's and Lilli's paintings and sculpture creations, etc.  It will be fun figuring out how to best display such a variety of artworks. oh dear... : ).


   I'll also have a hand-made book, Sunshine for Lunch that I did with MLS Elementary teacher Ellen Guest in 2013.  She helped the children raise vegetables and learn about how plants make energy and how that energy goes into us when we eat the soup we make from the veggies!  I did collage with the children for the pages of the book.  Then I took it home and assembled it into the a large book that will be at the Senior Center.  It was a wonderful project that I am so happy have in the show.

I hope that you can come visit the show and celebrate the creativity that runs through our lives, that keep us ticking, so to speak.


Keep Creating!    Artistically yours,  Libby

Ohio Plein Air Show and W. OH Watercolor shows

    I'm so delighted to have a painting chosen to be in the Ohio Plein Air Exhibit at the Columbus Art Museum!  The show '2017 Best of OPAS' will be on exhibit March 3 until June 18, 2017.  Next up - submit art to Western Ohio Watercolor by 'Tomorrow'!!!

    This juried event will celebrate the plein air tradition by exhibiting and promoting an exclusive group of works painted outdoors in the true spirit of plein air painting. Our juror will select the finest plein air works from members of the Ohio Plein Air Society. We will celebrate at an opening on Thursday March 2, 6:00 –8:00 PM.   

   I'll be picking up my a painting from the Springfield Art Museum that has been in the OPAS 2016 show for about 3 months....very cool.   The painting on exhibit is the one on the right below....it wasn't quite finished when I took the photo.  I painted it in Vermont.

painting with friends and pup in Springfield

paintings - on the rocks - of stream, etc....

New Show at Wheat Penny in Dayton - Dec 18

Yellow Springs Coloring Page

Here's a coloring page for you of the town we live in - color it bright and happy for the season!

    I'm about to hang a show at Wheat Penny Restaurant on Wayne Ave.  They're open M-Sat for scrumptious pizza and a variety of creative tasty fare.  I love to hang my work in restaurants because it is such a good pairing - food and fine art - the restaurant gets new artwork regularly and artists have the opportunity to have their work out in new spaces.  We went to assess the space last night and I'll be bringing in some of my brightest pieces - they have lively colors on the walls.  
 
   I need to express my deep gratitude to each of you and the greater community for purchasing my artwork throughout this year.  This has been my busiest year - 5 shows - plus maintaining my exhibit at Village Artisans Gallery!  I loved opening my home for the Open Studio Tour.  I take part in a few painting groups as time allows and help gather local artist friends in a once-a-month group Monday Morning Artists - it helps to keep us creating.  Thanks to YS Arts Council for supporting artists!

  I also had the opportunity to study in workshops in WC and Oil via the Western Ohio Watercolor Society and the Ohio Plein Air Society.  I've got work in the show at the Springfield Art Museum OPAS show.  I hope to have work accepted into the WOWs exhibit in January.

   happy holidays -  Merry Christmas!

Art show at the Winds Cafe - Thoughts onTeaching

May and June, I will host a show at the Winds Cafe in Yellow Springs for the months of May and June with friend and artist Pam Geisel.  We're working on a title...Color and Light - Brush and Needle.  Pam creates art quilts and I mainly work in watercolor.  I am musing, dreaming up my next paintings to include, exploring themes....

    I've been painting my whole life but concentrating on it for about 15 years.  Yesterday, I taught a private lesson and thoroughly enjoyed working with an artist to help her realize her vision.  So often, watercolor is difficult for artists because they fear to make a mistake.  They often use tiny amounts of paint and great quantities of water.
 
   There are certain skills that will help along the path to a successful painting such as wet-into-wet painting but paying attention to the timing and wetness of the paper....  If you don't have sufficient pigment on your brush, the color will simply disappear as it dries.  Of course you can continue to glaze or add layers.  I think I helped her paint more freely and wield the brush more assertively.

   I truly love to help inspire confidence, freeing people from inhibition of the creative process.  Here is a photo from a mini-workshop I taught last winter - helping people go wild w/color!  Joy  Joy Joy

Dayton City Paper - 'There's something in the Watercolor'

Dayton City Paper's writer Lisa Bennet wrote up a splendid article on me and my life/work.
I hope it inspires you to stop by the Y S Brewery or Village Artisans in Yellow Springs to see my work.

