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Welcome Back!  Painting on Location
 La Primavera Children’s Parade
Much excitement since March. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico workshop sponsored by Flying Colors was a smooth, seamless, creative journey. Our own, private studio overlooking the city. We painted everyday, either in our spacious studio or in the Jardin next to the spectacularly sculptured cathedral.  Bob & a Few Friends
 San Miguel de Allende Street Scene We return for another workshop in San Miguel in March, 2015.  Jean, Bob, Nancy & Dena Next I flew to Dena Wenmoh’s Ranch outside of Austin, Texas for a weeklong workshop at the Bunkhouse. Many familiar and returning painting friends. It felt like alumni week with 15 creative and loose painters. I was pleased to complete a few new large pieces myself!  Family Visit in Monterey Once home again, we took a day off and drove north to Monterey to visit my daughter, her husband and our granddaughter Kylan. Then we packed for the Kentucky Watercolor Society workshop. Next I shoot over to Granbury, Texas for one of my favorite workshops – Larger & Looser.  Parlor Tricks Series - The Secret of the Multiplying Balls Oh, I even squeezed in some studio time - new works for the Cambria gallery, The Vault. And finally, received notice I was juried into the Sausalito Art Festival. This is my 16th time. You’ve heard me speak with great love for this organization and their respectful treatment of artists. Larbor Day Weekend. See it online www.sausalitoartfestival.org. You’ve got to experience this art festival once in your life.  Opening Night & Bob with Mark Thomas PS – After a week at Dena’s Bunkhouse, Kate met me in Austin to attend my opening reception of “The Magic Circus” at Mark Thomas Studio. What a night to remember! This is my third fundraiser art show benefitting Project Transitions. Mark and his talented crew hung the exhibit in his upscale hair salon, turning the shampoo bowls into iced champagne tubs. Need I say more? The boys know how to throw a bash! The evening raised much needed funds and more importantly awareness. Each and every person can make a big difference in every community. More Fun News – The Artist’s Magazine, June issue  Bob in Studio I received a special opportunity from the Artist’s Magazine. The June issue (available online and in newsstands now) features an article on my work and studio practices. The magazine sent me a few pages of questions to answer. Christine McHugh, the managing editor, turned the information into an impressive article titled “On the Move!” Chris writes “Footloose, inventive and dynamic, Robert Burridge experiments with acrylic and collage in evolving series.” At least I didn’t come off as “too crazy” – but you be the judge. Anyway, I’m honored and really excited to be featured. Click here to purchase and download the digital magazine. International Workshops  November 24 - December 4, 2013 and December 5-17, 2013  October 7-11, 2013 Plein Air Painting with Bob in Hawaii! 5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday) www.artinthemountains.com
Loose Interpretative Painting on Location Casa de Los Artistas Boca de Tomatlan, 10 miles South of Puerto Vallarta Contact Robert Masla, (413) 625-8383
Workshops in the Spotlight May 26-31, 2013 June 7-9, 2013 Wow Your Next Painting with Goof Proof Color Combos 3-day Workshop (Friday-Sunday) Art Box Studio 1302 Monte Vista, Unit 9, Upland, CA 91786 Contact Sylvia Megerdichian (909) 981-4508 or artboxsylvia@netzero.net www.artboxworkshops.com July 22-26, 2013 Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting 5-Day Workshop (Monday-Friday) Cloudcroft Art Workshops in New Mexico Contact Linda Shiplett, (575) 687-2453 Registrar@CloudcroftArt.com or Lshiplett48@yahoo.com PO Box 1202, Cloudcroft, NM 88317 September 16-20, 2013 Abstract Acrylic Painting & Collage 5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday) Vancouver Island Art Workshops Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (Saanich Fairgrounds) Contact Mary Stewart, 250-716-1440 marystewart@telus.net www.VancouverIslandArtWorkshops.com Date Change Alert: The dates for this year’s Art of the Carolinas has changed! New dates are November 8-10. Workshops start on Thursday 11/7. For information, contact Sharon DiGiulio, 800-827-8478 x 146 or Sharon@jerrysartarama.com My 2014 Workshop Schedule is now online! And take note of the workshops in Cuba, Hawaii and Mexico. Hope to see you at one of these, as well as the others closer to you. Click here for more of my International Workshops - for dates and destinations, materials list and packing tips!. We Want to Hear From You! Keep those Studio Tips and your questions coming! If we use yours in an ArtsyFartsy Newsletter, we will send you a Burridge Permission Mug.  Permission Mug and Wrist Band We heard you already! Okay, I misrepresented myself in our last newsletter. In the how-to article, I demonstrated how to mount 19”x19” watercolor paper, deckled edge all around, onto a 20”x20” Cheap Joe’s Prime Really Good Cradled Painting Panel. The finished result looks really cool, contemporary and needs no frame, etc. (see article, March 2013 ArtsyFartsy Newsletter) However, afterwards I got numerous emails with the question, “Where do I buy 19”x19” 300 lb watercolor paper that’s deckled on all 4 sides?” I apologize for the confusion. The answer: I hand tear and deckle my own 19”x19” paper from a 22”x30” sheet of Fabriano Cold Press watercolor paper. So… Studio Tips to keep you Loose!
