Contemporary Botanical Art Presentation

Rosa Rugosa by Inga Legere

An Intimate Journey Through Nature

Saturday, April 2, 2016, at 1:30 p.m.

Kanata Beaverbrook Library

Come and experience the natural world as seen through the eyes of the artist. Contemporary botanical artists will share their love of nature through realistic portrayals of local and exotic flora through the use of traditional and modern media. An informal presentation by OSBA members who will share their artwork and artists’ journey.

Visit https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/node/20865 for directions to the Kanata Beaverbrook Library.

Mid-Winter Presentation -- Derwent Inktense

By Carla Burns

Pink Lilies in Inktense by Jan Salmon

We welcomed the beginning of February with a Derwent Inktense presentation and demonstration by OSBA member Jan Salmon.  For many participants, it was an introduction to this relatively new, vibrant media.  Jan began the presentation by discussing the properties of Inktense, basic techniques and versatility of use.  Inktense can easily be used in conjunction with other water-based products as well as regular coloured pencils.  As part of the demo, we were given the opportunity to try our hand at painting colourful leaves.  Many members commented that these pencils would make a great addition to their portable art kit for nature journaling and travelling.  On display were some of Jan’s beautiful paintings which demonstrated how effectively Inktense can achieve vibrant colours for botanical subjects.  Thank you Jan!

OSBA Members working on leaf demo with Inktense pencils

Maple Leaf in Inktense by Inga 

Lilies in Inktense by Jan Salmon

Art Exhibition - January 24, 2016

Botanical Art  - Plant Portraits

An exhibition of drawings and watercolours

Nepean Visual Arts Centre

January 14 to March 6, 2016

The plant kingdom is the muse: from seedpods
to sedges, fall leaves to flowers …

This exhibition celebrates the accomplishments, artistry and talents of Nepean Visual Art Centre’s botanical art students.  Mentored by instructor, Kerri Weller, students master the materials and techniques essential to creating realistic drawings and paintings of their botanical subjects.

Please join us to view the art, meet the artists and for refreshments!

Vernissage

Sunday, January 24, 1:00 to 3:30 pm

Nepean Visual Arts Centre is located in the Nepean Sportsplex
1701 Woodroffe Avenue at Hunt Club, Entrance 3, rear parking lot

NVAC hours are Monday to Friday: 8:30 am to 9:30 pm, 

Saturday & Sunday: 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

For further info, please call the front desk at 613 580-2424 ext. 46652

OSBA General Meeting

Hello members of OSBA. This is to notify you that our Annual General Meeting is coming up fast! It will be held this coming Monday, November 9th, at the Nepean Visual Arts Centre, located at the Nepean Sportsplex. The address is 1701 Woodroffe Avenue.  The NVAC is located at the back at entrance 3. 

For this meeting only it will be held in the room next to our usual meeting room

Meeting time is from 1:00 to approximately 4:00 pm.

Coffee, tea and treats will be served prior to the official start to the meeting, and there will be time to socialize. As usual we hope some members will bring along some delicious goodies.

MEMBERSHIP FEES ARE DUE. Cash or cheque will be accepted by Treasurer Sue Quinn

We will be having a sale and swap of art supplies, books, DVD's etc. So please bring along any art related items you do not need. A table will be available to for set up and viewing.

After our president's welcome there will be the opportunity to form small groups to discuss ideas and options on how you would like to see OSBA progress. This is an ideal opportunity for every member to voice their vision for OSBA, what you like, what you don't. 

Following this ELECTIONS will be held for the positions of President, Publicity coordinator, Sketching coordinator, and Treasurer. We hope to see enthusiastic members come forward to lend some time to help OSBA be a successful, dynamic group that fulfills it's members needs.

We hope to see as many as possible of our members attend this important meeting!

OSBA Meeting

JUST A REMINDER of our next members meeting this coming Monday, September 14th at the Nepean Visual Arts Centre – located at the Nepean Sportsplex.

The address is 1701 Woodroffe Avenue.  The NVAC is located at the back at entrance 3. (For those who have taken classes with Kerri – the meeting is in the same room.)

Meeting time is from 1:00 to approximately 3:30 pm.

Our guest speaker this time is Susan Ashbrook on "Michael Wilcox Colour Theory"

Susan Ashbrook has spent a lifetime working in the visual arts sector, as a commercial artist, a display artist, a parade float designer, a fine artist and as an art teacher. During this time colour mixing was one of those testing experiences based on trial and error, until a friend gave her a colour mixing video by Michael Wilcox. Suddenly it all started making sense. 

What Susan discovered was that she, for some unknown reason, had been using the correct colours but did not know how to mix them to her advantage. She started to take a more in depth look at Michael's colour theory and was so impressed that she took the teacher's exam and became a certified School of Colour instructor.

As she became more proficient as an instructor she was invited by Michael Wilcox to become more involved in the school and is now the Canadian Rep for the School of Colour.  In that capacity she loves spreading the knowledge and helping others learn how to make colour mixing second nature.

She says, "It's not difficult once you understand the theory, and I can teach you that in a short period of time".  I'm looking forward to showing you!

Please bring in your latest projects or new books.  We will set up an area for displaying these items.

Fall Art Classes - Continued

In this listing of art courses you will find options that are not strictly botanical. You may be interested in trying a new media like print making, coloured pencils, pen and ink or improving your drawing and painting technique. Instructors like Deidre Hierlihy, Anne Armitage, Crystal Beshara or attending workshops that will be at the Ottawa Art School Fair in October. Please visit the website links below for further details and to register.

