Impressions Newsletter


March 2010


Hello All,


I hope you have had a satisfying month. February has seen a continuation in the high volume of framing orders coming in, not to mention the new art students filling class lists. So Lewis, Kirsty and I have been kept very busy. You may have seen that we have been advertising to take on another picture framer to help us. We will shortly be welcoming her to our team and ask that you understand while she learns the Impressions’ procedures.
Throughout the month, our thoughts have continued to be with Charlotte and her family as they have exhaustively searched for Leo. Until such time as we receive confirmation about his whereabouts, we ask that you keep him in mind as you travel about the country, and report anything which could lead to his discovery. Thank you for the very many messages received for Charlotte and her family, which have been passed on to her. She has appreciated all your support. Charlotte is currently on indefinite leave-of-absence.

Tuition Available


Junior Art Classes


Here’s an opportunity to provide your child with the tools to indulge and extend their artistic creativity. Larisse Hall is offering art classes for 5-10 year old children at Art @ 203, 203 Trafalgar St, Nelson. There are limited spaces available, so prompt registration is advised. Ph 03 548 3961 or contact Larisse at 027 358 2006 or 3 547 4929. Sessions cost just $10 or 8 sessions for $70.00 Check our on-line Tuition Directory http://www.impressionsnelson.co.nz/directory.htm for more details.

Impressions Art Club

Members’ Evening

                                                           

Art Spectrum produce a wide range of fine supplies including Colourfix Pastels Papers, Soft Pastels, Watercolours, Pigmented Inks, Drawing Papers, Oils and Mediums

Reminder


Jack Borland of Art Spectrum will be presenting a talk in-store 25th March from 5.30pm.  This evening promises to be very informative. I need an indication of numbers planning to attend this evening, as Jack intends to issue free product samples to those attending. So if you would like to come, and have not so far indicated you intention to attend, please advise by return email (enter Product Demonstration into the subject line) to ensure that you receive any goods available on the night. For full details of the evening, go to our website www.impressionsnelson.co.nz/the-impressions-art-club1.htm

Products New into Stock


Over the last month we have introduced the following materials into our stock range: -
* sugar paper (grey) – a cheap paper for practise drawing (NB acidic);
*  Butter Paper Sheets (A3,A2, A1);
* 3 colours of Fabriano Recycled Paper (acid free);
* Marabu textile paints;
* FAS water-soluble liquid dyes;
* Metric circle and ellipse templates;
* Fabriano Watercolour Paper Hot Pressed (smooth) 200 gsm sheets.
* Rotring A3 College Drawing Boards


These products have been introduced in response to customer requests. Let us know if there are any products you wish to have available to you on a regular basis. If there is enough demand, we will introduce the item into our stock range. If not, we are happy to order the item in for you on request.

Featured Artist


Serena Buonaguidi-Haynes


Serena was born n London in 1968 to Danish/Italian parents. She studied Fine Art and Sculpture at Epsom Art College, where she started casting faces and taught herself basic prosthetics. She went on to become a successful makeup artist, working in advertising.

                  
She began painting again nine years ago, from her mother’s studio in Chelsea where she established a loyal clientele. Serena paints with the canvases flat on the floor using bold brush strokes for the backgrounds and finger painting for the figures, using wire to scratch in the finer detail.
She moved to New Zealand six years ago and currently exhibits work through Art Associates and The Poi Room, Auckland, moving to Nelson two months ago.
                
If you would like to be our featured artist of the month, please submit photos in Jpeg of two of your works accompanied by a brief explanation of your art background and/or your creative processes.

Artist Workshops

We are planning a few more artist workshops, but at present there has been an unexpected delay in securing the room we would prefer to use. So we are holding off confirming the workshop dates until we have a definite venue and date available. However, if you are looking for a fun day away from the work and chores, and would like to develop more skills in portraiture, watch this space... As soon as we have something definite to report, an email will be sent to those people on the list.


In the meantime, the Sunday 11th April “Painting with Texture and Mixed Media” workshop is nearly full. See our website www.impressionsnelson.co.nz/impressions-art-workshops.htm for details and register promptly if you want to secure one of the few remaining places.

Hint


My hint this month arises from the situation we encounter regularly, where customers believe that putting a minimal matboard border around their artwork will heighten the impact of the work. In fact the reverse is usually the case. A mat board is not an invention to make picture framers more money. Matboards have a job to do and when they don’t do that job, the picture is better off with no matboard at all.
If you want your artwork to have heightened impact, and to appear professional in your presentation, use the following checklist as a guideline to your matboard selection: -
1. The colour chosen should relate to the image (rather than the colour of the duvet). If the best colour does not suit your duvet, hang it somewhere else where you can get the best appreciation of your painting.
2. The best colour will likely make the colour in the painting “jump”; the artwork will advance and the matboard will retreat visually, making the painting the star of the show.
3. Light colour matboards have less visual weight than dark colours, so can usually afford to be wider.
4. Inner mats add depth to the presentation. The inner colour should be chosen to highlight a particular element of the work – so that when in combination with the outer mat, the form (light and shade) is accentuated.
Even with small pictures, in my experience of over 26 years, matboards less than 40 mm rarely work. A meagre mat always looks miserly, incomplete and amateurish. If you are aiming to impress, don’t fall into the trap of using a too small mat or a mat which is blatantly imperfect with overcuts, wobbly bevels or dirty marks. Mat cutting is a skill that is best left to a competent practitioner – whether amateur or professional.
It’s the finish that counts. Imperfections will draw attention to themselves, whereas a well-chosen mat colour and size will draw attention to and enhance the artwork.
If you are having your work professionally mounted – ask for the framer’s suggestions. Experienced framers can advise when choices are successful and can explain why a combination works or fails.

Impressions Art Club – Members’ March Special


Save 20% this month on all Winsor & Newton pastels – both individuals and sets.

 

Please remember to present your Impressions Art Club discount card when making purchases.

Exhibitions


 
February developed into a lovely month weather-wise and certainly got me back into painting mode. From the numbers of people replenishing paints etc I’m not the only one.

Local members of PANZ (Pastel Artists of NZ) have had their pastel collections out preparing for their annual exhibition in Mapua. They always mount a very successful display at the end of February and Impressions is pleased to sponsor their People’s Choice Award.


I always look forward to the more settled and slightly cooler month of March. I’m also looking forward to our Impressions Art Club Member’s evening on Thursday 25th. I hope we see you here, to hear lots of tips gleaned from artists in his travels to conventions around the world, as well as sample some of the wide range of Art Spectrum Products.


Whatever the month brings you, I hope it is pleasant.


Best wishes from Glenys and the Team