Katharine Krieg

Rainy Day Activity That Won't Break the Bank or Burn Down the Studio Jan Vermeer "The Art of Painting" 1666 Use of mahl stick A mahl stick is an aid painters use to steady their hand while painting. Like me, they have found that trying to hold their hand rock still when making thin, controlled tree branches or tiny highlights usually ends up with the fat heel of their palm smearing across the surface of wet paint. This then leads to swear words or some animal-like scream of despair that echoes through the neighborhood which can frighten your neighbor's kids and lead to inquisitive police officers at your door. Most importantly, a wayward hand on your canvas undoes lots of hard work. The mahl stick is usually a stick approximately 3 feet long made of wood or aluminum with a padded end covered in suede. I have been using a cheap wooden yard stick from Sleepy's Mattress and before that, a cane I inherited from a relative after their foot surgery (...

3 Day Super Small Workshop on Monhegan Island, ME "Sunny Day at Fish Beach"           watercolor         13x19" During my time going to Monhegan I have had people ask each year if I would do a workshop at any point. So, I decided to take a step into the workshop world of Monhegan and create a small plein air class for this summer. Monhegan Island really is a fantastic place to paint and learn. It's a place that has such a history of attracting artists and when you see the island you do realize why so many great painters have come here. The harbor, village and cliffs have been the subject of so many works for a long time. There are some spots open so please feel free to contact me to join in and sign up. Thanks! katy.krieg@verizon.net  Summer 2014 Location: Monhegan Island, ME Dates: July 21, 22, 23 9am-4:30pm  Cost: $225.00 (Price for workshop only. Accommodations and travel are the student's respon...

A New (and busy!) Year Ahead I missed this past fall's blog post so I will try to bring readers up to speed on what's been happening. In October I was invited to speak at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA for their Meet the Artist program. It was a truly enjoyable visit. I gave a demo on creating a value underpainting from a sketch I did in the field earlier in the season. I spoke with a group of about 50 people who were very engaged and asked some really fantastic questions. I love when that happens! Many thanks to Jan Marabito for being so great at organizing this event. Jan Marabito and me in front of my value demo Me demonstrating how to close your eyes when you paint. I painted from a pretty detailed drawing of a house I found not far from my studio. It sits back a bit from the road behind a larger stone house. I have driven by many many times and just happened to notice that the lamp in the first floor window was always on. I mean, ALWAYS. No ...

Catching Up "Firefly Path"        8x10"        oil     (sold)         I missed this summer's post and it would be great if I had a decent excuse like a catastrophic flood wiping out the studio or random alien attack dismantling my computer or something cool like that.  Bottom line is, I just skipped it. So, to tell about what went down this summer I will make a super long post this time:   - The Summer Show at Patricia Hutton Galleries was well received and congratulations to all the artists whose work found homes. I do want to say thank you to Patricia for all her efforts in creating these beautiful events in Doylestown, PA!   Patricia Hutton Galleries  - The result of this year's open studio on Monhegan Island is: Best. Open. Studio. Ever!!!!  It's a great feeling to have paintings chosen by collectors but an even better feeling to meet the people who are taking t...

Hey, Look What I Built! And It Works, Too! "Society Finch"      5x7"       oil Greetings from the studio and happy spring!  Spring is a season that is full of awakenings and new beginnings. I have been enjoying my adventures in oil painting. "Society Finch" is a recent work that is a change from the still life I was making with somber, dark backgrounds emphasis placed on chiaroscuro. I wanted a more open, delicate feel to compliment the subject of the bird. Society finches are not found in the wild and were bred to be companion pets. Hence the choice of domestic items to place with him. I don't own a finch so I spent a lot of time in the local pet store watching them and I am pretty sure the employees now think I am some bird stalking lunatic that has no life. And to that I say ... "what of it?!" This painting is framed and available. I have been wanting a lighter, more mobile easel for plein air painting so I spent some ti...

"Baoding Balls"       oil       6x8" Happy Fall! Hope your summer was as refreshing and inspiring as mine.  Monhegan did it's thing and I came back with a lot of good studies for paintings that will make for a strong basis of next year's open studio.  I also came back with memories and experiences that fuel ideas to carry over into the fall and winter studio here in PA. The open studio was well received and a bit different with a mix of mediums and subject this year.  Charcoal and graphite, some oils that I have been pushing into and, of course, watercolors. I also included more works of still life and some of my PA work was there as well. Many visitors remembered me from previous years and saw my work outside of marine/coastal watercolor for the first time. It was interesting to hear visitors' reaction to the mix.  Most enjoyed the variety and the feedback was very, very positive. Only a few asked which medium was my "favo...

Summertime, and the Studio's Busy! "Lighthouse Ridge, Monhegan"  watercolor  17 x 29"     Summer!  A good time to make a new post with lots of new happenings in the studio.  I have been busy gearing up for two new shows and my open studio on Monhegan Island in Maine.       I am delighted to be part of the group summer show "Summer Vacation" at Patricia Hutton Galleries  in Doylestown, PA.  Paintings of coastal New England will be featured and I have several pieces from Monhegan hanging. The show opens Friday June 22 with a reception from 5 - 8pm. I will be attending this and am looking forward to seeing all the other works by some very talented artists that I am pleased to be showing with.  It promises to be a wonderful show and runs all summer. Please stop by if you are in the area.      In July, I was invited to be part of the Bucks County Audubon Society  "Art of the Barn"  tour on...