News from Maui!

My husband and I are spending the next six months in Maui. I'm planning on doing a LOT of painting, and have just joined Maui Hands, a wonderful art gallery. This is the view from my studio.

In February 2011, I will be participating in a brand new annual art event on Maui, called the Maui Open Studios. It is an exciting island-wide event of self-guided tours of artists studios and exhibitions taking place the first 3 weekends of February every year. I am one of over 100 artists who are participating in the inaugural event in 2011. The event includes a festive Opening Celebration and Preview Exhibition on Friday, February 4 at the Maui Tropical Plantation. There will be live music and a cash bar and artwork to preview from the participating artists. The Opening Celebration is followed by 3 weekends of artist open studios including mine. The event is entirely free for the public.

My event /show will be during Weekend #2 (Feb. 12-13) from 10am - 6pm on both days. Please check out my artist profile, samples of my work and my show details on the Maui Open Studios website at http://www.MauiOpenStudios.com Click on my name in the alphabetical listings in Weekend #2 to view my information.

I would appreciate it if you could share this information about my show with your friends and art lovers and I hope to see you then!

Aloha, Kathleen

North American Watercolor Artists- NAWA

SIX AMERICAN ARTISTS TO REPRESENT THE U.S. IN THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL WATERCOLOR BIENNIAL IN MEXICO

Mark Mehaffey, Nicholas Simmons, Keiko Tanabe, Carol Carter, Thomas W. Schaller, and Kathleen Alexander have formed the North American Watercolor Artists, a group of six U.S. watercolor artists, to represent the United States in the IX International Watercolor Biennial in Mexico. The exhibition will be held at the National Museum of Watercolor in Mexico City, December 5, 2010 through February 13, 2011. Artists representing countries in five continents are participating in the Biennial, which is invitation-only. Begun in 1994, the purpose of the Biennial is to establish or enhance friendly relationships among watercolor artists and promote watercolor painting around the world.

I'm so honored to be included in this outstanding group of artists, and to be representing the United States. I've included the websites of all the members of the group, so please visit. Each artist has a unique style that represents a different facet of watercolor painting.

Web addresses:

Mark Mehaffey www.mehaffeygallery.com

Nicholas Simmons www.nicholassimmons.com

Keiko Tanabe http://ktanabefineart.com

Carol Carter www.carol-carter.com

Thomas W. Schaller www.twschaller.com

Kathleen Alexander www.kathleenalexanderwatercolors.com

The painting I sent to the exhibition is titled "Gratitude" 21x29".

Palo Alto Festival of the Arts

I'll have a booth at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts this weekend, August 28-29 on University Avenue in Palo Alto. It's a great festival (& the food is surprisingly good for a street fair!). We just moved, and life seems to be getting back to normal. I've been painting some new wine grapes and am trying to finish them for the Kings Mountain Art Fair, Labor Day weekend.

La Jolla Festival of the Arts

I got late notice that I was accepted into the La Jolla Festival of the Arts. La Jolla is in the San Diego area, so this will be the farthest I've travelled for an art festival. I'm so excited! The festival is June 26-27, and is held on the UC San Diego Campus East. Here's their web address: www.lajollaartfestival.org. If you're in the area, please come by and say hi!

March Workshop: Painting Flowers

Fabulous hibiscus paintings by the March workshop group!

February Sunflowers Workshop

At the end of February I held a workshop on painting sunflowers. What a talented group of painters! Here are some of the photos from the workshop:

Watercolor Artist magazine April 2010 issue

Plumeria Painting

Okay, I've done another plumeria painting during the past week. I started this painting for a demonstration I did for the Los Altos Art Club on January 11. It's on a full sheet of watercolor paper. I never get tired of this subject.

Big Art- Lotus Pond

Here is the finished painting. I was just able to get it into the back of my minivan yesterday. Once it's framed, I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to transport it. (Uh-oh). Framing is the next dilemma. I'm choosing between floating it with torn/deckled edges and no mat, and wrapping foamcore with white linen, overlapped in the corners. I'm leaning towards the first option.

Lotus Flowers 60x40" In Progress

I'm getting closer to the end! I like painting big, but this is the painting that swallowed the studio. I think I'll need to take over my dining room next time I do a 40x60. I've been listening to David McCullough's "1776" for those of you who like audiobooks. It's great. Probably should be listening to the Dali Lama considering the subject matter. Oh well.

I'm giving a painting demonstration next Monday, January 11, 2010 at the Los Altos Art Club (7pm). It's free and non-club members are welcome.