Xin Jin #3

Xin Jin #3 was done using Da Vinci Artist watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. hot press paper. The image measures 33" x 43" and framed is 40" x 50". Another in a series of Asian imagery inspired by last year's visit to Shanghai. This work gives the paint a lot of freedom, accentuating the power and spectacular effects unique to the medium.

100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic

Early last year I was contacted by author E. Ashley Rooney to contribute work for a book she was planning about Eastern seaboard artists. Thank goodness this was not another "pay-to-play" publishing offer (many of us receive them almost daily), but a real book by a real author; Ms. Rooney has written and edited a number of acclaimed books on art and other subjects.

It arrived recently, and I am blown away by the quality of the work, reproduced with stunning accuracy. Nearly all mediums are represented, and Rooney has selected an astounding group of artists to illustrate the creative talent of the Mid-Atlantic states. Truly a volume to be proud of, for the artists, author, and publisher. (I circled my pic on the cover!) 224 pages on very high quality paper, hardbound, complete artist information and bibliography, foreword by Charles Yoder. Available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.

Manoir de Maison Blanche ~ Paris

Last week I conducted a 5-day class at one of the world's premier workshop destinations, Manoir de Maison Blanche, in the Dordogne region of France. Created and run by Alain and Véronique Duvivier, the Manoir is a magical place combining unparalleled atmosphere amongst 16th C. architecture, fabulous cuisine, and instruction from the top artists in watercolor such as Janine Gallizia, Alvaro Castagnet, and Joseph Zbukvic. A wonderful group of painters came from France, Belgium, and Spain, convening in the ancient barn converted to a modern studio. Translation was provided by the lovely and charming Berice whose talent for several languages was indispensable. I had the opportunity to finally meet some internet pals, and reunite with Janine (champagne time, see pic!) The week also included a side trip to a renowned foie gras farm where I made friends with a llama. Superb apertif hours, extended dinners, games, singing, and general frivolity provided a lot of memories that I'll hold dear. Oh...we did lots of painting, too!

I'm thrilled to return to Maison Blanche next year for another week, June 18-22. This workshop will sell out quickly, so contact the Manoir early for reservations.

After the workshop, I relaxed a few days in Paris to soak up even more inspiration. C'est magnifique!

PTA Reflections 2011 Winner

Together We Can Build a Better World

Brian Koh - Second Grade - Duluth, Georgia

PTA Reflections is one of the country's oldest and largest arts recognition programs. In 2011 over 530,000 students, from kindergarten to high school, participated in six artistic disciplines. I judged the visual art division, and awarded the top prize to Brian Koh, a second-grader from Duluth, Georgia, for his Together We Can Build a Better World. Brian was recognized during a ceremony at the 115th Annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition earlier this month in Orlando, Florida. He will also receive a certificate, medallion, and $800 for his winning entry. A special award of $200 will be granted to his local PTA. Way to go Brian, we loved your work, and I hope this is just the beginning for you!

Summer 2011 Workshops

I'm scheduled to do a workshop at Manoir de Maison Blanche in Dordogne, France in a couple weeks. This is one of the top watercolor workshop venues in Europe, and I'm really looking forward to it. July 4-8. Contact: manoirdemaisonblanche@orange.fr

Next, I return to Idyllwild Arts in the San Jacinto Mountains of California - fresh air, sunshine, and tall pine trees! July 18-20. Contact: heatherc@idyllwildarts.org

Then it's off to a new location for me - Ann Arbor, Michigan. July 25-28.

Contact: idzamperla@gmail.com

Starting in August I'll also be doing more workshops at Plaza Art in Rockville - watermedia and Photoshop Secrets For Artists. Contact: 301-770-0500

All workshops listed on the Workshop page of www.nicholassimmmons.com.

Hope to see you!

Xin Jin #2

Xin Jin #2

Xin Jin #2 is a giclée print variation of original watercolor painting Xin Jin. Giclée prints are printed on 100% rag paper with archival ink. The image measures approx. 30" x 31" (original image 38" x 39" - black border not part of print).

$450.00 including shipping in the U.S. (inquire for overseas shipping).

