When Inspiration Strikes

'Flowers on High'         6x8         pastel        ©Karen Margulis
available $75

I walked in the door around 6pm. Home from an amazing experience at the 12th Biennial IAPS convention in Albuquerque New Mexico. I unpacked my suitcase, threw in a load of laundry and downloaded my photos from the trip. The next thing I know I was standing at my easel with one of my new photos in hand. I just had to paint!

Imagine spending the week surrounded by 600 pastel artists. All of them as passionate about pastel as you are. Imagine having the opportunity to take workshops and watch demos from your favorite artists. You could watch up to three demo sessions a day if you wanted! Imagine having access to the pastel trade show....filled with your favorite supplies and some great new ones as well.  That is just a small glimpse into the IAPS convention. It is a must!  If you haven't had the opportunity to attend be sure to mark your calendar for June of 2019.

I didn't get as many photos as I had hoped for. I was busy visiting with old and new friends and time just got away from me.  I do have much more to share about the convention. I will say this.....I came home filled with inspiration and new ideas for my blog and videos and more so stay tuned!

Can you spot the signatures of your favorite artists?

The Terry Ludwig booth during a quiet moment. It was usually packed!

Marsha Savage and Duane Wakeham....two artists who have inspired me!

Today's painting: 6x8 on watercolor paper with clear gesso. This was from a walk up on Sandia Crest which I was fortunate to explore with Marsha and Haywood Savage after the convention.

The Ultimate Inspirational Experience

'Changes'       8x10      pastel       ©Karen Margulis
available $145

If you love pastels please keep reading. Tuesday 9/20 at noon ET is the day to reserve your hotel room for the ultimate inspirational experience for pastel artists of all levels....IAPS 12. This year the Hotel Albuquerque opens reservations before convention registration so be sure to call to book your room.

click here for a preview of the IAPS 12 Convention

click here for more information on the convention hotels and contact numbers

Update from IAPS: The only number that will work for IAPS reservations is 866-505-7829. Please do not try to call the main hotel number, you will not get our IAPS rate, and they will not take your reservation.


If you have attended the convention then you already know the many benefits.....great demos and workshops by the pastel rock stars, the candy store (pastel vendors), the fun and friendship of the artists, the beautiful location in New Mexico....I could go on. But if you have not yet attended the convention please consider coming in 2017.

It doesn't matter how new you are to pastels. You will be inspired!

The year I first began painting with pastels the IAPS convention was in North Carolina for the first time. An easy drive away. I could have attended but I didn't feel like I was 'ready'. I know better now. There is something for everyone and everyone will welcome you and make you a part of the pastel family. Every time since I have gone to the biennial convention. (now as a part of the faculty) Every year I leave motivated and inspired.

Make your room reservations and start a special piggy bank labeled IAPS INSPIRATION. Save your pennies for the ultimate pastel inspirational experience!

The start....big simple shapes

I welcome your questions about the convention. If I don't have the answer I will do my best to find out.  Please send your questions to me at karenmargulis@gmail.com and I will answer them in an upcoming post.

Today's painting: I used a piece of white Pastelmat. I always forget how much I enjoy this paper!

Announcing IAPS 12 and The Landscape in Bloom

'Edge of the Woods'         8x10        ©Karen Margulis
available $150

Have you heard the news? It is time to start thinking about the IAPS convention! The sneak preview is now live on the IAPS website. Click here to see all the details.  I am excited to share that once again I will part of the faculty and will be doing two presentations at the convention. I am so excited and honored to be a part of this amazing line up of pastel artists. 

IAPS stands for The  International Association of Pastel Societies. It represents pastel societies worldwide to promote the medium of pastel. Every two years IAPS presents an amazing convention in Albuquerque New Mexico. It is a giant pastel party filled with demos, workshops, vendors, food and fun. 

It doesn't matter if you are brand new to pastels or a professional there is something for you at the convention. I have been to the last four conventions and it gets better every year. It really is a must for pastel artists!  Take a look at the preview and clear your calendar for next June! 

I will be doing a demo on painting wildflowers in the landscape 'The Landscape in Bloom' and a seminar on blogging for artists. I hope to see you there!

Can you help me?  I am working on my presentation for the convention and I want to be sure I cover the information that YOU want to know. Please ask me your questions about painting wildflowers. Your questions will help me create the most helpful demo/presentation possible. Thank you!  email your questions.

IAPS Convention 2015 Wildflower Demo #1

'Emergence'              16x20           pastel            ©Karen Margulis
painting available here $350

The boxes sat in the corner of my studio. They called out to be unpacked but I wasn't ready. I had just returned from almost two months of travel and was in the middle of planning for my fall classes. I didn't have time to open the boxes...even though I was curious.

