Art Camp registration is Open!

As I sit and type, I have three little kids playing (and getting along!!) around me, and about 15 multicoloured hair bows placed meticulously all around my head. Fifteen. What a life, haha!

I'm sure there are a lot of weird "working-from-home" stories, maybe you have one to share too :) Since I'm on this tangent, I may as well commit and show you this video from 2012:

Needless to say, this girl has been waiting to be old enough for Art Camp for a loooong time. She has been messing around with paint almost as long as she's been alive. This is her "I can't wait for Art Camp!!" smile :)

For all the rest of you eager artists, young and old, join me for a week this summer in Aldershot. I love teaching all the six year olds ;) but I also love the older classes and every age in between! You can find details and registration here: www.artandmusicstudio.com/artcamp

I have some solid updating and art-showing-off to do on this blog....that will have to come another time.

Until then!

LS

A year in 30cm of screen

Wowzers! It has been well over a year since I last wrote a blog post! Here's a very quick visual tour of what's been happening in the creative side of life.

Art Camp last summer... was only two weeks but it was jam packed with students. I returned to the smaller class size, which is much better for all of us :)

We had one adventure in plein air painting/drawing at La Salle Park, which resulted in a very soggy ride back to the studio---should've known by the clouds we were studying that a downpour was looming!

Check out the details and register for lessons with me this summer here.

(Psst....I really would like a high school class this time around as much as I love teaching the younger ones!...)

Plein Air study of Myrtle Beach, SC
Acrylic on Canvas, 8x10"  $195
(prints available $35 each)
© Lisa Smouter 2014 

After Art Camp last summer we headed down to South Carolina for a holiday. I was feeling creative and worked on this little plein air study of the view from our condo's balcony.

I also had ideas ruminating, left over from last winter's drawing on the theme of old/new creation. I snapped some pictures of my kids playing in the sand as reference for the painting below.

It took a few months (and a commission in between!), but this painting called "Child of the King" finally emerged.

"Child of the King"
Acrylic and Liquitex on Canvas, 14x18"
Please contact for pricing details. Prints not available.
© Lisa Smouter 2015

I hope to get some more painting done this spring/summer/fall....Would be nice to beat my "a painting a year" record, but slow is how I go for now :)

Thanks for reading!

LS

Spring Sketches

"Wuff! Wuff" ... my 1 year old little girl was very excited about this drawing.

Chalk pastel is an easy thing to work with when kids are around. I am a GOOD sharer. Just don't touch my drawing--or you will see my authoritative side...

Tucker (Portrait of a Boxer Dog), chalk pastel on mat board.
Approx. 9 x 12"
Copyright 2013 Lisa Smouter

To gear up for summer, kids and teens are welcome to visit the studio for a few hours of drawing or painting. It's another Studio Day, which has been a long time coming! We'll get creative with a box of TimBits...or rather, with our hearts, minds and art supplies. The TimBits can just be some good old-fashioned fuel.... :)

Please spread the word to friends or family who may be interested!

Email me for details, or to sign up.

And of course, I'm still accepting registrations for summer Art Camp! You can visit www.artandmusicstudio.com/artcamp for information or to register.

I'll be teaching at the Aldershot studio in July (2 weeks), and at Cornerstone CanRC church in Hamilton in August (1 week).

Lastly, some of you know I've recently committed to a new gallery on James St. N. The space is currently being renovated, and we hope to open in June. This means I'll be concentrating more on creating original work for sale.

This past week has driven me to my sketchbook out of need to creatively "vent" -- so perhaps something beautiful will come of it. The heart-breaking story of Tim Bosma has gripped so many of us for a week--metaphors for this injustice and pain have been piling up in my sketchbook....

Until next time...

Lisa

For and by the kids

A while ago I started singing this little poem I made up:

I'm a Mom by day,
A Painter by night,
My hubby does the dishes,
And the family's alright.

Then we got a dishwasher. 

Painting time is in short supply here, especially since my latest project is a very large acrylic--and the paint dries by the time I'm done changing a diaper :)

So here's a little chalk drawing I did last week in between daily tasks.....

Little Baby Curls (Josie Amanda)
Chalk Drawing on Stonehenge, approx 4 x 6"

I'm thinking of doing a gallery style wall in my girls' room, along with this beautifully mysterious painting done by my daughter Anne: 

Eclipse, by Anne Smouter
Acrylic paint and Crayon on Canvas board, 9 x 12"

....This has me dreaming about the summertime, and Art Camp!!....hmmm....

Till next time!

times, they are a changin'

I realize this is not a forum for bragging about my kids, but...

Many former students have been asking about Art Camp for this year, and I'm hoping that if I post a photo of my little girls, you will better understand why I'm choosing not to do Art Camp this summer.

This summer I'll be happily embracing my role as a full-time mom and giving the studio a break. I will miss Art Camp as much as the rest of you, and it already feels strange not having a head full of planning and preparation for the summer. Please, take advantage of your time this summer and make lots of art! Keep in touch--I'd love to know what you're working on.

Slideshow from Art Camp 2011

Hello all!   Please enjoy this slideshow of images from the studio this summer! I know I've missed a number of you.... (some things were inadvertently erased from my ipod :( ) I would love to share everyone's work, so if you would like to include yours just let me know! 

The music on this video is by Brooke Fraser, a musician I love. Check out her stuff on itunes.

Comments and compliments for and by students are welcome!

Cheers,

Lisa