Posts

Posted on

SPLASH Art Auction Benefits Young Creators

I’m thrilled to have my work included in a strong roster of artists in support of Arts Umbrella’s excellent art programs for children at the Splash Art Auctionwhich takes place October 13, 2018 at Vancouver’ Fairmont Hotel.

Among the artists donating work are Fiona Ackerman, Douglas Coupland, Andy Dixon, Graham Gillmore, Angela Grossman, Marie Khouri, and Etienne Zack, to name just a few. The donated paintings, photography, and sculpture can be viewed at the beautiful Pendulum Gallery in the Hong Kong bank in downtown Vancouver on Georgia Street, across from the Vancouver Art Gallery.  Preview runs through October 2.

Arts Umbrella provides the highest quality dance, theatre, and visual arts programming for young people and, for nearly 40 years, they have helped more than half a million children and youth explore their potential and build community. Each year, they serve more than 20,000 young people, reaching close to 16,000 through free community programs across Metro Vancouver. Arts Umbrella is also about to expand their programming across Canada.

SPLASH ART AUCTION

OCTOBER 13, 2018
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
900 West Georgia Street

Tickets are sold out, which is great news, but there is a waitlistbeing taken and it’s possible to make absentee bids.

 

Posted on

New Drawings

Lux 2, 7 x 7 inches, white painted wood frame, 8-ply mat, $695

Are you thinking that you would like a drawing to brighten your space? Between some of my larger paintings, I like to put my attention towards drawings. Please contact me for a private art viewing, or to put aside a piece for you.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ALL THE DRAWINGS 🙂

Thank you so much!

xoVal

val@valnelson.ca    778-865-2650

Posted on

“Art-making Magic”: Contemporary Art Bus Tour from Surrey to View Vancouver Studios

    Photo credit: Michael Cox

Six-hour trip on Nov. 8 will be led by Surrey Art Gallery staff

SURREY — A tour bus organized by Surrey Art Gallery is headed to Vancouver to visit studios where “artmaking magic happens,” on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

The six-hour daytime Contemporary Art Bus Tour, led by SAG curator Jordan Strom and curatorial researcher Rhys Edwards, will make stops at six studios on Vancouver’s Eastside, including those operated by artists Lyse Lemieux, Elizabeth McIntosh, Ian Wallace, Tiko Kerr, Val Nelson and Judson Beaumont.

“This is a fabulous, up-close opportunity to talk to several critically acclaimed artists about how they make art and organize their studios to facilitate their creative process,” notes a post on the city’s website.

“On this tour, you’ll experience a real diversity of art mediums, styles, and studios while getting to know some prominent Vancouver artists.”

The fee is $39 for the tour, designed for those aged 16 and up. Tour runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event is presented by Surrey Art Gallery in partnership with Surrey Art Gallery Association, or SAGA, a non-profit society.

More event details can be found at surrey.ca/artgallery, or call 604-501-5566.

-Tom Zillich, Surrey Now Leader

https://www.surreynowleader.com/entertainment/bus-tour-from-surrey-to-view-artmaking-magic-at-vancouver-studios/

Posted on

Some Portraits

I’ve been researching portraiture, including a series of painted and drawn self-portraits, and also some drawn portrait studies I made in Paris of people I met there this past Spring. All but one of these were painted from life.

Self-portrait with headphones, oil on paper, 15 x 11 inches
Self-portrait with big neck, oil on paper, 15 x 11 inches
Self-portrait as Kokoschka, oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches
Self-portrait as a Dutchwoman, oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches
Mute, oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches
Self-portrait painting, oil on canvas and oil on paper diptych, approx dimensions: 10 x 10 and 11 x 15 inches

 

Self-portrait in electric light, oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches
Self-portrait with broken clavicle, approx dimensions 11 x 11 inches, graphite and pencil crayon on paper
Self-portrait in springtime, oil on paper, 8 x 10 inches
Pauline, Paris, graphite pencil in Moleskine sketch book, 8.25 x 10.25 inches

 

 

Michelle, Paris, graphite pencil in Moleskine sketch book, 8.25 x 5 inches
Melissa, Paris, graphite pencil in Moleskine sketch book, 8.25 x 5 inches

 

Julien, Paris (detail), graphite pencil in Moleskine sketch book, 8.25 x 5 inches
Posted on

CRAFTSY Online Painting Class

For those of you who enjoy my paintings and also like painting yourselves,  you might like an inside view of how I make them! Here’s a link for 25% off on my CRAFTSY online class: Loosen Up! Techniques for the Painterly Approach. Lots of tips on brushwork, composition, and some pointers on colour mixing. Enjoy!

loosen-up-title-card

 

Posted on

Tuscany Painting Retreat Sneak Peek 2017

I’m in the final stages of planning a painting holiday for early June 2017. Here’s a sneak peak of the location––a very old stone farmhouse and a charming converted tobacco drying tower in the Italian countryside, located just outside the little town of Mercatale, halfway between Umbertide and Cortona.

IMG_5685

IMG_5683

Students will spend five days of painting and soaking up the beautiful surroundings and bucolic Italian atmosphere.

Monday to Friday, there will be six hours of painting instruction each day–– three hours in the morning, then a break in the middle of the day for free time to explore the surrounding area and adopt the Italian spirit of “dolce far niente” (it’s sweet to do nothing). From 4 to 7pm we will reconvene and paint plein air when the light becomes more and more spectacular. Perfetto, non?

If you’d like to find out more, please send me an email: val@valnelson.ca

ciao, Val

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Amsterdam!

I’m pretty excited to be skipping town for a week to take in some amazing art and have a little rest. One of my first stops in the museum district will be the Rijksmuseum, where I’m interested to see wonderful portraiture and still life paintings of the old Masters. I’ll also want to check out how they facilitate the #startdrawing program. On Saturday mornings,  museum staff-members encourage visitors to make drawings in order to experience the work differently from the (sadly common) quick photo document snapped with a smartphone.

Fabritius-Goldfinch-hi-res
The Goldfinch (detail), Carel Fabritius, 13.2 x 9 inches, oil on panel, 1654

Also I’ll take in Rembrandt House,  the Stedilijk, Van Gogh Museum, and hopefully the Mauritshuis in the Hague, where I can see Vermeer’s The Pearl Earring and Fabritius’ delightful The Goldfinch firsthand. I heard also that I must visit the Jordaan district where I can find many contemporary art galleries. Hoping I can find some inspiring contemporary painting.

Naturally I’ll do some goofing off as well, wander along the canals and generally drift. I brought my trusty Moleskine sketchbook in case I’m feeling ambitious. 🙂

 

See you when I return!

cheers, Val