Marlene's Creative Blog

2012-01-19T08:26:00.005-06:00

I love to see students concentrating on their projects. Sometimes they don't even know I have photographed them.

These were taken at my last jewelry workshop at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, AR.

Thanks Arts Center for letting me have the workshop there.

Feature Artist

2011-12-02T12:07:00.001-06:00

Come by and visit me tonight, December 2/ 5-9PM at the American Art Gallery or come and view my works during the month of December.

2011-10-31T08:12:00.000-05:00

Multi-media artist, Marlene Gremillion , formerly of West Monroe, now residing in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is the featured artist for November at Ouachita River Art Gallery.Marlene was a founding member and past president of ORAG, and she still enjoys being associated with the group. She loves contact with other artists, displaying her works at ORAG and throughout the state of Arkansas.

Marlene is an accomplished artist who works in many mediums and says she enjoys each one because she feels like she is always playing and having fun. Besidespainting in watercolor for over 25 years, Marlene also designs jewelry using Argentium Sterling Silver, and 14 Karat Gold wire with semi precious stones, and she creates fused glass pieces. This show will be an eclectic mix, from paintings to jewelry to glass work.

Gremillion is a signature member of Mid-Southern Watercolorists and LouisianaWatercolor Society and Publicity Chairman of Brush Strokes in Hot Springs Village,AR. Marlene enjoys sharing her knowledge by teaching at the Arkansas Arts Centerin Little Rock, at the National Park Community College Continuing Education (Hot Springs, AR) and a number of workshops throughout the state of Arkansas. She says, “Teaching is so enjoyable, especially watching others get excited when creating a piece of artwork.” She will be teaching a painting workshop, “Mixed Media on Yupo” at ORAG, February 18, 19 & 20, 2012 and a mother/ daughter jewelry class on March 24, 2012. You can see Marlene’s work on her web site at:www.marlenegremillion.com

The Ouachita River Art Gallery, 308 Trenton Street, West Monroe, invites you to come see this special show during the entire month of November. When you shop at your local gallery, you not only help our economy by keeping your money in the area, you also save on taxes and shipping. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Paintings and photographs by gallery members can also be seen at ORAG’s extension gallery located in the lobby of Ouachita Independent Bank/Bankers Mortgage Plaza at 18th and Louisville in Monroe. Call 322-2380 for more information.

Mini-abstract Workshop Feb 2011

2011-02-17T10:22:00.001-06:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Trip to Bacalar, Mexico

2011-02-14T21:59:00.014-06:00

Well I had a WONDERFUL time in Mexico and actually painted just a little bit. Thought I would share one of the paintings and the girls painting also. Will include a few photos of the area too.

AR River Valley Workshop

2011-01-09T18:01:00.001-06:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Jewelry Workshop at Arkansas Arts Center

2010-10-20T20:25:00.012-05:00

October 16 was an enjoyable Saturday for me teaching students to handle wire for jewelry making. They learned to make head pins, ear wires and fasteners. Just look at this group. Really a challenge to get good pictures in a tight space jewelry studio.

Tissue Collage ORAG 2010 (46 photos), by Marlene Gremillion

2010-08-07T09:49:00.001-05:00

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Multi Media Abstract, Painting Large Workshop

2010-07-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

Another great 3 days of creativity in an Abstract Painting Workshop. So good to see students create and work larger. The paint was flying and their wheels were spinning.

Workshop "Painting Flowers in a Different Way" at ESSA

2010-06-20T22:40:00.004-05:00

I just had another wonderful week. I spent it teaching a workshop titled "Painting Flowers in a Different Way" at the Eureka Springs Schools of Arts in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. A great group of students enthusiastic to learn all sorts of techniques in watercolor. Keep up the good work girls.

Video: Painting Tissue Paper with Acrylics

2010-06-09T21:55:00.006-05:00

Click and take a look at my new video and see what you think.

NPCC Continuing Education Student Art Show

2010-06-07T19:22:00.000-05:00

The National Park Community College Continuing Education Student Art Show is now ready for all to view. It is hanging at the Coronado Center in Hot Springs Village, AR and I am so proud of my students. Really a nice show and worth taking the time to view.