Golden Harvest (Honey Biz II)

Click here to see the article...   Dayton City Paper article

Tecumseh Land Trust 25/25 Exhibit at the Winds Cafe July thru August

July 12th, 25/25 Art Exhibition, Opening at the Winds Cafe,                                                       4:00 - 6:00 p.m. with a reading at 5pm by Bill Felker, nature writer (Poor Wills Almanac)

Please join us for the opening of TLT's exciting 25/25 Art Exhibition at the Winds, featuring some of Ohio's best landscape artists.  Help us celebrate TLT's 25th anniversary and the preservation of 25,000 acres of farmland, forests, meadows and river corridors!!  Much of this gorgeous art work was created on preserved properties.  The art will be for sale, with proceeds shared by the artists and TLT.  

It will be a glorious show!   please come visit - - - - 

From TLT site -  Founded in 1990 by citizens in Yellow Springs and Miami township, Tecumseh Land Trust is a nonprofit conservation organization serving Greene and Clark Counties of Ohio and surrounding areas. The purpose of Tecumseh Land Trust is to preserve agricultural land, natural areas, water resources, and historic sites, in voluntary cooperation with landowners, and to educate the public about permanent land preservation. We assist landowners in navigating state and federal easement programs, as well as, accept donated easements on farmland and natural areas.  When current Projects are complete, we will have preserved over 24,000 acres in our working area.

'Seneca Lake'  watercolor 16x20  $450

Here's what I'll put in the Reflections Show at YS Arts Council July 17-August 16.  This hung in the Western Ohio WC Society exhibit in Troy in 2014.  See monmornartist.blogspot.com for more information.

Next week - coming up - a mini-workshop on Painting flowers in WC at the YS Senior Center at 2:45pm, Friday, June 5.  I will bring supplies but feel free to bring your own brushes if desired.  Donations gladly accepted to help offset my costs....

oh - just took work down to the Would You, Could You gallery for their Miniature Show...opening Friday, June 19 during the YS Art Stroll...

ok - one more thing - I'm reading the newest Artist Magazine and love the illustrations of Lucile Prache of recipes.....

http://www.lucileprache.com/recipe-illustrations-4/ 

Upcoming events and classes with...me!

I'll be teaching a few classes soon..the first is an exploration of watercolor techniques and materials at the YSArts Council - May 17, 2-5p for $20 Contact YSAC ysartcouncil.org.
   I'll also teach my second class at YS senior Center...this time on "Flowers in WC" on a donation basis...bring your supplies to paint with me..I'll bring paper.
  In June, I'm helping put up a display for Monday Morning Artist group at the YS Library.
  In July MMA will host a group show  of "Reflections" with an opening 7/17, 6-9p at YSAC. I'll teach a class Sat., 7/18, 2-3p "Watercolor Tricks" for $12 pp.  Many others in the group will teach classes too! Yuki Hall, Sandy Kinnamon, Mary Cargan...even a kid-class with Clara Rose...: )

 Happy Spring...

Energy Medicine book Opening - this Sunday!

I worked with a lovely lady here in Yellow Springs to illustrate her book "Keep Movin' Your Energy for Body, Mind and Spirit" this past year about energy medicine.  It is published (!) and Pat is holding an Open House this Sunday, Oct. 19 at her home.  She says it will be a meet/greet/dance/drum/fun event.  If you'd like to join the fun, give me a call and I'll give you more info...

I CAN NOT WAIT to see the book!  Jane Baker, layout lady extrordinaire organized and produced the book.  Many locals are included in photos and 'how-tos'.

Here's the illustration that I did for the front cover.....
xox,
Libby

Heaven and Earth - 20x26

Here is a painting inspired by my sister-in-law Vanessa, who must be in Heaven, I am certain.  I did a pour with watercolors, then saw an angel shape in the middle area which I enhanced with collaged papers, tissues, flower petals and mica-stone flakes.   It is a bit different from anything I have ever created.  I guess you would call it a mixed-media piece.  

hope you like it...

