Plein Air Studies and doodles from the backyard

Hey y’all!

I hope you are all doing well and dandy today! I just wanted to pop in briefly to talk about one of the ongoing sketchbook prompts I’ve been working on.

Not every morning, but frequently, I’ve been sitting outside- typically on my deck in the backyard- to watch the sunrise. I’ve got my coffee and my paints (gouache- I’ve been determined to get a better handle on gouache). I paint the trees, the sunrise peeking through the trees, or anything else that looks interesting. Sometimes I get bored sitting in the same spot, so I try to find somewhere different to set up. (One day I will have a fancy sketch easel so I can stand anywhere and paint!) These paintings are quick, because not only does the light change so rapidly at sunrise, but also because I have kids who, at some point, wander outside to find me and ask for breakfast. Or it’s time to go inside for our Bible reading time, or something like that. Here are some examples of my work.

In the Thick of It

Hello everyone!

August 10th marked the opening of the two-person show I was in at Shockoe Artspace with Sara Tuttle. I had a fantastic time getting all my work together, completed and framed for the show a few months prior. This was an unexpected, but extremely welcome opportunity. I didn’t have too much time to make new work, but thankfully I had a good amount of watercolors already finished from previous years. I squeezed out two new pieces and then, since I’ve been working so much in sketchbooks lately, I pulled out ten of my favorite sketchbook pieces and framed them too. All together, I think that it went really well! Some of my favorite people work at the gallery, so it was no surprise how amazing and pleasant it was to work with everyone. My experience here has officially set the bar for all future gallery shows!

Sara is also a fantastic artist, and although she and I work in very different styles, we found a lot of common ground for the creation of our work. If you visit the gallery I think you will see that it fits together in a strange, yet beautiful way! I think part of that synergy has to be informed from where we live- both in urban areas, and our occupations as artist/mothers. As the title suggests, we really are In the Thick of It, raising small children, managing a household and somehow also squeezing in time to work in the studio.

Below is the artist statement I wrote for the exhibition:

I am drawn towards the mundane, overlooked and often forgotten corners of the world we inhabit. Careful and delicate rendering forces the viewer to contemplate these spaces normally dismissed as eyesores. Can beauty and dignity exist within a pile of weeds or graffiti strewn across a back door? Some of these landscapes sing joyfully as they fulfill their purpose- lights illuminating a road or a tidy alley dotted with gardens and neatly lined trashcans. Other areas groan and buckle under neglect, calling out for revival and care to revisit them once again.

Many of these paintings were made slowly, over a period of several months or even a year, while others are a result of quick sketching. These two ways of working act as foils to one another, allowing for both a careful examination of the subject and a jubilant exploration into mark-making and abstraction. Together, they invite the viewer into considering the strange, wild poetics hidden within our everyday landscapes.

The opening was fantastic, with lots of friends and families coming out to visit. I really loved getting to talk to everyone about my work, and I know that I wasn't even able to chat with everyone there! What a rewarding experience. Work sold well too- which is always a bonus- especially because framing all of my paintings can get pricey! The show will be up through the fall, so I think that more events- artist talks and the like, will be hosted in the space. And hopefully a closing reception too! It’s all exciting stuff. Contact the gallery if you want to take a look at all the work, and do be sure to let them know if you are interested in purchasing anything. (I just absolutely love getting to tell people to contact my gallerist ! It makes me feel so fancy!!)

Okay, that’s it about the gallery opening- first one in five years! Here are a couple more photos of the event!

With love,

Katy

The Three Materials Challenge

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Hey guys!

I hope you are all doing well and having a wonderful time of it! I just wanted to pop in and write about the awesome, amazing and challenging sketchbook challenge I’ve been participating in. I’ve learned a lot, and improved a lot through this- and I’m only about halfway through!

