May 2014 - Wet Paint

We got Don Colley packed up and shipped out on the AMTRAK this morning and we are already changing gears at Wet Paint. We’ve got a 2fer this Thursday evening. We truly believe the weather is taking a turn toward warmth and Josh Cunningham and Carl Judson will be outside the store in full plein air regalia. Josh Cunningham is a favorite Wet Paint customer, a well-respected painter of our Minnesota landscape and cityscape and a truly generous artist. Josh will be working on a new painting and is ready and willing to talk shop about painting, materials and the specific issues of alla prima with any and all of you interested artists.

When I saw Carl Judson, founder of Guerrilla Painter, at the art materials show earlier this month, Carl said he could stop by Wet Paint on his road trip back to Colorado. We lucked out to get him to come through St Paul on the same day as Josh’s demo. So besides getting to talk with Josh about painting, you get to visit with Carl about the equipment he manufactures to make plein air painting more seamless and compact for the artist. The last time Carl came by we had a lively conversation about collapsible palettes. See a demonstration of all the bells and whistles of the Guerrilla Painter line of rugged pochade like boxes.

This is also a great opportunity for you to get Judson’s recent publication, “A Guerrilla Painter’s Notebook III.” This volume covers such topics as the underappreciated role of the amateur painter, Judson’s own paintings, Judson’s monograph of a favorite artist, Julian Livingston Peabody, and high points of his guerrilla painter travels around the country. This is a gem of a publication and shows Carl’s talents and appreciations as a true Renaissance individual.

This will be a truly delightful evening with Josh and Carl talking about topics they hold dear. Their talents and generosity of spirit will inspire and encourage you to start a new picture. Maybe we can get Josh to paint the front of Wet Paint (he has done the parking lot view; the painting is on view at the store). Take a look at the new value added Guerrilla Box special kits. It’s only available in brick and mortar art supply stores.

Three years ago I returned from a workshop all excited about a product demonstrator working with Faber-Castell. Don Colley not only knows his product line but knows how to use these materials with great nuance, sketches with daily obsession and shares his sketchbooks for mutual inspiration. After checking his website we found Don had captured our own manager, Darin Rinne, in a sketch at a recent trade show. It seemed everything was pointing toward a great relationship between Don Colley and Wet Paint. Don has visited us many times and offered many programs with great success. This year’s visit has 3 diverse components. Hopefully one will fit into your drawing schedule.

The Mini Master Class with Don Colley takes place at Wet Paint this Friday May 16^th. In this small group session Don will share his drawing techniques and urban sketching strategies. You will learn how to capture the figure in everyday settings, shading with markers and the use of the sketchbook page. Time is also set aside to share your sketchbook for individualized consultation. This workshop requires advanced registration and a fee. Space is available but limited.

Saturday and Sunday Don will join Wet Paint’s mini-store at SpringCon, the Midwest Comic Book Association’s spring celebration at the State Fair Grounds. Besides being available all day for drawing and chat, Don has a “Big Drawing Session” 4-5 on Saturday. There will be live costumed characters to draw and everyone is encouraged to join in this drawing session. Just show a sign at the ticket booth that says “I’m here to draw with Don Colley” and you will get $1 off the admission price. You may also donate your drawing to the charity auction where 100% of the proceeds benefit the Minnesota Lupus Foundation.

Don has created his own night at the museum with the Bell at the U of MN on Monday May 19^th. This is the last day of the Minnesota legislative session which will determine funding for a new home for the Bell, so this event may have some editorial content. Join Don for an all-night sketch-a-thon. Bring your sketching materials as well as camping gear. Contact Wet Paint or the Bell Museum for entry time and further details.

As you can tell from this lineup, Don is an artist with extreme talent, a true sense of artistic adventure, limitless energy and a big heart. It’s just the right time for you to collaborate with Don at Wet Paint, SpringCon and/or the Bell Museum.