Deidre Hierlihy

Print Making Workshop

www.deidrehierlihy.com.

Linocut Printing Workshop

Location TBA: (Nepean Creative Arts Centre or Nepean Visual Arts Centre)

Monday, October 5, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Cost: $90, includes materials and equipment (on loan from instructor)

Maximum Registration: 12 students

Immerse yourself in the delight of lino cut printing.  Using a drawing or photograph as a starting point, play with pattern to transform the image into an effective lino cut design.  Develop expressive mark while cutting the block.  Print the relief using rollers in black and in colour, experimenting on a variety of papers. Contact Deidre for further details and to register at www.deidrehierlihy.com.

Ottawa Art School Fair – October 31 and November 1

Workshops, Demos, Lectures, and Shopping

http://www.artschoolfair.com/faq/

Don’t miss the Ottawa Art School Fair, Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, at the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre, 1315 Prince of Wales Drive.  This event will include workshops, demos, lectures and shopping!  Here are just a few of the many events that may interest our members:

·         Everything you Wanted to Know About Paper by Ed Brickler ($30)

·         Watercolour Markers and Sticks demo by Winsor Newton ($30)

·         Daniel Smith Watercolours – An Intimate Conversation with owner John Cogley ($30)

·         Colour Mixing Workshop with Susan Ashbrook ($65)

Anne Armitage

Coloured Pencil Classes

http://www.pictureperfectpets.ca.

Pencil Painting for Beginners:   Learn basic art principles of composition and colour with a medium that is inexpensive, uncomplicated, clean to use and easy to store.  This is a five-week course and each student has a completed pencil-painting ready for framing at the end of week five.  Lesson 1: materials. Lesson 2: pencil application and techniques. Lesson 3: composition theory. Lesson 4: colour theory. Lesson 5: completion of the project.  This class is available through the Ottawa Catholic School Boards continuing education program beginning the last week of September. There are classes available Wednesday afternoons in Kanata and Thursday and Saturday mornings at Saint Nicholas (Carling and Merivale).  To find out about registration and to view Anne’s work go to http://www.pictureperfectpets.ca. 

Crystal Beshara

Watercolour and Drawing Classes

http://crystalbeshara.com/art-classes/

Crystal Beshara offers classes in a variety of media including watercolour, and pen and ink.  They are they very popular and fill up quickly. The following classes still have room for more students:

Watercolour: The Magic of the Mediterranean, September 30 to December 2, Wednesday, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm

Watercolour: Wanderlust Greece II, September 30 to December 2, 2015, Wednesday, 12:45 pm to 3:15 pm

Pencil & Conte: Portraiture, October 1 – December 3, 2015, Thursday, 12:45 pm to 3:15 pm
Classes run for 10 weeks, each class is 2.5 hours in duration
Prices start at $215 CAD and now includes the cost of reference images
Exact class location will be sent to you upon registration, free parking

DON'T FORGET TO LOOK AT OUR PREVIOUS POSTING ON COURSES

Fall Art Classes in Ottawa

It’s back to school time – art school that is. 

Autumn is a wonderful time of year to take an art class so we have prepared a list of our members’ recommended instructors.  If you are new to botanical art, or want to further develop your skills, there is no better place to start than with Kerri Weller’s classes.  Students in Ottawa’s East End will be pleased to know that Kerri is also teaching classes at the Orleans campus of the Ottawa School of Art. 

Kerri Weller

Botanical Art – Drawing and Painting Classes

(www.kerriweller.com)

Watercolour Basics at Nepean Visual Arts Centre (City of Ottawa)

September 30 to December 9, Wednesday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (No class on October 14)

Course Barcode: 972444, Cost: $250.25

This course introduces materials and techniques to create realistic paintings of our plant world. Autumn provides the inspiration and subject matter for exercises, colour mixing and watercolour practice. Painting from live plants, not photos, is a wonderful way to acquire strong art skills. Step by step instructions and demos allow students who have never painted to try their hand at watercolour. Botanical Art: Drawing recommended.     

Leaves ~ Colour, Pattern & Composition at Nepean Visual Arts Centre (City of Ottawa)

September 30 to December 9, Wednesday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (No class on October 14) 

Course Barcode: 990381, Cost: $250.25

Join an artistic exploration of leaves as they change through the season! Create small paintings as you master a variety of watercolour techniques and composition projects. Demos and individual instruction ensure strong progress. Intermediate to advanced botanical art students. 

Simply Cyclamens at Ottawa School of Art, Orleans Campus

November 7 to 28, Saturday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, Cost: $255

Long lasting flowers, gorgeous colours and sculptural forms make cyclamens a winter favourite for artists. Join Kerri as she guides you through practical exercises, composition and individual instruction designed to ensure steady progress. Painting from live flowers allows for skills in observation, colour accuracy and techniques to be explored in watercolour studies and paintings. A cyclamen plant is included in the course fee. Botanical Art: Watercolour Basics recommended. 

Drawing the Fall Harvest at City of Ottawa, Landsdowne Park Horticultural Building

October 25 to November 15, Sunday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm 

Course Barcode: 999020, Cost: $164

Fall's bounty provides an intriguing array of subjects, perfect for mastering fundamental arts skills. Drawing directly from fruits and vegetables selected from the farmer's market, students develop their techniques and ability to draw with realism. Practical exercises and individual instruction ensure steady progress. Suitable for all levels.

MORE COURSE IDEAS COMING SHORTLY