If you have a chance please go by and see. The center is open daily and the show will hang until July 29.

Here are a few pictures from today during the hanging.

Fun Day

2010-06-02T21:37:00.001-05:00

What a fun day I had today with the Saline County Art Guild in Benton, Arkansas. They asked me to teach a watercolor one day workshop and I decided we would do large flowers using wax resist. Fun, loose and freeing. Here are some pictures of them at work along with their end results.
(Be sure and click or scroll down to view all )

Arkansas Arts Center Summer Schedule for Art Classes

2010-05-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

Check out a new one day workshop I will be teaching at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock. Jewlery!

Title of workshop "Working With Wire"
Go to the web site and check it out.
www.arkarts.com/art_classes/
Then go to summer schedule.

There are a lot of really good classes and workshops.

Workshop In Eureka Springs, Arkansas by Marlene Gremillion

2010-05-20T16:05:00.000-05:00

Event

Title:: Painting Flowers in a Different Way -9am-4pm
When:: Jun 14, 2010 - Jun 18, 2010
Where:: Eureka Springs School of the Arts - Eureka Springs
Category:: My Upcoming Workshops

Description

This is an intensive five days experimenting with multi-media additions to watercolor to create very expressive large flowers. This will definitely loosen you up along with freeing you from the ordinary painting process in watercolor.

If you do not have all the materials bring what you do have and I am sure we can all share. I will be bringing wax for us to use.

Typically I do a demonstration first so you will understand what the process and then you will be doing the process yourself in your own unique style. You do not need to be an experienced watercolorists to take this workshop but you should be open to a loose creative attitude.

Students may contact me if they have questions: gremartist@gmail.com or 501-915-0937

Tuition: $275

To sign up online, click here or call the Eureka Springs School of the Arts at 479-253-5384.

Art Week Come by and visit

2010-05-13T19:04:00.002-05:00

Artist Demos for ART WEEK '10

Arkansas Studies Institute Galleries
401 President Clinton Ave., LR

Friday, May 14th
12:00pm - 4:00pm
Artist Marlene Gremillion will demo how to make greeting cards!

Tuesday, May 18th
12:00pm-2:00pm
Artist Kathy Bay will demo how to collage!

Free

For more information: www.butlercenter.org/art

Student work from assignment

2010-04-27T09:10:00.000-05:00

Take a look. Here is the official first student work from the assignment. Good job don't you think. Let's get some feed back and more photos!

Good observation of the surroundings and colors.

Painting Assignment

2010-04-04T18:21:00.000-05:00

Well some of my students suggested I make assignments for them to work on while I am taking a leave this semester.

I got to thinking maybe others might find this interesting so will post the assignments on my blog.

So if the spirit moves you try it. Then share with me what you have created and I can post on my blog. Have fun!

Well you all asked for it so here is your first assignment. Be open-minded with these assignments and relax and enjoy creating. That is the best part, enjoying. I plan on giving assignments every two weeks. Would love for you to send me photos of what you do.

ASSIGNMENT

Get you a cup of coffee early in the morning and find a comfortable place outdoors and just sit and enjoy and observe the color, light, shapes, temperature, sounds and subtle changes that are going on around you. Relax and breathe and let this moment in time take over your thinking and feelings.

Before you fall asleep from relaxation go and get your paints out.

You can work indoors but continue to feel the outdoors. Put on some relaxing music.

Wet a ½ sheet of watercolor paper on both sides or soak for a few minutes in water. Work real wet and see what the paint will do but first………..

Pull up in your memory the colors and temperatures you just observed outdoors. Get in the feel of the outdoors and paint that movement, shapes, sound and colors and whatever you observed.

1. What color did I observe

2. Were there warm or cool colors, what was dominate

3. What shapes did I see

4. Were they geometric or organic

5. Was there a lot of texture

6. Was everything light

7. Were there lots of dark areas

8. Was there a horizon line (high or low)

9. Was it windy or quiet

10. Are there other questions to ask myself

Don’t work on this piece too long. See if you can finish within 30 minutes. Set a timer. But think and remember what you felt before you put paint to paper.

Remember techniques you have learned. Could you use some of them in this piece?

