Chart in the studio....

For a change, I thought I'd share something I do with my students.  Above is a photo of the shelf area in my home studio.  It was meant for holding items for still lifes but as you can see, it holds so much more.  

Top shelf.....objects, next down - small panels for oils and pastels. It's also where I can place wet oils to cure.  On down.....paint mediums, jars, you name it (under the mixing chart are more objects for still life set ups.

Next to the bottom shelf holds CD's, paints, and hanging is a favorite painting by my friend 

Carlene Dingman Atwater  and a postcard inspiration from my daughter Mika Sorak.  

It's image is by artist, Susan Seddon Boulet.

Here's a closer view of the paint chart my oil class did last week.  We mixed 4 different versions of  reds, yellows. and blues with all creating interesting color value ranges.   I'm leaning more about color by using a limited palette all the time.   Doing color charts sound borrowing, but it's exciting to see how color combinations can change with adding just a little white. (painting charts is like practicing notes on an instrument....gotta take the baby steps to finish a musical piece.)

The artwork on the far right is a painting by my granddaughter Phoebe.  She is 2 1/2 years old and this was my 2014 Christmas gift from her.  It's a collage that includes leaves from her yard.