The prompt is called the Three Materials Challenge, and it was created by three moms to keep them creating in their sketchbooks even through busy summer breaks when the kids were home from school. I relate to the busy, frantic feeling of wanting to make marks on a page, so I decided to give it a try. This is how they describe the challenge:

I’m co-hosting the #3materialsdrawingchallenge with @naomitippingillustrator and @charlotte.durance . We’re drawing from life for 50 days, using 3 materials and for no more than 30 minutes.

I haven’t been doing the challenge everyday, but by now I’ve made it about halfway through, and I’m finally starting to see a rhythm.

Here are some of my first drawings- embarrassing and ugly.

But I found my stride with a collection of watercolor pencils and gouache.

Now I’m even mixing up the colors, so that the watercolor pencil I draw with initially isn’t even black. I’ve tried blue too. (gasp!)

So you don’t think I only draw one of my crew, here’s a picture of a few more kids together. It’s tough to get all four in one shot, and just about the only time they stay still is when we let them have screen time.

I know that the challenge has ended for many folks with the close of August and the start of a new school year, but it seems a shame to quit halfway now that I’m starting to love these sketchbook entries more than anything else. So I think I’ll continue and give y’all an update once I’m closer to the 50 drawing mark! (I haven’t numbered or dated most of these, and they are scattered in about 3 or four sketchbooks. I’m also of the suspicion that at least one of the early attempts got painted over!)

All the best,

The One social to rule them all…

(Or why I am re-starting a newsletter and a blog)

Instagram I love you so…

But you are a bit like the one ring from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

We love you, we crave you, dare I say- we are addicted to you.

…And yet we hate you. Much like how Gollum loves and hates the Ring. Social media gives the promise of happiness through connection and friendship, but more than not it leaves us empty and dissatisfied.

There is a proper way to steward this, I am sure. And the more I think on it, the more I need to get thoughts out of my head and onto paper (or screen.)

I love the inspiration and sense of “community” I get from looking at other artist’s work. I love seeing their in-progress paintings, sketchbook spreads and learning how they make work. The old masters are masters for a reason. But it is also nice seeing work from peers too.

When I post it is to share what I’ve been making with you, dear viewer. Now granted, the quantity of my viewership has decreased significantly. But this loss in an audience has helped me to narrow down who my audience is. My good friends from Shockoe Artspace say, “Make work for your friends, then make more friends.” I love that so many of my audience are dear friends I knew first in real life, and then found their handles on instagram afterwards.

It comes down to two thoughts.

1. Can I find inspiration elsewhere? Yes.

2. Can I communicate to my audience without social media? Yes and no. Those who care can find me on my website, read an art journal or get a newsletter update. But I know that many won’t make that extra effort- if my content happens to float by their screen they may be happy to see it, but if it doesn’t it doesn’t. There are plenty of other fish in the pond.

I’ve been wanting to write an art journal for a while. And perhaps this is the time to dip my toes in and start exploring something new. If you have made it this far, then please know that I am not leaving social media- it is a great tool. But also expect little musings like this one to be published to the website. And- and I am very excited about this one- a quarterly newsletter to be sent out to email subscribers. This newsletter (art bulletin?) is completely new- so if you were on a mailing list of mine in the past you will need to sign up again.

I am thinking of a seasonal email update- one for summer, fall, winter and spring. Just a spot to pop in and share what I’ve been making, thinking and exploring in my creative practice. Don’t be surprised if the occasional rabbit trail on motherhood, faith or homemaking weaves it’s way in either. (After all, that is the majority of my life!)

Oh, and any BIG announcements like gallery exhibitions or pop-up markets and studio sales will be first announced through email now.

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Okay- I think that is all for now- I can hear the timer for the pumpkin bread beeping upstairs so I gotta dash before it is burnt to a crisp!

With love,

Katy

Summer Updates

 Summertime is upon us, and with that comes daytrips to the James, dinners on the balcony and plenty of homemade ice cream.