Today I finally had a chance to open them and I would like to share the contents with you. The boxes contained the demo paintings I did at the IAPS convention in June. It was an amazing convention and I was honored and thrilled to be a part of it as an instructor. I did two presentations at the convention....a 3 hour demo on wildflowers and a 3 hour seminar on blogging for artists. I had a wonderful time sharing with artists who are just as passionate about pastels as I am.

During my wildflower demo I did three large paintings. In this post I am sharing my second demo....daisies done with a watercolor underpainting. I used Cretacolor aqua bricks for the underpainting and the painting is on Pastel Premier white sanded paper.

Group shot of the IAPS Master's Circle recipientsI was also honored to receive my Master's Circle medallion at the banquet. What a fantastic group of artists to share this honor with! We were all like kids as we received our award and cheered one another. It was an evening to remember!

Group shot of instructors and demonstrators

closeup detail of painting

I will be sharing the other demo paintings in upcoming posts. The convention was an amazing experience and I encourage you to make plans to attend the next one in June 2017!
Here is a report of the convention that you might like to read:

http://www.artistsnetwork.com/medium/pastel/iaps-convention-2015-the-greatest-pastel-party-on-the-planet

Why It is OK to Paint Something More than Once

'Summer Comes Gently'               9x12              pastel              ©Karen Margulis
purchase painting on Etsy $145

I don't ever worry about running out of things to paint. Inspiration can be found everywhere. In fact it is often difficult to settle down and pick something from the 33,000 photos in my photo files. Even though I have plenty of choices  I find I am drawn to some of the same images again and again. Some images just seem to speak more loudly than others. I listen!

I remind myself that is is OK to paint something more than once. In fact it is a good thing.

'Mountain Treasure'       pastel       8x10             $145

 Often we resist the urge to paint from the same reference more than once. Maybe we feel we need to try new subjects. After all once we have 'done' it what is left to learn?  There is plenty to learn!

• Painting something more than once helps us become intimate with our subject. The more comfortable we are the more we are able to take risks.
• Familiarity leads to more expression. Once we know our subject we have more success with making changes to our references. We can be more intuitive because we are already familiar with the scene.
• Painting something more than once allows us to explore other solutions. We can try new techniques, change paper size and/or orientation, change the point of view. The sky is the limit!
• We learn more because we aren't starting from scratch. We don't need to reinvent the wheel....only improve it!

I was asked recently if I had painted a meadow of poppies before. That led me to search thorough my paintings and quickly found these four poppy meadows. So the answer is Yes!  But each time I revisit this favorite motif I challenge myself to create something new. I enjoy the freedom that this old friend gives me to explore and discover new interpretations.

'Meadow Song'              9x12            pastel           $145

'Big Meadow'           8x10        pastel        $145

While we are on the subject of painting my favorite motifs,  I am working on preparations for my Wildflower demo for the upcoming IAPS convention. I do have some new openings for my  demo so if you are already registered you can add sessions now. Be sure to check the IAPS website to see all of the openings. You can add classes online by going to your registration record:

HOW TO GO BACK INTO YOUR REGISTRATION RECORD

Open the IAPS website at www.iapspastel.organd click on IAPS CONVENTIONS - 2015 CONVENTION  in the left sidebar, or click on the yellow and red convention logo in the lower left corner of the home page - either will take you to the convention pages.  Click on REGISTER and then scroll all the way down to the bottom of that page - you may need to use the slide bar on the right side to get right to the bottom of the page.

Click on LOGIN TO EXISTING REGISTRATION, enter your email address and your password and you will go to your registration record.

The Secret to Painting a Believable Meadow

'Meadow Walk'               9x12                pastel                 ©Karen Margulis
purchase painting here $145

I dream of running through a beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers. I think it goes back to my childhood and a trip to the North Carolina mountains. We hiked to the top of the mountain and picnicked in a picture perfect meadow. I carry this vision in my head. When I began painting I was drawn to landscapes with wildflowers. But when I tried to paint them they fell flat.

My wildflower meadows looked as if a child came in with a box of crayons and added dots of flowers. This wasn't the romantic vision in my head!

I was determined to paint a meadow, field, prairie, marsh [insert your favorite landscape] that looked authentic. I wanted my grassy areas to look believable. If I chose to add flowers I didn't  want them to look like a child added them.  After painting many, many meadows I have a much better understanding of the things that make a meadow work.  I have techniques and tips that I use to help me create the meadows in my dreams.