Burchfield Penney Art Center

WaterMedia Weekend 2011 is coming up (see earlier post) soon, and it promises to be an exciting and informative experience. John Salminen kicks it off with a demo on Friday the 13th (!), followed by many other activities over the next two days. On Sunday I'll be participating in a round table discussion hosted by Naomi Ekperigin, editor of American Artist, followed by a mini-workshop. Then I'm closing out the event with a presentation that will be.....well, anything but standard watercolor fare, I guarantee. Fasten your seat belt and don't miss it!

presented by

American Artist's Watercolor Magazine and the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

Join leading watermedia master artists/teachers - Philip Burke, Margaret Martin, Margaret Roseman, John Salminen, Nicholas Simmons, Mel Stabin, Mary Whyte - for an engaging, hands-on weekend of workshops, demos, and roundtable discussions at the acclaimed Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY. Learn from the masters, network with fellow artists, get to know the editor of American Artist's Watercolor Magazine, and enjoy the art and architecture of the renowned Burchfield Penney Art Center, home to the world's largest collection of Charles E. Burchfield works and archival materials

Cost: $325* early bird registration by March 2011; $350* which includes five two-hour sessions with leading watermedia masters, evening receptions, tours of the Burchfield Penney, weekend lunches. Special hotel rates are available at the nearby Holiday Inn ($98) and Hyatt Regency ($124). Parking at the Burchfield Penney is free. *Burchfield Penney and Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society Members will receive an additional $25 discount Call Katie Kelly at 716-878-3216 or email kellymc@buffalostate.edu for info. Space is limited. Early registration encouraged.

Schedule and registration info HERE.

2e Biennale de l’Aquarelle ~ Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer

Lest Ye Be Judged

The Art of Watercolour #2 is out, and includes a feature I did about painting for competitions and judging. Sorry for the lo-res image, but I'm sure they'd prefer you buy the magazine! (see the first issue for free on Calameo)

I'd like to thank artists who participated in the workshops in Bradenton, Rockville, and last week in College Station. The next workshops will take place May 15 at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo as part of Watermedia Weekend 2011, and then at Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda, May 20-21.

Sevillana

Sevillana - 92 x 92 cm. - watercolor

Sevillana will be exhibited at the first biennale in Saint Cyr-sur-Mer, France from May 1 - June 19. (see post below) The painting was also recently sold to the Quanhua Watercolour Gallery in Shanghai for its permanent collection. I'm returning to Shanghai in 2012 and look forward to seeing it there. 谢谢你!

Giclée Prints

Tokyo Express

I have a source that is making incredible prints - color reproduction and quality is fantastic, using archival UV inks on beautiful smooth rag paper. They are costing more to produce, so the price will be going up. However, for a short time longer I am offering Tokyo Express and Sueño del Verde at the original $350 price, including shipping in the US. They can be purchased through my website via PayPal (link below). Contact me for overseas orders.

http://www.nicholassimmons.com/purchase/index.htm

l' art de l' aquarelle - le livre

I received my copy of l' art de l' aquarelle - le livre from France this week. It is a magnificent collection of paintings from 24 of the top contemporary watercolorists in the world, all of whom have been featured in the magazine of the same name. The book is softbound, 196 pages printed on very high quality paper, with outstanding reproductions. (see this post for more information about content and ordering) It is divided into sections according to subject matter, including a chronological history of watercolor, and very interesting write-ups about the artists.

In Simmons' paintings, instantly recognisable and precisely drawn images appear in the midst of a whirlpool of vivid, dense and raw colour. His is considered to be one of those contemporary watercolourists who are exploring the very limits of what is possible in watercolour, sometimes in a far from orthodox way, but always with some surprises in store. Neither does he hold his tongue when it comes to defending his favorite medium!

All text in French and English. Along with the catalog of the Shanghai Zhujiajiao exhibition, it is the best book of watercolor paintings I have seen. At 94 Euros (including shipping) for American customers it is not inexpensive, but an indispensable publication for the serious watercolor enthusiast.

The book may be purchased via PayPal, please email Sonia Seince for more information: s.seince@megastar.fr

Creative Catalyst Productions - France Exhibition

Creative Catalyst Productions has launched their new website, with many improvements and added features. Included are free video clips, new artist bios and galleries, blog, and expanded workshop listings. I'll be shooting a new DVD with them later this year, a totally new and radical video workshop!