A few updates as we head into the summertime:

1. A greater selection of original artwork will be placed on my Etsy shop page for purchase. I will be announcing these paintings’ availability through social media, but as always, if there is a particular piece that catches your fancy please don’t hesitate to contact me directly :) 
2. Commissions will be closed for the summer. I am clearing my calendar to make room for some new work that I am extremely excited about and I hope you will be too. I will be reopening commission slots on August 15th.

In other news, I am working on a series of Richmond alleyway watercolors that celebrates one of RVA’s hidden gems- the alleys in the Fan and Museum District. There will be one painting for each month of the year, all inspired from my many neighborhood walks with my son. I’ve affectionately dubbed it the “RVA Calendar” and it’s a project I’ve been thinking about for over a year now. Progress on the paintings will be posted to social media, and with any luck, there will be updates on the blog as well. 

2018 Plans & Dreams

Here's to a new year brimming with possibilities!

Reflecting on my goals for 2018 in this first week, I wanted to share a few hopeful future projects with y'all.

Free Fridays is officially up and running! Visit the contact page (underneath “about”) to sign up or click here!

Free Fridays

Something that I learned through announcing my show at Cabell Gallery back in August and September was that social media posts are easy to miss. I can't think of the number of people I know that would have loved to have had more information concerning the time, date, and location of the show, but missed the announcement. So, the next time an opportunity rolls around for an exhibition or other art event, I want to communicate clearly, and the best and easiest way I can think of is to land those important announcements in your inbox.
So, as a thank you for all the folks who show their support, I've decided that every Friday in 2018 is going to be a Free Friday. This means that I will pick one person out of my email list to ship a tiny drawing or painting to. I figure this is a way to spread the love, spread the word, and be generous to all of you who support this art endeavor of mine. :) 

More (regular) blog posts
Writing is a very necessary component of making art, running a business, or paradoxically, staying sane as a stay-at-home-mom. While it seems impossible, I'd love to publish a short blog post every two weeks. It's a great way to take a step back and think critically about the hows and whys of why I am doing what I do, and as the years pass these posts can serve as a public record of where I am in my life and art. 

Prints!!!
The majority of my bread and butter comes from commissions, which is really awesome and amazing and for which I am incredibly grateful. However, they are time consuming and a bit like giving haircuts- I'm always afraid the finished product won't match up to a client's expectations! I've thought of diving in to more illustration based landscapes for a while now, and would love to offer items in the store that are bit more affordable to the average buyer. My dream is to have illustrated postcards, stationary and prints of Richmond and other locations. This way, even if the amount of commissioned work dwindles, or another child happily squirms it's way into the world, I would still be able to offer items. 

Other Projects
While I am, and most likely always will be a landscape painter, I would love to brush up on figure drawing. Not only is this a huge gaping hole in my technical abilities, but being confident in portraiture would open up possibilities to pursue a wider variety of commissions and illustration opportunities. 
I would also love to display work in some sort of venue here in RVA- most likely something small and local. A sort of celebration of work that makes sense when seen together.  

I am not certain what exactly 2018 holds for my family, but I am so excited to get started on these projects, and see where this journey takes me during the course of these next 365 days! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As 2017 winds to a close I’m finding myself reflecting on the past year. I learned a lot, grew a lot, failed a lot, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I was able to take advantage of. 

To recap a few of the more memorable projects I undertook:

All nine paintings!  There is nothing like a super serious deadline to motivate the soul and create some artwork!

I had my first ever "solo" show at Cabell Gallery in Lexington, Va.
This show was a huge learning curve. I think the biggest take-away is to use solid wood when framing- none of this composite IKEA junk. (and I LOVE IKEA frames!!) Oh, and to test hang all of the frames before delivering them to the gallery. 

Other than the framing snafus, some of my best paintings from 2017 were made for this show, and I figured out several (mostly) architectural techniques like painting brick, siding, and the gravel in front of buildings. I'm proud of the illustrations made for this project, and happy to say that a few were able to be sold as well. Many thanks to Cabell and Susan over at Cabell Gallery for graciously hosting my work and displaying it a month longer than expected!

