by Jill Stefani Wagner

  I know, I know. It seems like with all these workshops and classes, there’s hardly any time to paint what we actually PINE to paint! (In my case, landscapes and interiors.) But the quick sketches and paintings of figure models that I do in class are very informative to me in almost everything I do out in the field… and I would argue that they’d be beneficial for you as well.   When I work outside, I need to decide on a view, and arrange a composition or design for my painting. I usually start on a toned background and block in the [...]

  People are often amazed that I go to so many figure and portrait classes. After all, I don’t consider myself a portrait painter and I rarely create paintings with people as the focal point. But I know of no better way to learn to really SEE than to paint the figure.   Our bodies and faces are sooooo complicated, each one totally unique. And when we glance at someone, these little differences tell us exactly which person is in front of us. An arch of an eyebrow, the size of the nose, the sparkle in the eye, the curve of a hip…these are [...]

  Thank you my friends, for following my work on this artblog and sharing this wonderful journey with me!   Wishing you happy holiday times and a new year that is safe, loving and peaceful in these stressful times! Much love to all~ [...]

WOW. My socks where blown off last week.   When I opened the email telling me that Plein Air Magazine’s new Plein Air Salon Awards had been chosen, I expected to be texting my a few of my artist buds to congratulate them on being chosen in the competition. But this time I got a surprise. TWO awards for MY paintings. I am soooo honored and grateful to be able to make a career and friends in the art world!   I was especially happy to be recognized for an oil plein air painting. I feel like I am still a bit of a newbie in [...]

These are really abbreviated paraphrases (in no specific order) of a few of the many things we artists learned at the Kim English Workshop. Some of them seem so obvious, but are things I often forget. Others were completely new to me and helped me approach my paintings in a new way. You’d have to attend one of Kim’s workshop to get the full explanations of these wonderful tips.   Thanks so much to Kim English, all of the welcoming Cincinnati Art Club artists and especially the group leader Eileen McKonkey who shepherded us all through the event.   •  Mass all big shapes in at the [...]

I’ve had a hard time keeping up lately. Time just seems to fly and I’ve been feeling like I am constantly a couple of steps behind. It always seems like NEXT season it will slow down…but somehow it never does…   But the good news is: As busy as I’ve been, I gave myself permission to take a workshop in November. Not just any workshop mind you, but a class by one of my favorite painters, Kim English. (More about this amazing event later.)   I used to take at least one workshop a year when I was first getting back into the art world. I [...]

  Open Studio day dawned cold and very rainy. Not what you want to wake up to when you are hoping for a large crowd of art seekers! But the visitors did slowly arrive. Old friends I hadn’t seen in years, recent collectors, artist buds, advertising colleagues and new art lovers. We had such fun, very nice sales and 3 new commissions! I want to thank everyone who made their way to my studio, despite the crummy weather. You are troopers! If you couldn’t make it, but would still like to see the art, I’m leaving everything up for a couple of [...]