I'm joining Janine Gallizia (Fr), Ross Paterson (Aus), Xavier Swolfs (Bel), and Shirley Trevena (UK) for the ‎2e Biennale de l’Aquarelle to be held at Centre Sébastien, Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, France, May 2011.

Florida -- Interview

Florida is nice this time of year, maybe the best month to be there. I had a very enjoyable workshop at Art Center Manatee, which is also currently hosting the National Watercolor Society traveling show. Looks like I'll be returning there to do a Photoshop seminar, maybe this year. I met Anne Abgott, reunited with some familiar faces, and then spent the rest of the week seeing friends.

______________________________________________

Artist Jeanette Jobson does very cool work, much of it using the Japanese technique of fish printing (gyotaku). She also maintains a popular blog and writes a monthly art newsletter. She includes an interview with other artists in each newsletter, and I appeared in the December edition. I really appreciate being asked, and admire artists who support other artists - thanks Jeanette!

Read interview here (scroll down).

Kevin Slater - Amazing Grace

I never met Kevin Slater, but he was a good friend, and a huge inspiration to me and many others. Kevin was left a quadriplegic after suffering a spinal cord injury during a wrestling match in high school. He struggled through a tough period when he almost gave up. But he triumphed, and resolved to live life as fully as he could.

Kevin became an artist -- a "mouth painter." I have seen many physically handicapped artists who paint this way, but Kevin was different: he painted in watercolor. The vast majority of mouth painters work in oil, as it's too difficult to control a wet medium. I don't know how he did it. And he was really good. I tried to paint watercolor holding the brush in my mouth to see whats it's like, and it was impossible.

In 2004 we crossed paths on an art website where he was known as "Strider." Pretty soon we became friends, and I used to call him at his house in Indiana to talk about painting, music, and anything else that came to mind. I cherished those conversations, and always came away from them revitalized. He was into guitar music, and I sent him a CD of mine.

In 2007 he was approached by a company that offered to buy his paintings. Kevin would have an income, and part of the proceeds would go to a foundation that supports people in his situation. He was really excited about it, and so was I. Unfortunately, just as this was happening, he was afflicted with a serious lung ailment and ended up in the hospital. The next couple of months were a roller coaster of procedures, gains, setbacks, emotions, and ultimately, heartbreak. When I called him in his hospital room, he couldn't speak, only listen. It was my intention to travel to Elkhart to visit him, as some other friends did. Before I could do so, Kevin died on July 17.

I drove out there a few days later to play at the funeral, and to meet Kevin's family. The church was in North Manchester, not far from the little town where Kevin grew up, Sidney. He was born in Wabash. I sort of wanted to play The Wabash Cannonball, one of my favorite American songs. I ended up playing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot as they brought him into the church, and Amazing Grace when they took him out. I'm not a religious person, but I love a lot of the hymns. Knowing the kind of music Kevin liked, I took a chance. Amazing Grace starts out as a reverie, but about half way through I turned it into a testifyin' footstomper. Using a looping device (very dangerous in a live situation, especially at a funeral!) I then put down a rhythm track, bass line, and started the sermon. Listening to it now I can still hear at which bar I glanced down from the balcony to see if the priest was going to cut the power. He was stunned, no doubt about it, but everyone in that place was moving to the music. Kevin's family and friends told me it's exactly what he would have wanted.

He was buried in a small cemetery next to an old church out in the middle of the country. In a pine box. At the graveside his brothers, father, friends and I shared cigars and a few shots of Jack Daniels. A nod to Kevin. You'll see them all in the photos, along with his mom, wife Pam, his beautiful nieces, close friend Sandra, the loyal young Carly who lived across the street and assisted in his studio. You'll see the studio, the brushes with the telltale bite marks, the palette. Some of the photos are difficult for me to look at, but I felt they are appropriate. I believe his family would agree. People live, people die, and we go on. If Amazing Grace was written for anyone, it was written for Kevin Slater. I loved the guy.

Kevin Slater art on Zazzle.

Best of 2010 - Watermedia Weekend 2011

Thanks to Jessica Canterbury and Watercolor Artist magazine for including Nassau #1: Discount Warehouse in their "Best Watercolors of the Year" feature (February 2011 issue). The painting won the gold medal at the 61st Texas Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition.