100 Days Project- stroller sketch crawls of RVA with my little man <3

I attempted (and failed) the 100 day instagram project. 
The idea of the 100 Day Project is to pick a prompt, and create something small relating to it everyday, for a 100 days. And then share your work with others via social media. My project was to use ink pens and watercolors to create a small, urban sketch everyday. I wanted the sketches to be done outside while I took the little man on stroller rides, so I could work directly from observation. I think I made it about halfway. There were several main problems that I encountered while working.

First, I was too afraid to share my bad sketches on social media.
Second, I limited myself too much. Only outdoor, from life sketches done with a fussing toddler who wants the stroller to continue moving proved very difficult. And the project just about ended when he finally figured out how to wiggle free of his straps and slide out of the stroller, a little past his 18 month marker. But, it was still a fun project and I have the sketchbooks and fond memories of being able to go on sketch crawls with the little one. Turns out a stroller makes for a great easel! I'm looking forward to a couple years in the future when we can draw together. 

Inktober was by far the most laid back and the most fun project of the entire year- look for more ink drawings in 2018!

I attempted (and completed!) 2017's Inktober challenge. 
I think I learned from my first social media challenge that I need less expectations, and more grace in order for this to work. I've already written another blog post on Inktober 2017, but needless to say, giving myself the freedom to work from my head, "doodle" and post no matter how awful I thought the previous night's exercise had been proved to be quite successful. It still amazes me how most people seem to prefer these little ink sketches to my more polished and time-consuming watercolors. 

Selection of commissions I had the opportunity of creating in 2017- I am beyond grateful for the people who reached out for an illustration this year. 

I started an Etsy shop... and painted a lot of commissions!
After my aunt and uncle ordered a house portrait off Etsy from another artist this past spring I decided enough was enough- that was a sale I should have been guaranteed! I joined the Etsy community  to offer up watercolor commissions in May. So far, it has gone well for me, moderately speaking. While I am certainly not a super savvy businesswoman, the little bit I've made has turned into valuable income during lean times this fall and winter. I am so grateful for all the people who took a chance and invested their money into my artwork! I've got a long way to go, and a large learning curve to overcome before my shop becomes anything really special, but to say that I am thankful for the business Etsy has brought me is an understatement! 

Other projects and plans for 2017
I had other projects and goals planned for 2017 as well, but to be honest, the fact that this stay-at-home-mom got anything else accomplished beyond keeping her child alive and housework and food halfway done is incredible! I am beyond grateful for the kiddo's nap time, my hubby's unwavering support and a space to work in and call my own. I've grown tremendously in learning watercolor and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback for all my ink doodles- which I never expected receiving. Even though there were a lot more projects that didn't get realized, I am proud to look back and declare it a year well spent. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Becker family! (and yes, we are are wearing our pajamas in this photo)

House Portraits for Tabitha

In October, I received a request for two house portraits via my Etsy shop page. It was my first time working simulatiously on two commissions for the same person, so I was understandably very excited. The homes are lovely, and it was a pleasure and a challenge to paint them. 

Here are a few details of the work in progress. 

House portrait

For this painting, I wanted to try a few things differently. First, I didn't use any masking fluid. Masking fluid is a special type of thick paint (it resembles Elmer's glue) that you use on any areas you would like to preserve as the original white of the paper. However, it is tricky to get the tiny details I require and it occasionally ruins the tooth of the watercolor paper. Since this painting, I've gone back to using it again for specific sections, but it still is tricky to get fine lines. I also used gouache ( an opaque watercolor-like paint) in the leaves of the tree, details on the front porch and garden, a technique that I will continue to explore more in future work.

Here are a few in progress snapshots... this house is particularly important to me, because it is where I grew up! 

Pencil sketch outlining the key features of the painting. The tree in the front yard was shifted to the right and slightly enlarged to disguise the garage on the side of the house.

Beginning stages of watercolor washes

Finished! The lilies on the right got pushed back a bit and some extra foliage was added to hide the garage. Small details, like a few ferns and two red rocking chairs were added in gouache to the front porch. 