Carpe Diem               Libby

Every year, I make up a Christmas card for my parents, gathering photos of all the family and endeavoring to put in something that speaks of our family customs for the season.  This year, I'll make a border of the wonderful little Mexican painted and decorated ornaments that Mom and Dad received from Gr. and Gr. Loomis in 1962-3.  That year, Mom was pregnant with my sister and couldn't make the trek down to Wash DC.  So....Gr brought Christmas to Michigan - a tin tree all decked out...and several ornaments that still decorate Mom's table each season.  

We have had a very difficult year - have lost loved ones, but yet - we rejoice and are thankful for the happy years we shared with them....

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

'Honey Biz' with border

UPDATE!  This painting won an 'Honorable Mention' award in the Western Ohio Watercolor Society show at the Springfield Museum of Art!  Wonderful!!!


Today is gloriously sunny here but still frosty - can I bear to take my paints outside long enough to do a watercolor?  I'd love to capture the misty sun on the fall trees...

Here you see 'Honey Biz' which sold recently in the Artist Studio Tour.  I think the colors might be popped a bit in this image.  I guess I'll have to do another version of the piece if I'd like to hang one in my home.  It is such a sweet agony to sell a piece that has captured my heart.  

I hope you get outside today to enjoy the fall in all it's glories before the gray skies encroach upon us... : )

Collaging and Collecting..

I have begun collage painting anew since I signed up to lead a book project at the local elementary.. The book will be all about the way we get energy from the foods we grow in a garden, etc  - should be fun. I need to figure out how to get 19 first graders to do components of each page together - it'll work out.

"the world came to Haiti's side to help"
collage by Libby Rudolf

   Here's a piece I created for the YS Arts Council show 'Art For Change'. In 2011, when Haiti was struck by an earthquake , I held a tie-dye sock making to raise funds...aeveral local shops sold our socks and we raised about $400. Maybe you can see the tiny spirits..surrounding the island with loving care. Look closely. The piece will be on exhibit at YS Arts Council with opening gala on 2/15.

   Here too is a photo of fabrics my generous friend Yuki brought to give away during our ourgathering..Monday Morning Artists. I immediately called my quilting friends...who rushed in to collect!  Pam Geisel was already planning to come.  Yuki hand dyed these cottons and also offered art quilting books.  She will bring more to the Fairborn Art Association meeting tomorrow...looking forward to it!

Painting and looking forward to YS Artist Studio Tour!

Here's a painting I did as an exercise for the class I taught at the YS Arts Council -

I'm looking forward to the Yellow Springs Artist Studio Tour - October 20 and 21!   Take a look at the website that Pam made - excellent as always.  Hmmm - maybe I should have a website? 

For now - I'll stick to these updates and spend my time with brush in hand instead of mouse. Now, I'm painting every day! Love it...

Rainbowpillars by Libby

Here is a wee illustration I made for fun years ago - hope it cheers your day.  I like to play on the computer at times, between paintings, using a stylus and wacom pad.  It is so easy to create, erase and recreate!  Sometimes, I look up and the hours have flown by without me 'accomplishing' much.  I should be doing marketing, painting, managing the house/garden/kids, etc...but I so enjoy making art.

I truly enjoyed teaching a workshop recently at the new Yellow Springs Arts Coucil space.  I had 12 participants and am leaning towards teaching again in the fall, after the kids are settled back in school.  I need to get to work on the plan now however, to secure space and get the word out.  I need to find a picture from the workshop to post. 
ttfn   Libby

'Exuberance' Show - paintings, quilts, workshops and more...

The show is doing well.  It will be up through Saturday, July 14.  I teach a workshop from 2-3p this coming saturday, June 23, from 2-3p on 'Watercolor Sketches'.  We'll have fun!

I checked out one of the members' blog and saw this bit of news....How awesome that Pam has quilts spread far and wide - in 6 shows?! 

  Two of them are in the Exuberance Show at the YS Arts Council space with our group, the Monday Morning Artists.  See Pam's stuff at For Quilts Sake. 

Here is a picture of the group - Y.S. Woodwind Quintet - that played at our opening. They performed beautiful music, despite the weather being in the mid-90s.