The End of National Park Community College Continuing Ed Classes

2010-03-11T22:12:00.000-06:00

It is always a little sad to end a session of classes. I get excited to see what the students have created over the time period but so sad not to get together and have fun anymore. Sure hope all continue to create during the summer vacation.

One of my classes is requesting I give assignments and you know that sounds like a good idea. Maybe all of us will continue on to be creative artists when we have the challenge to create.

Here are a few photos of students works.

Feature on Butler Center Blog Spot

2010-03-05T16:23:00.001-06:00

Thought you might like to know I was the feature last week on the Butler Center Blog, Central Arkansas Library System. You can visit it at http://butlercenter.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

Just found this out. Take a look and see what you think.

National Park Community College Continuing Ed. Watercolor Class

2010-02-25T18:14:00.000-06:00

Last week I was not able to upload these photos of the Watercolor Class through NPCC Continuing Education here in Hot Springs Village, AR ...so thought I would try again because they are really wonderful pieces to view. These are all student works.

Preparing Design on Watercolor Paper before Painting

2010-02-25T17:50:00.000-06:00

Enjoyed this week once again. This time my Intermediate Watercolor Class at the Arkansas Arts Center began putting colored pencil lines and melted parafin as additions to their paper before painting. They found it relaxing to use the tinging tool like batik artists use. Take a look.

My First Watercolor Video

2010-02-25T11:01:00.004-06:00

Here you go my first watercolor video. Hope you can get something from it. Marlene

More Wonderful Student Works

2010-02-18T09:24:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am back again because I could not fit all the wonderful works on my last post. So here are some of the patterned works from the Arkansas Arts Center Intermediate Watercolorists

2010-02-16T20:32:00.008-06:00

Thank goodness this week I was able to have my classes. I did get nervous on Sunday though when it started snowing heavy and lasted for about 3 hours.A good thing the temperature was only around 36. It was certainly a pretty snow though and did stick to the trees and ground but not the road thank goodness. It did turn cold after it quit snowing so we are back to winter once again. It was exciting to see the students back in class. They had been doing some on their own and their works are really looking wonderful and creative. Just had to share some of their pieces. This grouping of pictures are from the Arkansas Arts Center Beginning Watercolor Class. A radial design was the assignment letting the student learn to manipulate their paint brushes, control water or wetness of paint and use a variety of colors and values. What a wonderful job they did.

Snow day today

2010-02-08T10:56:00.004-06:00

Well it is Monday and I am ready to teach but that was brought to a halt. We have 2 inches of snow and it is still coming down. Another make up day will need to be added. This was the day I was going to post some of my students works.....Oh well. I did do something fun this Saturday. I taught two lovely ladies how to wire wrap. They really did a beautiful job so will share those photos today.

Watercolor Lessons Up-dates

2010-02-03T15:59:00.000-06:00

Well I am progressing slowly with my pieces but thought I would let you take a look at some of the progress.

The students are actually creating much nicer pieces than me which I am so very proud of them. Hope to remember to take my camera next week and share some with you.

Here is the pattern piece I shared last time along with another piece I started with the National Park Community College Continuing Education Class both are not quite finished yet.

Next is the abstract piece which I am not sure I like it but will continue to work on.

And finally a "radial design" started with the Beginning Watercolor class at the Arkansas Arts Center. This gives students a chance to design an interesting piece and then have a piece that will give them lots of pactice with using their brush and blending and softening color along with water control. They may get upset with me before completing their piece because it is a slow process.

Progress of Teaching Pieces

2010-01-23T12:40:00.000-06:00

Intermediate Watercolor Class

Thought it might be interesting to view the on going progress of the pieces I am teaching. Here is a photo of the overlapping and see-through figures (design posted previously). As you can see with the initial underpainting of the thinned down clear gloss medium once I applied watercolor it made a resist which adds to the piece. I also decided to put my design on with permenant marker which also adds to the design factor.

I applied a radial design from warm to cool underpainting of watercolor and now am beginning to fill in the shapes with pattern. Have not decided just how to treat the background. May also make it designs unless I get totally sick of designs and shapes!