Cheers!

Katy

House Portrait

Well friends, we are solidly into November as I write this, and it's starting to become that time of year again...

I've just wrapped up this house portrait commission for a client, and have several others underway to begin and finish. 

Here's a few in progress photos as I remembered to take them. Overall, this illustration took 4 days to finish. Unexpected interruptions to the kiddo's nap schedule threw a bit of wrench in my schedule, what with surprise (but much needed!) structural repairs to the apartment, a long awaited day trip with a friend, relatives visiting, a birthday party (guess whose kiddo turned two!), more visits with family, sheer exhaustion... well, I think you may get the picture. It was a pretty busy weekend all around. 

The initial drawing! I used a ruler and calculator to make certain it was to scale- a bit time consuming, but I would rather have it right the first time!

Filling in all the background areas with some light washes. 

Adding in more detail- each of these bricks were painted individually, and then washes were applied over them later in the painting to make it look a bit more believable. 

The home is not located in Louisiana, but something in the reference photo made me think of hazy, atmospheric, swampy, deep south sorta vibe. I added some gouache in the foreground for a bit of the foliage in the trees and a teeny bit in the shrubs. Personally, I liked the way it turned out, and that's a technique I'm keeping for future use. I also emphasized some glowing light from inside the house and the front- that was a fun, last minute detail I'm happy I put in. 

This is my favorite photo of the whole bunch! Each window pane was painted individually, so there was no white gouache used in that part- just the trees and bushes in front of the house. 

In terms of areas that need improvement, I still see my struggle with 180 and 90 degree angles. Depicting those straight angles- that is a skill that must be practiced some more. If anyone has any tips, I would love to hear them!

Anyways, it is my sincere hope that this portrait is received with delight and cherished for many years to come- I really hope that in this painting I have captured something of home.

Doesn't that look like a cozy home? 

Well guys, I hope you enjoyed looking at a few of these in progress photos. There is still time to order custom art for Christmas in the shop, if anyone is interested as- just click on the shop link on the website and shoot me a message. 

Best, 

Katy Becker

Inktober!

October has come and gone, and with it, so has the Inktober challenge!

This was my first year participating in it, and I am so happy that I did! The challenge was one of those instagram movements that I stumbled across after waaaaaaay too much frequent scrolling and searching. (So apologies to the kiddo!) I almost didn't participate, because even though it had been on my mind as a half-hearted intention earlier in the year, I really didn't know how I was going to squeeze in more time to draw. I mean, with a toddler running around the house all day long, and refusing to sit still in the stroller during walks (a.k.a goodbye urban sketch crawls for mom/ stroller rides for baby) ...ANYWAYS, I just didn't know. 

But then, the posts started to filter into my feed (thanks to too much scrolling again!) and I decided to give it a go. 

Turns, out, it was one of the best ideas I've had this season

I found the time to sketch (really, to doodle) in the evenings while my husband and I are watching tv. Being a former bookworm, I actually really enjoyed developing this habit, because it kept my mind occupied during some of the more intense/ scary bits on the screen. (I am a complete wimp!) Committing to sketch everyday also loosened up my imagination. Before this, I had been stuck in a rut of only practicing observational sketches- which is completely important, vital, and necessary to my technical growth as an artist. But, I also was really bored with sketching, and frustrated, because I still don't know how to translate all the amazing and intricate details I see outside in nature onto the page accurately. There are problems with proportion, perspective, light sources... you name it! Drawing from my imagination counter-intuitively helped me to work out what I already understood about light and space, and show me areas where I need improvement. I also loved thinking about textures, and seeing which I could depict well or not; thinking more about the impression that light, atmosphere and shadow leaves on our memories and senses. And the fact that it was up to interpretation- for both me and the viewer. If I didn't like the way a drawing was going, I had the freedom to change it into something completely different. Which is why there are so many darkened bits all over the pages!