I will be sharing these tips and techniques next June in my 3 hour Demonstration at the IAPS Convention. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the faculty at the convention and to be able to share with my fellow artists.  I am planning a fast paced session packed full of demo paintings, tips and fun!  You don't want to miss it!


Here is one of my favorite tips for painting a wildflower meadows:

It is all about MASSING. The best way to approach a field filled with wildflowers is to treat the flowers as one big mass or collection of masses rather than painting lots of tiny dots. SQUINT and see the big simple shapes of the flower groupings. Paint these shapes. Then come back and add just a few individual flowers at the edges of the masses. Let the viewer fill in the rest. 



Registration for IAPS is MONDAY November 17th at noon ET  Visit the website here to look at the schedule and plan your classes. 

Three Tips for Collecting Blog Post Ideas

'Crossing Over'           16x20            pastel                ©Karen Margulis
painting available $250

 Sometimes the painting inspires the blog post. Sometimes a blog post inspires a painting. Sometimes I am stumped. I am at a loss for a blog post idea.  I sit in front of my computer staring at my daily painting on the screen and wonder what I will write. The wheels turn but nothing comes to mind. I am dry.

It can be a challenge to come up with interesting blog topics especially when I am committed to posting to my blog every day! Fortunately I find the 'Dry Days' to be few and far between. It is actually quite easy to come up with blog topics.  Here are three simple tips that help me generate new topic ideas.

demo painting before finishing touches

• Keep a list of blog ideas. I keep mine on a dry erase board. When I get an idea I write it down. I refer to these ideas on those 'dry days'. The important thing is to write down the idea as soon as it occurs to you. I find if I wait I will have forgotten it.

• Listen to feedback and comments not only on your blog but on others you may read. Comments and questions always lead to ideas for future posts. Write them down! I also get several art related daily email newsletters and they always provide food for thought and give me ideas for potential blog posts.

• Ask your readers what they would like to read about! There is no better way to be sure your readers find your blog interesting and useful than by asking them what they want!

I love the 3rd tip. It is something I haven't done in awhile so here is your chance. What would you like for me to blog about?  Share your requests in the comment section below. And thanks for following my blog!

Up Close and Personal with Wildflowers...The Red Poppy

'In Flander's Fields'            6x6             pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

I love a good zoom lens. When I am taking pictures I love to zoom in and get up close and personal with my subject. I love cropping and isolating the subject. I love focusing on just one thing allowing everything else to become less important. I am  also drawn to these quiet intimate vignettes when I am painting.  I love painting the big view...the vista....that big field of poppies. But then I am drawn in to a more intimate look.  I want to study a single poppy or two. I want them to become the star of the painting. I zoom in and bring them close for a more personal painting.

These paintings help me paint the larger view. Studying one or two blooms up close gives me so much more information about the flower. What shape is it? What is the growing habit? What colors are they? What kind of foliage does it have...foliage colors? I get the answers to my questions when I am painting close up views.

'Where Poppies Blow'        5x7        pastel      $75

It also helps to learn more about the flowers I am painting. Take the Red Poppy for example. Did you know that the wildflower Red Poppy is also known as Shirley Poppy, Flanders Poppy and American Legion Poppy?  These red poppies can be pink and white and they are not the same as the large red orange Oriental Poppies and smaller Icelandic poppies we see in gardens.

The Red Poppy is best known for the large meadows of poppies in Central Europe. They have become permanently linked to World War I where the fields of poppies disappeared during the war due to the unrelenting battles. You may recall the famous poem by John McCrae 'In Flanders Fields' written as he gazed at the fresh graves of his fellow soldiers in the poppy fields.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae
Written in Flanders on May 3, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

I will be sharing tips for painting both distant and close-up views of Wildflowers at the upcoming IAPS convention. My three hour demo will be packed full of information and several painting demonstrations. I am so excited about my plans for the 3 hour session. You will not want to miss it if you are coming to IAPS!  Remember that registration for classes and workshops is now on October 8th at noon on the IAPS website. 

Read more about the Red Poppy and order seeds for your own poppy meadow from American Meadows. 

Painting notes: Both paintings are done on gray Pastelmat paper with no underpaintings. I used Diane Townsend Pure color set soft pastels.