Tearing Watercolor Paper  Bob Prepping the Paper When I work on watercolor paper, I prefer Fabriano papers. I also prefer the paper edges deckeled - rough and unfinished. It adds a handcrafted quality to the finished painting. Having said that, when the full sheet is trimmed with a knife or cut with scissors however, I lose one or two of the deckel edges. That’s a problem! Solution: Tear the paper. The edges stay deckeled all around. The following is the approved, no nonsense way to tear paper. No special tools are required! (like those special “deckel edge metal rulers or serrated scissors)  Folding the Paper For a standard size half sheet, fold the full sheet of watercolor paper in half. Press down on the crease with a roller, a hard tool or even the back of your brush handle. Make a hard crease.  Making a Crease The secret to tearing paper is to fold the paper back the other way and press down on the crease again. The paper crease now becomes more flexible and easier to tear apart.  Making a Cone Now for the actual tearing - Hold and fold the paper as though you were making a paper cone. Starting at the top of the crease, make a small tear. Tear the paper AWAY from itself - do not tear it by pulling the paper towards you (it will tear diagonally) - tear it away from yourself. This will result in a beautiful deckel edge! Continue folding and tearing until you reach the size you want. A half sheet tears down to two standard quarter sheets and so on.  Tearing the Paper This technique works on both 140 lb and 300 lb paper, gessoed or non-gessoed. No need to wet the crease beforehand. More importantly, tear when the paper is completely dry and remember to tear the paper away from itself. And… Tearing a Deckled Edge I like 4 deckle edges when I float or mount watercolor paper. Yes, you have to tear it - slightly cut the back side of the paper. Don't cut all the way through, just score it and tear it.  Score the Paper  Crease the Paper  Tear the Paper Away from the Front  Front Appears to be Deckled
Painter’s Keys – What are These For?  What Are These For? These wooden wedges are called “keys.” They are used to stretch a canvas tighter. When you purchase a canvas, it comes with eight thin, wooden keys. The better canvases supply you with eight of these wooden wedges. The less expensive canvases may supply you with eight unusable pieces of plastic wedges – they are useless, so recycle.  Keys Wedged in the Corner The classic, early canvas paintings consisted of oil on cotton, hemp or linen fabric, stretched tightly over a wooden frame. Eventually and over time the fabric would sag or loosen from the wooden frame. The technique to re-stretch or “tighten up” the canvas in those days (and still today) was to push out those four wooden, expandable stretcher bars by inserting and wedging in the wooden keys at each corner. Ask your local framer how to do it. Bottom line: Save those keys. I have more tips for loosening up! Check out my Loosen Up Studio Workbook for more techniques to help you stay loose, relaxed and creative!  Click here for product information. Ask Kate about Art Marketing
August 5-8, 2013 Abstract Acrylic Painting & Collage + 1-day Art Marketing 4-day Workshop (Monday-Thursday) Jim from California asks a two-part question… After completing a series of several pieces and pulling the not-so-great ones for further study, when do you photograph or document the series or individual work you are going to promote? Thanks for both your questions Jim! They are certainly related, as I consider photographing for documentation part of the inventory process. When Bob thinks a painting is done, he will varnish it, sign it and then photograph it. It will be named at that time too (provided it doesn't already have a title. Sometimes he titles it early on in the painting process to stay focused.) We generally photograph a paper piece that will be mounted before mounting it. Sometimes we will take a photo of it mounted too. And how do you establish a "system" for documentation. Breaking it down by year, month, etc. cross-referencing with title or what? This seems like a very important step and needs to be kept as simple as possible so that it gets done routinely. When I put the new painting in inventory - I record the following: 1) Inventory number 2) Title 3) Medium & substrate (acrylic on paper, mounted on canvas, etc) 4) Location 5) Retail Price Then, after the painting has been purchased, I record the following: 6) Sale price 7) Purchaser information Inventory number - My numbering system is two-fold: The first two numbers are the year of creation, followed by a "-" - then the rest of the number is an on-going chronological list. I do not start the numbering system over each year. So right now, our next inventory number is 13-2634. We do not place the small paper paintings in this inventory - usually only 12x12 on canvas and larger.  Bento Art Inventory Software My inventory software is Bento for Mac. Bento is not available for PC at this time, but there are versions for an iPad and iPhone! Thanks again Jim - Hope this helps!
