Coming this Fall – our new book, Creative Surge: Three Winters with Tom Thomson. Let us share this journey with our new book! Send us an email and we will keep you up-to-date with insights, pre-launch specials and anecdotes along the way!: david@davidkearn.com 

Cross Training

Whilst researching our upcoming book it struck me that even Tom Thomson had been creating images for some duration before committing to painting full time: drawing, watercolour, commercial design. He was known for his penmanship and these all acted as a precursor. Art is rarely linear and all types of image-making practice can feed into new work. Practicing in different mediums, styles and contexts in many ways actually works to enable creativity to roam, unconstrained by the notion that something might not work out. It’s the same idea as for cross-training: each activity works in concert with others to yield outstanding results.

 

FALL TERM REGISTRATION IS OPEN

We’re looking forward to a full program of courses and workshops with the Ottawa School of Art: downtown, in Orleans and on-line!

Details along with direct links to OSA registration pages are on our website: https://www.davidkearn.com/workshops/

 

Plein-air Groups in the Region

We had a great time with our Wakefield plein-air sessions in July…which included some dramatic weather! We wanted to let everybody know about some great, active plein-air groups in the region:

Facebook: Ottawa Plein Air Painters (OPAP), 281 members

Facebook: Plein Air Ottawa-Gatineau area, 119 members

Meetup: Ottawa Plein Air Painting Group, 119 members

Let us know should you know of any other groups and plein-air events and we’ll be sure to circulate the info!

 

Annual OSA Instructors Exhibitions

David is looking forward to participating in the annual instructors exhibitions, both downtown and in Orleans. The dates for your calendar are:

ByWard campus: September 5 to October 6.  A vernissage will be held on Thursday September 5 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Orléans campus: September 4 to October 20. A vernissage will be held on Sunday September 8 during the OSA Orléans campus’ “Open House” event.

 

My sort of gaming – Painting Montreal!

We  had to smile (as “ex-Montrealers”) when we saw this: https://www.theguardian.com/games/article/2024/jul/18/ete-a-game-about-painting-montreal?

 

More on Green

Mira recently asked David  “While I do remember you use Hansa Yellow to make your yellow-blues, would you kindly remind me which blues you use for Pines (dark and light) as well as what for grasses”. With forest pines I typically use Ultramarine blue and for grass Cerulean. Most sunlit areas need white of course and many dark areas a touch of brown mixed in (to de-green the mix). I often have some brown earth in my grassy areas. These combinations may not work for all – I simply want areas to look different and distinct – whilst keeping my palette simple!

Break-a-Brush!

David & France