Friday, May 13-Sunday, May 15

Water Media Weekend 2011 in Western New York presented by American Artist magazine and the Burchfield Penney

Join leading water media master artists/teachers - Philip Burke, Margaret Martin, Margaret Roseman, John Salminen, Nicholas Simmons, Mel Stabin, Mary Whyte - for an engaging, hands-on weekend of workshops, demos, and roundtable discussions at the acclaimed Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY. Learn from the masters, network with fellow artists, meet the editors of American Artist and Watercolor magazines, and enjoy the art and architecture of the renowned Burchfield Penney Art Center, home to the world's largest collection of Charles E. Burchfield works and archival materials.

More information and registration HERE.

Turn Up The Volume

This was recorded live at the Florida Guitar Show, at Thoroughbred Music in Clearwater, late 1990s. At the time I was sponsored by Ibanez guitars, Laney amps, D'Addario strings, and Roland. All music and guitars by yours truly. The louder, the better!

William K. Moore - The One And Only

Heaven is Hell - 17" x 21" - Xixtograph by W.K. Moore

About four years ago I came across an artist who amazed, disturbed, challenged, and touched me -- all at the same time. Reverberations through the blogosphere led me to the Cool Kids On The Block, and the leader of the pack, identified via one link as "William Moore, the crazy." I had to click.

William K. Moore was living then in Los Angeles and traveling to Colombia to paint the colorful denizens of the Bogota barrio, as well as local phenomena you don't see in the travel brochures. As the Bogota Painter, he took the urban guerilla approach, mixing with a crowd that is wary of American gringos. Fluency in Spanish, a heart full of compassion, an eye for the unusual, and loads of street smarts allowed him to chronicle a segment of society most would ignore, let alone immortalize.

Que bellezA - 18" x 15" - watercolor

It is essential to scour the Moore blog archives, because there is just way too much work to discuss here. Start at the beginning and work forward to best appreciate the evolution of themes and methods. You'll find sensitive and beautifully-painted images of people such as the tamale woman, homeless vagabonds, prostitutes of the Candelaria district, and a number of self-portraits that could only be described as bizarre. (I'm proud to own Chink Chank Chunk) Sometimes I wasn't sure if they were self-portraits, as the photos on his profile were just as outrageous. I kept thinking, "Who is this guy???"

It turned out he is a tall, dashing native Chicagoan who studied at the Art Institute and continued to hone his talents in drawing, figure painting, portraiture, and plein air, etc. across several mediums. All of this prowess combines with a prodigious imagination to form one of the most diverse portfolios you'll ever see. And he's prolific. The entire range of of the human condition leaps from the canvas, and instantly impresses as the work of one who has forged a unique style, unflinching, unapologetic, and in your face. As the artist forewarns, "Get ready to have your pants pulled down and receive the visual spanking you deserve." Yes!

Cotton Candy - 19" x 14" - watercolor acrylic

2008 saw the artist return to the Windy City to live, and marks the time where new design elements and working modes emerge, many pieces utilizing cubist environments with distorted perspectives. One thing that I find very stimulating in these works is the visual buzz created by disjointed edges, practically vibrating before your eyes. The concepts become more volatile, many in a horrifyingly spectacular way. Bill Moore is not afraid to explore the darker, grittier recesses. I have been rendered breathless by the supreme boldness of what this artist is putting out there, and wishing I had half the guts. There is often a humor that softens the blow, Tee Hee, but this is not your aunt's parlor art, and was never meant to be.

SpinxSpanx - 30" x 24" - silk screen

Accompanying most of the entries are mind-bending, often equally-disturbing narratives. I go back to read some of them, my favorite an ode to the hapless Gingerbread Man. Do the stories connect to the paintings? I would never presume to know for sure, and that's part of the adventure.

During 2009-2010, silk screen and mono screen is added to the arsenal of techniques, followed by the artist's own Zeit Screen and Xixtograph processes. Chicago provides a new cast of characters in street preachers, sidewalk loiterers, and fascinating faces masterfully depicted with heartbreaking poignancy.

Foster Exit - 7" x 18" - acrylic

Don't miss Bill's other blog, B Side Paintings, office annex to the main gallery!

It is impossible to adequately pay tribute here to an artist so original, broad, and daring. Bill Moore is one of the few I look to as a true innovator, a courageous force in contemporary art.

Chicago Painter William K. Moore

William Moore - B Side Paintings

Silk Screen Boiler Room

WKMoore Artbreak