Art Marketing Books!
 All Marketers Are Liars: The Underground Classic That Explains How Marketing Really Works--and Why Authenticity Is the Best Marketing of All by Seth Godin Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Portfolio Trade; Reprint edition (April 24, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1591845335 ISBN-13: 978-1591845331 Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches 
Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers by Seth Godin Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (May 6, 1999) Language: English ISBN-10: 0684856360 ISBN-13: 978-0684856360 Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.2 inches
Click HERE for details for Hot Art Marketing Workbook.  Kate Your Art Marketing Girl Click HERE for top of page.
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Burridge Composition Chart App
We are so excited! The Burridge Composition Chart App is now available in the App Store and Google Play for for iPhone, iPad and Android! Remember to do a search for "Burridge Composition Chart".
Our new Composition Chart App shows Bob’s twelve favorite design compositions for making the structure of a painting -- all in an easy to use, pinch-to-zoom app.
The dynamic color combinations shown on the chart are from the Burridge Goof Proof Color Wheel. Imagine painting your next powerful masterpiece with this studio chart nearby on your iPad, iPhone, Android or tablet in your studio! It’s helpful when you get offtrack and need to refocus your composition. The Composition Chart is a quick guide for either abstract or representational painters. New Holbein Artist Acrylic  Bob and New Holbein Artist Acrylic How did the best acrylic paint get better? It got bigger! From a small 40ml tube to the now larger 60ml tube. And some new colors I’ve never seen before. The paint is still 100% acrylic polymer, and when fully dried stays flexible.  2013 Holbein Color Chart To familiarize myself with the new names and colors, I made my own color chart of every color they offer. This heavy body acrylic is a top professional paint I use everyday in my studio. No fillers. Just pure color pigment and me! No need for any medium, ever. Burridge Color Comparison Chart
 New Color Comparison Chart This new and improved Color Comparison Chart is now included in both our Color Wheel Studio Charts and Travel Wheels. We have added a few more manufacturers to make it even easier to identify your goof-proof color combinations. You can download a PDF of the new Color Comparison Chart by clicking here. Burridge Color Wheel Put to Test by Painting Horse!  Metro Painting! Really! This is fantastic! Ron Krajewski wrote me an email several months ago about a retired racehorse named Metro that he adopted off the track with knee injuries. Since his knees keep him from being a riding horse, Ron taught him to hold a paint brush in his mouth and paint abstracts. Ron reports that Metro is now gaining national attention and paintings are selling faster than he can paint them. Proceeds from the sale of his paintings go to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program to help other retired racehorses find homes.  Metro and a Goof-Proof Color Combo Abstract This is from Ron: “I just wanted to let you know that we use the Burridge color wheel a lot to come up with color schemes for his paintings. Here is a link to his Facebook page www.facebook.com/PaintedByMetro - click here for the news story about him on CBS news. Click here to view the Metro's Today Show appearance video.
 Metro & Jill Rappaport The latest news is Metro has been featured on 5 different news channels, a couple of which got picked up by affiliates across the country. Several different newspapers, and even went viral and made the front page of MSN.com. There is a waiting list 46 people deep at the local gallery, so his paintings don't even make it to the gallery walls anymore. They give 50% to Racehorse Adoption, and in the 4 months that Metro and Ron have been painting together they have raised over $10,000 for New Vocations. And Bob says... So much for four years of art school. Recommended Products Dorland’s Wax  Dorland’s Wax Medium I’m staring at a gallon of Dorland’s Wax in front of me. It has the consistency of a fine cream – a combination of wax and petroleum. It does not dissolve in water so therefore has been a popular “last protective coat” over oil and acrylic paintings. Once applied, the waxy coat buffs out into a beautiful soft sheen. I like it. When my paintings are finished, signed and photographed, I rub this material into and all over the completely dried painting with a clean, soft hand rag. After an hour, I buff the surface again with a dry, soft rag. The results feel and smell like… well, an important piece of art. With a satin finish, it’s an alternative finish to my usual clear satin acrylic varnish. Bristle Magic Brush Cleaner ARTISTS LOVE THIS STUFF!  Bristle Magic Brush Cleaner By now you know I have a few favorite brush cleaners. And here’s another new one! Bristle Magic. It does what I look for in a cleaner. It does the cleaning job, no matter how dead the brush is. After many cleanings, the bristles still have that like-new spring. Bristle Magic is safe and really cleans AND reconditions my paint brushes to the original softness. Go to www.bristlemagic.com Recommended Books  This writer’s research and actual details drew me into this “taste it” time period. I am curious about the lives of those painters who plowed the fields before me. What did they do everyday? Sue Roe’s research inside their homes, studios and unconventional lives helps explain why these painters are the most renowned community of fine artists. My copy is an actual book! It feels and smells good again.
Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (October 23, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 0060545593 ISBN-13: 978-0060545598 Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches  This writer forgot to just say no in the 70s. And that’s only one of the reasons his writing is a bizarre and raucous journey. Think of yourself as a small, spy journaling from behind the scenes goings-on of the Impressionists. I rate this book as art-hysterical, full of demented painters scurrying between brothels, baguettes and blue paint. It’s full of actual insights and “interviews” with all the artists (wink wink) The real interesting thing is I’m reading both of these books at the same time. One is for real and the other is … not.
Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 9, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 006177975X ISBN-13: 978-0061779756 Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches Bob’s Favorite Magazine!  Bomb Magazine, Spring 2013 This anticipated quarterly is a beautifully produced and intellectually approachable magazine. Filled with conversations between artists, writers, actors, directors and musicians since 1981, each publication feels good throughout – probably because the writers’ section is printed on soft, old-book-style paper! The deeper coverage of the current art scene (mostly New York) inspires me to stay on my toes and paint more. I can’t throw any of the issues away. bombsite.com - Look at their Bomblast and Bomblog too! Studio Music  In my studio, I’m taking advantage of a great app – Pandora. Most of you know all about Pandora! I can choose music either to paint with or drum with. This month, some of my current and eclectic listings include: Thievery Corporation, Space Jazz, Mozart, Dixieland Jazz, Keith Jarrett and Philip Glass. Depending on my head and where I want to go, I choose the studio sound that gets me “there” sooner! For me, music and painting go hand-in-hand, yin and yang. Try this Assignment Step-by-Step, Painting of the Month  Bob with Painting of the Month You may know of my ongoing Painting of the Month Club. It’s just like a wine club – only monthly you receive a 6”x9” original painting. The subjects vary each month, depending what I’m painting. Just like a wine club, the paintings are half price. You receive a finished 6”x9” original, signed acrylic on paper painting, matted in a 12”x16” white mat, backboard and clear envelope. The 6”x9” “warm-ups” that did not make the cut during the previous month are fodder for do-overs. No matter the image, I paint over all of them next month’s image. Most get finished all together – at the same time. These paintings become candidates for the next Painting of the Month.  Pineapple Warmups I enjoy taking my little “problem children” and turning them into little gems. The painting process keeps me fresh, humble and full of practice, practice, practice.  Step 1 Temporarily tape the old paintings onto a large board. It acts as a tray and I can carry the paintings around as a unit.  Step 2 Decide what I’m painting. This time, a pineapple. With a large brush, loosely put in shapes and color right on top of the old painting, disregarding the under painting. Let dry.  Step 3 Define shapes with opaque paints.  Step 4 Emphasize light source and light against dark areas.  Step 5 Finish by redefining shape all around and punching up the color with a small surprise of color.
 Step 6 Finish, sign, varnish and send to the club members.  Pineapples Finished! For more information about The Painting of the Month Club click here.
Inspiration – Make a Decision … and make it Happen!  I made a decision 25 years ago. I was not interested in working in front of a computer. I was interested in making paintings. I was paying more attention to reading about the lives of painters and painting everyday. That’s how I became a fulltime painter. You can’t be half a painter.  New Work in the Studio Today I paint what is still new for me. This new stuff hopefully expands the creative side of the brain, or so I’ve heard. And finally, I like making things. Don’t we all? For me, making a painting seemed the straightest and most clear path of least resistance towards happiness and fulfillment. Make this sign and hang it in your painting area: “Decide what you want, then make it happen.”  Workshop Wall at the Kentucky Watercolor Society And then, make another sign: “Authentic Creative Expression comes from Attention and Intentions.” More on that in next month’s Newsletter! Enjoy your springtime!  It’s Dangerous Out There! Recommended Websites Creativity Summit - www.thecreativitysummit.com Citra Solv LLC - www.citrasolv.com Dillman’s Creative Arts – www.dillmans.com Sausalito Art Festival - www.sausalitoartfestival.org Bristle Magic - www.bristlemagic.com Matboard & More - www.matboardandmore.com Project Transitions - www.projecttransitions.org   Copyright ©2014 Robert Burridge. All rights reserved.
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