18 Jun 2020

Are you curious?

posted in: Ampersand Art, inks, Judy Lavoie, pet portraits, scratchboard, Scratchbord® | 0

I had a 4″ x 9″ black Scratchbord panel just waiting for the right inspiration, and my photo of a gorgeous young Persian kitty named Roger got me started. I liked his colorful eyes, tuffs of fur, and pink nose. His upward gaze had me pondering what to add that would appear to be attracting his attention – while simultaneously creating a work of art more interesting than merely a cat portrait. Scratchboards are ideal for creating linear textures and, … Read More
9 Jun 2020

Honeysuckle

posted in: aquabord, floral, Judy Lavoie, Tips and Techniques, watercolor | 0

Japanese Honeysuckle is an introduced, somewhat invasive, climbing vine which grows on my land. The frilly white blossoms are highly fragrant and last from April to July, and I don’t mind their intrusion. The red young stems are strong and used in traditional basket weaving. As it grows, the larger woody vine will grow in a spiral around a tree branch. When the vine is removed, the branch is left with a twisted appearance, which some woodcarvers prize for creating … Read More
20 May 2020

A Tale of Two Irises

posted in: Ampersand Panels, aquabord, floater frame, florals, Judy Lavoie, New Artwork, watercolor | 1

My bearded irises have flowered beautifully this spring, inspiring me to paint them. The delicate petals are ruffled and nearly transparent, with one group growing upward and the other down. Their feathery ‘beards’ and tightly folded buds provide additional interesting shapes and values. As usual, I took far too many reference photos, being especially drawn to those with backlighting. I wanted to give a different twist to painting an iris, and I was inspired by the paintings of an artist … Read More
5 May 2020

Incredible Scratchboards

posted in: Ampersand Panels, International Society of Scratchboard Artists, ISSA, Judy Lavoie, scratchboard | 0

If you’d like to see some samples of the world’s most amazing scratchboard art, I’ll take you there! The International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) has posted its 2020 Online Show, and I am in awe of the creativity and artistic talents of scratchboard artists. As a new member at the “active” level of the ISSA, I was allowed to enter two of my scratchboards into the annual non-juried show. I entered “Purple Cow” and “Heart To Heart.” Even at the … Read More

"What A Wonderful World," watercolor by Judy Lavoie 2020
29 Apr 2020

What A Wonderful World

posted in: exhibitions, Judy Lavoie, Tennessee Watercolor Society, Tips and Techniques, watercolor | 2

My newest and largest in a series of paintings with blown bubbles has just been accepted into the 2020 Tennessee Watercolor Society Biennial Exhibition. International watercolor artist and juror Soon Warren selected “What A Wonderful World” as one of 72 paintings for the show. My painting “Eat Chicken” was the Best in Show winner at the Society’s 2018 biennial exhibit. Perhaps now I’ll become known as the bubble lady instead of the cow lady…?!?! This painting features my great-nephew Liam, … Read More

"Nana's Rocker" watercolor © Judy Lavoie 1999
20 Apr 2020

5 Tips for Choosing an Art Workshop

posted in: workshops | 0

Creating art is often a solitary experience. Why not try a group art workshop? Workshops can truly benefit you as an artist, if chosen carefully. They can: improve and/or increase your artistic skills give you exposure to new techniques create excitement about different methods and materials motivate you to create allow you to learn from your peers inspire new directions increase your confidence provide a terrific social experience On the flip side, it is quite possible to totally waste your … Read More

"Distress" title
6 Apr 2020

Not a Pretty Picture

posted in: Judy Lavoie, New Artwork, watercolor | 0

Colorful cows, delicate flowers, cute pets, interesting faces, tranquil rural scenes – my online galleries are filled with pretty pictures. “Distress” is a departure for me, intentionally, and I’ve attempted a change in my style on this watercolor as well. What story does this painting tell you? How do you think the man feels and why? I designed and composed the image to be thought-provoking, moving and ambiguous. My goal was to prompt an emotional response. When I finished this … Read More

"Sorghum Maker," watercolor © Judy Lavoie 2019
1 Apr 2020

The Show Must Go On

posted in: exhibitions, Georgia Watercolor Society, Judy Lavoie, watercolor | 0

I was delighted to be accepted into my first national watercolor exhibition with “Sorghum Maker,” then disappointed when the show was not opened to the public as scheduled. The 41st National Exhibition of the Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS) was slated to take place at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art in Atlanta GA from mid March through April 26, 2020, but the museum is closed indefinitely, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show was hung but never opened, and the juror … Read More

"Remembrance," a watercolor © Judy Lavoie
27 Mar 2020

Remembrance

posted in: florals, Judy Lavoie, New Artwork, watercolor | 0

Painting flowers is well within my comfort zone, and I wanted to do a blossom in an unusual way, since I had it pegged as a show entry. My huge red garden poppies provide endless interest and I’ve taken oodles of photos. The delicate petals are beautiful and frilly. They catch the bright sunlight in a dramatic fashion, reaching out and up like dancing ballerinas. I had done another big poppy painting a couple of years ago, painting with acrylics … Read More

"Like A Rainbow" title
10 Mar 2020

Second Time’s a Charm

posted in: art show, exhibitions, Judy Lavoie, Southern Watercolor Society, watercolor | 0

One of my newest watercolors has been accepted into the 2020 Southern Watercolor Society (SWS) Exhibition, after my first try last year yielded rejection. “Like A Rainbow” is one of a series I’ve been working on, combining blown bubbles with a portrait. This year’s competition saw 340 entries from 18 states plus Washington DC, with 80 paintings chosen by juror Mark Mehaffey for the exhibition. In his judging of another recent competition, Mr. Mehaffey commented on his jurying, which he … Read More

1 … 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 … 23