The Secret to Better Pastel Painting

'Garden Party Time!'           6x6          pastel   ©Karen Margulis
available for purchase $65

It is in your hands. There isn't just one simple answer to becoming a better pastel artist. But there is actually a simple way to make great progress. It is called IAPS.  If you aren't familiar with IAPS let me introduce you. I owe much of my growth as a pastelist to this wonderful group. IAPS stands for International Association of Pastel Societies and it is a non-profit organization uniting pastel societies worldwide. IAPS holds exhibitions and a fantastic biennial convention all designed to promote the luminous medium of pastel.

The IAPS biennial convention is the secret to becoming a better pastel artist and it is almost time to register for the next convention to be held June 2-7,  2015 in Albuquerque New Mexico.  Attending the convention has so many benefits and I will be sharing them in upcoming posts....but the most important thing it did for me was to introduce me to my Pastel Family.

That's right! Did you know you had a pastel family?

Family support and help is so important for our success in any endeavor. Being an artist can often be a lonely journey. Many of us have art friends but few of us are fortunate enough to live in an area with many pastel friends. We are often on our own when it comes to pastels and learning how to improve. When you attend an IAPS convention you will be among your pastel 'peeps' . We take over the Hotel Albuquerque and the rooms and halls are filled with everything pastel for the week. Take classes and workshops, attend demos and seminars all from the best instructors. Shop for the latest pastel supplies in the candy shop, trade tips and share with other artists from around the world. Everyone at the convention shares your passion for pastels. The effect this experience can have on your growth is huge!

Are you intrigued and wish to learn more? Visit the IAPS website and have a look at the details and schedule. Registration and hotel reservations open on September 15th. click here for the preview.

Sneak Preview: I am presenting two programs at the convention. One of them is a 3 hour demo on Painting Wildflowers. I will share my techniques for painting both wildflower meadows and close up flowers such as the poppies in today's post.

IAPS 2015.....How to Paint Wildflowers in the Landscape demo preview

'Coming in for a Landing'          12x12         pastel             ©Karen Margulis
sold

I've been buzzing ever since I got the word that I will be presenting two programs at the next IAPS convention!  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share with my fellow pastelists. I have attended the last three conventions and have learned so much from the demos and workshops I took. It is always so much fun to spend a few days immersed in all things pastels. I highly recommend planning to attend this next convention. Here are some details:

What: International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) 11th Biennial Convention

When: June 2-7 2015

Where:  Albuquerque, NM at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

I will be presenting two programs at the convention. Here are the preliminary details with more information to come:

-  a 3 hour seminar:  An Artist's Guide to Blogging  all about starting & maintaining an art blog

-  a 3 hour demo:      Wildflowers in the Landscape. This will be a demo packed full of my favorite tips and techniques for creating authentic and natural looking flowers in the landscape...both close up and distant views. 

I will be sharing more details about both programs but just wanted to share my news and give you a sneak peak at my process for painting Queen Anne's Lace. My demo will include a Queen Annes Lace painting! 

 There is plenty of time to start planning and saving for a trip to Albuquerque in 2015!  IAPS is an experience you will not want to miss!

watercolor underpainitng on mounted uart paper

This is a 12 x 12 painting on mounted Uart paper. I began with a watercolor underpainting and used my Terry Ludwig greens and Great American pastels. click on any photo to enlarge.

Finished!

close up photo of bees

I hope you enjoyed this mini demo. If you would like to see a more detailed step by step demo of a watercolor underpainting and wildflower painting see my pdf demo download here.  Or make plans to see my demo at IAPS 2015!

Getting Ready for IAPS part 2 ... Supplies

'Taos View'         8x10       pastel        ©Karen Margulis

So you are going to  IAPS this June.  Tickets are booked. Room reserved. Registered for classes. Now comes the tricky part.....packing pastels for travel. If you are attending demos only then you don't need to worry about packing supplies. But you will want to leave room in your carry-on for the goodies you will buy at the trade show (candy store) 

Each instructor has their own supply list so go to the IAPS convention page and print out your supply lists.  If you are driving to Albuquerque you will have it a bit easier but you will still want to organize and condense your supplies so it will be easy to haul around. The hotel is big!

NOTE about easels.  You will need to bring your own easel. I use a Bristol easel which fits into a travel  case. It is a good lightweight portable choice.

If you are flying it is going to take a bit of planning. The most important thing that you can do is plan to take your pastels with you in a CARRY ON bag.  I never put pastels in checked luggage. Not only does your luggage get thrown around (not good for pastels) They will inspect them! You want to be present so they don't open your box upside down! 

A backpack size Heilman box is good because it will fit into a carryon bag. But you really can make due with a smaller box. I have a small wooden game box that I fill with smaller pieces of pastels....I get a lot of pastels in a small box which fits into a messenger bag along with my other supplies.