I like to think that in addition to artistic growth, there was also a bit of character development going on too.

 Posting everyday, regardless of how I felt of last night's drawing, forced me to stop caring about how many likes I received on each photo. Or stressing about the time of day it was posted. I've got a very long way to go in the social media battle, but reminding myself that my self-worth is not dependent on little bits of fluctuating numbers on a screen has helped to allow me to post more freely (or more strategically?) and not worry so much about the outcome. 

It actually led to getting featured by Urban Sketchers (a favorite group of mine!)

I've thought about making some prints to sell & giveaway, but I'm just not certain about it...

Because I am not partial to ripping out sketchbook pages, I'm not too keen on giving away these original drawings. However, I do have some exciting sketch ideas that I would love to try out- most likely after the holidays are over. It's mainly personal and more experimental works, but there is a lot that needs to take place before anything can start. 

If prints would be something that you people would be interested in obtaining for the holiday season, or as email list giveaways, please let me know!

And if things ever get underway (mainly supplies that need to be bought and prepped), AND if these potential projects look promising, I may just share... who know ;-)

Well, those are a few of my reflections on Inktober this October. I am most certainly looking forward to October 2018's Inktober challenge! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't hesitate to comment, email, or message your thoughts. 

-Katy Becker

Fan Frame and Fine Art

Earlier in this year at a friend's urging, I screwed up my courage and gave a call to a local frame shop in the neighborhood. I was curious if they were accepting new artists to show on their gallery wall. It had taken the better part of 9 months to make that phone call, but I am really happy that I did. Not only was Jo, the owner and curator intrigued, but also warmly interested in what I had to offer. By March several watercolors were given luxuriously expensive mats, and as space has slowly opened up on her gallery wall (everything is hung salon style) pieces have been framed for display. 

In July, my work got featured in the shop window, and one of my favorite watercolors from 2016 was delightfully framed with a silk wrapped mat. 

Don't those frames look lovely? I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out! 

Fan Frame and Fine Art is located on 214 N. Robinson St, Richmond Va, 23220. They are a bit easy to miss, but if you happen to walk by, they are completely worth checking out! Jo, the owner, and her shop assistants are extremely friendly and helpful, and have an excellent eye for craftmanship and detail when it comes to both framing and artwork. 

As space on their gallery wall opens up, I'm excited to see what new artwork will be added. I feel so proud and grateful that my work is a part of the curation, and I'm excited to be partnering with a local RVA business committed to the arts and to the city.

Oh, and I apologize for such terrible photos! My only excuse is that I've been delaying this blog post since July, and, well, I didn't want to wait any longer. Done is better than perfect, my friends, and this is one that simply needed to be done. 

Solo Show at Cabell Gallery

      I am excited to announce that I am having a solo show at Cabell Gallery this September. The show will feature a series of watercolor landscapes inspired from weekend trips taken this spring in and around Lexington, Virginia, where the gallery is located. The opening reception is on Friday, September 1st from 5 - 7pm, during the town's First Friday Art Walk and will be displayed through the entire month of September. If you happen to be headed up to the mountains for some cooler weather, please stop by and take a look. 

    Cabell Gallery is located on 5 W. Washington St. in historic downtown Lexington, Virginia. They feature a variety of regional artists working in oil, pastel, watercolor, printmaking and sculpture. If you fancy exploring the town, there are several other art galleries, boutiques and restaurants within a couple blocks, as well as the campuses of Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. 

    For a full list of activities, shops, restaurants, hotels, and more I recommend you visit either Lexington's official website or lovelexva.com. For the most current information on First Friday events, you can go to their facebook page. 

To hear more about Cabell Gallery and the artists they represent check out their website.

The preliminary images for the show are already uploaded on the website- click on the tab titled "Lexington". There are several smaller pieces that did not make the cut, but will be available for purchase if anyone is interested (you find a good portion of them by scrolling through my instagram gallery). In the meantime however,  I am looking forward to seeing y'all in September!