Beginning Watercolor

These two pieces are first begun by scribbling on your white paper. Now it is not white so no fear. Next three areas were covered with contact paper using small, medium and large shapes. Next some line work was created with a variety sizes of masking tape. If desired additional designed shapes were cut out with a craft knife in the taped areas.

Next the paper was wet thoroughly and painted wet into wet watercolor letting softness occur. Additional design shapes of wax paper applied (wax paper cut in desired shapes, I like circles) and also plastic wrap applied, then the entire piece is allowed to dry. We will begin to decide where the focal area is and will enhance and detail these areas. Will also apply glazes. We will see what happens next week!

Great To Be Back In The Groove

2010-01-12T14:14:00.000-06:00

Was really great to get back in the groove of teaching and get my paint brush to swinging.

Next week we will be painting patterns in shapes of figures. Should be exciting seeing the designs the students come up with. Think I will have them outline the figures with a permenant marker which will be adding something to the paper other than watercolor. I believe the design I will use is the one here and will work on 1/2 sheet of watercolor paper. Also believe it would be interesting small square size 7x7" and frame with a wide 5-6 matt. May try both just for fun and comparison.

The beginners will splash, paint and drip watercolor along with masking out shapes with tape and contact paper. Fun and loose along with learning added techniques.

Winter Session in Watercolor....trying again

2010-01-10T15:26:00.000-06:00

Well will try again to begin my Winter sessions in Watercolor at the Arkansas Arts Center. I do believe the weather will be slightly better.

Thought I would share just a bit of what we will be doing.

Beginner Watercolor:
We will be doing a composition that will have a color wheel included in the abstract design. It was a difficult decision for me to make for the first lesson since there will be beginners and those repeaters who think they are still beginners.

Along with the color wheel will be other abstract shapes drawn in which I will have them do a variety of watercolor techniques in these shapes learning a variety of techniques to have as a "color wheel / technique sampler ". Should be challenging to the beginners, repeat beginners and me too!

Intermediate Watercolor:
This is a group that has been taking from me for a while and last session I told them I taught them all I know. They said not so, that I would come up with something. Well I have. I decided to apply stufff to our paper therefore painting watercolor onto a slightly to modeerately modified watercolor surface. This has made me dig deep into my past experimental works. Hope they enjoy.

Tomorrow should be interesting for them. Will have them mark over their paper randomly with clear parafin wax. Then next we will rotate as a class and put some watercolor mark, design, etc. on everyones piece. Next I will have the students return to their piece and complete the work by creating a focal point , design or whatever the piece needs to be completed. This should be a challenge for the entire group but also a good ice breaker for the first class.

Now I am just hoping everyone will return next week.......................

AAC Make up Day

2010-01-04T15:16:00.002-06:00

Just booked the make up day for my art classes that were canceled today January 4. Make-up will be March 15, 2010 same times as we normally meet.

What a day

2010-01-04T12:50:00.000-06:00

What a day this has been and it isn't even noon yet.
Class was canceled due to slick roads from a dusting of snow.

Well at least I got to settle in and enjoy another cup of coffee.
Not so........................
Our flu caught on fire so there ended up being a 911 call early this morning before 8am. Fun but at least it turned out okay. Burned only in the flu with no damage to the house. I can't believe it after going outside and looking at the flu ablaze.

Now of course we are expecting the coldest snap yet down in the single digits this week and no good warm fire until we clean out the flu. The roof is too slick from the snow to take care of that. Guess we will have to layer and use the cold electric heat!

Arkansas Arts Center Classes begin Monday

2010-01-02T13:44:00.000-06:00

I am beginning a new series of art classes in Beginning Watercolor and Intermediate Watercolor on Monday January 4, 2010. Looking forward to getting back with everyone.

Have painted a color wheel to place in the classroom. Feel it is important to know your color wheel while painting and now there will be one to refer to.

See what you think. Will it work?

We will be experimenting with treatments to the paper surface. Should be interesting and totally experimental?????!!!!!!

Also here are two of my pieces I just hung at the Artists Workshop Gallery in Hot Springs this week.

Happy Painting,

Marlene

Happy New Years Eve

2009-12-31T11:07:00.000-06:00

Hope all are well and preparing those New Year's resolutions. Marlene