A Travel friendly pastel set up

small box of assorted pastels fits into a small messenger bag

In my bag I can fit my pastel box, a pack of paper, a pad of tracing paper for finished paintings, a pouch for misc supplies such as clips, tape, baby wipes, pencils, sharpener.  I can also fit a small piece of foamcore backing. If I need a larger size, I score it, fold it and tape it together when I arrive.

This set up works well if you are able to paint small (no larger than 9x12).  If you are going to paint larger or bring a bigger easel then you will need to check your other supplies (not your pastels!!)  I have a nice rolling duffel bag that fits my easyL easel and tripod as well as larger papers and support board.

A NOTE ABOUT INSPECTION
There is about a 95% chance that your pastel box will raise red flags and need inspection by TSA agents. The pastels resemble ammunition so they will likely want to inspect the box. Allow extra time to go through security. Here is a bit of advice.

• Put a note on the box calling them artist chalks and directions on opening the box such as this side up or lay flat to open.
• When they take the box to inspect....do not touch your box. (I made this mistake) Ask them to see the note about opening the box. They got really testy with me when I trued to show them how to open the box but I am sure they wouldn't appreciate the mess of pastels all over the place!

I encourage you to see my first post about preparing for IAPS HERE  You may also like to read my post about preparing for a workshop HERE  (Links coming)

Getting Ready for IAPS part 1

'Southwest Dreams'         8x10         pastel       ©Karen Margulis

The IAPS Convention is approaching!  In case you are wondering this is the biennial convention of the International Association of Pastel Societies. The convention is June 6-9 2013 in Albuquerque New Mexico.  This will be my third convention.  I have had a lot of questions from first-timers. I am not an expert but I would like to answer some questions to the best of my ability.  If I don't have the answer I will find out! Send me your questions!  Let me start at the beginning.....

The convention is held at the Hotel Albuquerque. The latest update on the convention blog stated that there are still openings in classes and workshops so if you are undecided about going....there are openings!  The last I heard the Hotel Albuquerque was full (check)

GETTING THERE:

There is a great FAQ on the convention website Click here.  I just checked and some of the links are broken so I will answer here and give you my experiences.

Airport:  You will fly into the Albuquerque International Sunport.  I got a great fare the last time by creating a fare watcher on Kayak.com. When the sale popped up I jumped on it.  For my Canadian friends asking about non-stop flights. I wasn't able to find one so if anyone knows about flight options from Canada please comment!

Airport Shuttle:  I took the Sunport Shuttle directly to the hotel. I made advanced reservations but knew that some artists who didn't were able to share a shuttle and pay less. They met up at the shuttle desk. Get yourself a 'Get Dusty' button to let everyone know you are a pastel person! It is $28 RT if you are by yourself.

Outdoor workshop at the Hotel Albuquerque

STAYING THERE:
The convention is at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town. I just called and they are filled to capacity. Even the waiting list is filled. They don't anticipate any openings.  The other option is the Best Western Rio Grande which is a few blocks away. I checked online and they do have rooms available. Here is the link...Best Western Rio Grande Inn

If you need a roommate there is a box to check on your registration form. Also you can email IAPS. See the directions here.

WEATHER & WHAT TO WEAR:
Typical weather for June is warm...highs in the upper 80's but cooler in the evening with lows in the 60's.  It is DRY which is very noticeable for us easterners! Also consider the altitude and be prepared to stay hydrated!

DRESS is casual for the convention. You want to be comfortable for long days in workshops and demos.

• Past experience it has been COLD in the meeting rooms so be sure to have a sweater or light jacket if you feel the cold.
• If you will be painting outdoors don't forget a hat and sunscreen! 
• Comfortable shoes!
• Dress for the evening/banquet seemed to be business casual....not extremely dressy but not your paint clothes either. A nice top with a skirt, dress slacks or capris is what I remember.

WHAT TO BRING:
Here are some of the things you may want to bring. Feel free to add to the list in the comment section!

• Notebook and pen for notes during classes and demos.
• camera....for taking pictures of demos and the scenery.
• water bottle....it is dry and it is important to keep hydrated. 
• lotion
• snacks (more on food in another post)
• tote bag or mini backpack. I like to put my stuff in a mini backpack to carry around during the day. This way I don't have to run back to the room in between session.
• ART SUPPLIES....if you are attending a workshop you will need to bring supplies. If you are traveling by plane this can be a challenge. I will address this topic in my next post!

Inside the Candy Store....the trade show at the convention

I won the poster competition at the last IAPS convention. So exciting!

If you have any other questions send me an email or comment below!