University Art - Newsletter

The Community Artist

University Art Newsletter Vol. 1 Issue 5, September 2002

ART ORGANIZATIONS SPOTLIGHT

The Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society is the focus of this month's spotlight. This organization just celebrated the club's thirty-fifth anniversary with a tremendous show at The Triton Museum in Santa Clara.! Meeting at different locations, four times a month for plein-air painting, this group is currently 300 members strong and growing . Some of the country's top watercolorists and instructors are long time members of S.C.V.W.C.S. For information on painting sites call Elaine Revell (408) 868-9023 or check out their website at www.scvws.org.

COMING SOON

Mountain View Art and Wine Festival
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on 9/7 & 9/8. El Camino at Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View. (650) 968-8378

Capitola Art and Wine Festival
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 9/14 & 9/15, Village by the Sea Capitola. (831)475-6522

Polk Street Festival
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 9/21 & 9/22, Polk Street between Jackson and Bush in San Francisco. (415)383-3470

If you have exhibit info that you want to have posted please e-mail at snjbram@aol.com

TRIVIA AND STUFF JUST FOR FUN

A frequent motif in early cave paintings, handprints were done in both positive prints and negative outlines. These prints were almost always of the left hand, as the right hand was used for painting. Interestingly enough these palm prints were frequently female! The colors used were pulverized minerals such as ochres and manganese dioxide (black and violet) and charcoal black mixed with animal fats. Ironically, these paintings, which survived the elements for centuries, are now exhibiting decay not from age, but from atmospheric pollution.

ASK BRAMSCHANDOZ

Q: What is the difference between vine and willow charcoal?

A: Willow charcoal is made from willow tree branches of different diameters that are charred at high temperature in the absence of oxygen to prevent them from burning outright. Vine charcoal is made from different types of woody vines that are charred in the same way. Vine charcoal tends to be a bit softer than willow and therefore is darker in appearance. In both cases, the longer the wood is charred, the harder and lighter it becomes and this is how the different grades are arrived at (soft, medium and hard).

JEFF'S TIPS

When framing a pastel painting, try reversing the bevels on the mats that you choose. Over time, pastel dust will fall off the surface of the painting. By reversing the bevels of the mat(s) the dust will fall behind the bevels and will not be seen.

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