I Double-Dog Dare Ya!

Anyone who has seen "The Christmas Story" knows about the Double-Dog Dare!  Well, being asked to do a double-dog portrait two weeks before Christmas felt like that.

Gremlin & Violet, pastel, 18x24"©Kim Werfel



This portrait really was delightful....these two border collie/Australian Shepherd mixes were adopted from an animal shelter...at different times, but look like they could have been from the same litter.  Their happy expressions tell us how loved and well-cared for they are.

I'll walk you through some of the steps I took creating them....first was the selection of a grey Wallis paper, 18x24".   Then I sketched in the large shapes and values with black pastel and an alcohol wash.

I started to experiment with color to liven up the black dogs....

 

 

 

 

Used a variety of warm colors that were in the leaves of the photograph for the background....

 

 

Finished with more attention to the back-lighting and details in the eyes, nose and expression.

They plan to frame them and have them on the wall Christmas morning!  So exciting to be part of a family's Christmas surprise present!

Hoping you all have a lovely, happy and memorable Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year!

Kim

Great, unique gifts for Christmas....and "Queen" wins Second Place!

The Chatham Arts Studio Tour is celebrating it's 20th year of providing fabulous, unique gifts for the holidays!   My "Keeping Warm" and "Squirrel" sold last weekend, but I still have some more smaller affordable original art pastels available for your art connoisseur!

"Egret", pastel, 5x7", museum glass, white wood frame, $95

 

 

"Ferdinand", pastel, 6x6", wide plein-aire Gold, Black or distressed wood frame, museum glass, $95

 

 

"Curious Kid", 6x6", pastel, warm wood frame, museum glass, $95

 

Giclee prints of my award-winning deer pastels as well as a large assortment of note cards can make one-of-a-kind gifts not found anywhere else.

 

Oh....almost forgot to share that my "Queen of Swords" came in 2nd Place at the Central Carolina Community College Show!!!  Very excited and happy about that!

 

So come visit me....#31, on the Chatham Artists Studio Tour this final weekend and make some fabulous purchase for someone special on your list.

 

Hope to see you this weekend....find me at #31...see the map here .

 

Happy Holiday Shopping!

 

Kim

 

 



 

 

 

 



Frank Reception Tonight!

The very first Chatham Artists Guild group show will have it's reception tonight, 6-8pm, at FRANK Gallery, 109 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC  27514.  (919)636-4135. 
Should be a Blast!  Come see my brand new piece "Autumn Goddess", pastel,  $600.

"Autumn Goddess", pastel, 18x14", $600, ©Kim Werfel 2012

 

 

 

Our usual Artist's reception will take place the very next night, Friday, November 30th, from 7-9pm at the Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) Gallery, Pittsboro Campus featuring Tour artists, art and gourmet hors d'oeuvres.   My "Queen of Swords" will be there...don't miss it!

 

 

 

"Queen of Swords", pastel, 24x18", $1600, ©KimWerfel 2012

 

 

 

To entice you to come to my Studio (#31) in Fearrington....I have a brand new piece "Keeping Warm" making it's debut.

 



"Keeping Warm", pastel, 11x14",  $250 ©Kim Werfel

 

 

Hope to see you at my receptions and at my home on the Studio Tour....I'll have hot apple cider waiting for you!

 

Kim

 

http://www.kimwerfel.com









Chatham Artists Guild Studio Tour

The first two weekends of December marks the 20th Anniversary of the Chatham Artist's Guilds Annual Studio Tour!  Be sure to visit me - #31 on the map (click here).

This year I'll be showing two new pieces...."Autumn Goddess" at the Central Carolina Community College - Pittsboro Campus, and "Queen of Swords" at Frank Gallery - 109 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC  27514.

"Autumn Goddess", 18x14", pastel, $600 ©Kim Werfel

Autumn Goddess is a pastel created from a photo taken from the NC Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, NC.  So many actors participating in the festival were dressed up in medieval costumes and let me take their photo.  This piece is professionally framed in a 2" distressed, stained wood frame with museum glass to let the pastel really shine through.

Please come to the CCCC Artist's Reception Friday, November 30th from 7-9pm to meet the tour artists and their art, feast on gourmet hors d'oevres and vote for my Autumn Goddess in the people's choice awards!

"Queen of Swords", pastel, 24"x18", $1500©Kim Werfel

Queen of Swords will be on exhibit at Chapel Hill's Frank Gallery. (Click here for their website.)

I'd love for you to come to our Artist's Reception Thursday evening, November 29th, from 6-8pm!

She's professionally framed with a 3" distressed, stained natural wood frame and museum glass - perfect!

A busy week of art shows....followed by the tour all weekend (Dec. 3 & 4) from 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday! Whew, I'll need lots of sleep to catch up and do it again the next weekend (Dec. 8th & 9th)

I'd love to see you at the receptions and on the tour.  A lovely way to spend time this holiday season :)

Kim

website

"Queen of Swords"

Wanting to paint something different....my friend posed for me with her fencing equipment this Summer.  So many good photos....I particularly liked her expression in this one..



"Queen of Swords", pastel, 24"x18"©Kim Werfel



She reminded me of the Tarot Card...the "Queen of Swords".  Her confident gaze seems to make one wonder what she's thinking.  I think this has a rather otherworldly look...almost like a female superhero of sorts.

Part of the Tarot interpretation "a woman who is intensely perceptive, quick and confident in all she does....a woman of strong character..."

This was fun to paint and has encouraged me to do more portraits that have strong personality!

I plan to have this painting in the exhibition at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro for the 20th Chatham County Studio Tour this December 1 &2, 8 & 9.   The reception for the show will be on November 30th from 7-9pm.  The artwork will be on display there Dec 1st & 2nd and will be in my home for the 2nd weekend of the tour (Dec. 8th & 9th).

I'd love for you to come to the reception and the tour!   For your map and info click HERE

You'll have a great time, so mark your calendars!

best to you all,

Kim Werfel

www.kimwerfel.com



Invited to Demo at Art of the Carolinas!

Jerry's Artarama hosts The Art of The Carolinas, a huge art expo with over 100 workshops and fantastic sales and bargains on art supplies.  They have asked me to demo for their line of handmade soft pastels, Mungyo Gallery.

 

The Art of the Carolinas Expo will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 9th, 10th and 11th at the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown, 3415 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.  Trade Show hours are Friday and Saturday from 9 - 5:30, Sunday 10-3.  Workshops start on Thursday.  Free admission and parking.

If you find yourself there, please stop by my vendor booth and say hello!

Kim

www.kimwerfel.com

Continuing Pastel Painting Class

My "Introduction to Pastel Painting Class" has been humming along these past four weeks and after being asked, I decided to create a new class "Continuing Pastel Painting".

The new class is not for beginners....but will build on the elements of design from the Intro Class.

We will introduce the principles of design and different types of composition.  Preliminary value and color studies will be explored giving you tools to create great paintings from life and/or photos! 

Beginning pastel student working from her own still life set-up

 

Class begins on Thursday Oct. 25th from 10am - Noon.  Click on this link to register at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro.  Class number 1024B Continuing Pastel Painting, $82 tuition, Friends of the ArtsCenter $74, day of class tuition $87.

Materials List is here. 

Questions?  Feel free to contact me at k-e@mindspring.com.

http://www.kimwerfel.com