Mary B Spires Watercolor & Art Stuff

After a great trip North to South Carolina, DC and Boston, we made it back to the Sunshine State!  Everyone thinks it hot here, well it's hotter in SC and  DC.  Plus they don't have that wonderful ocean breeze. We had many adventures, plus a few internet problems.... I forgot how slow slow can be! Our Summer Series is on Week 5 with the Octopus....you can see the video on  my youtube channel. We will finish the series next week with the Seahorse.  I hope you've enjoyed the projects. I plan on incorporating the new colors; Lemon Yellow or Permanent Yellow,  Cadmium Red, Permanent Rose or Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Violet,  Manganese Blue or Cerulean Blue. I finally decided after 30 years of the normal palette (Burnt Sienna, Gamboge, Hooker's Green Dark, Ultramarine Blue, Indigo, Alizarin Crimson and White Gouache) it was time for a CHANGE! Happy Painting!

Summer is Here! Starting this week, after many problems with the upload I finally got the Supply List and the Flamingo Video upload to Youtube.  This is the beginning of a special Summer Series, step by step, painting projects.  They are small, less an hour paintings to keep you paining this summer. The videos can also be seen on my website, under Video Tutorials. If you have any questions please let me know ...... Enjoy!

Wednesday Morning Watercolors April 17, 2019 9-Noon This project will be painted on a watercolor stretched  onto stretchers like a canvas. Beach Art Center Indian Rocks Beach, FL Check out my website for a new page  "Watercolor Tutorials Videos "  a new video will be added every week

Sunday Morning coming down!  Words from one of my favorite Kris Kristofferson Songs! We were out just a little late last night. When I got up at 3:45 am to take Kim & Jerry to the airport, this was the song in my head! We should have stayed up! We made a family concert last night to see John Melloncamp at Ruth Echard Hall.  He's been my daughters favorite artist since she was 14.  WOW how time files.  Me & My shadow will be this weeks Wednesday morning  watercolor project at the Indian Rocks Beach Art Center.  She also is the next project May 14th at Gulf Beaches Public Library, Maderia  Beach. As most of you know I've been painting miniatures again.....about 15 in total since our trip to Cuba. I will start posting the ones I have left, a few went to South Carolina with my daughter....she says she is an only child she gets first pick!

Indian Rocks Beach 4" x 4" Good Morning! It's been a very busy time, we took a cruise to Cuba.  Grand kids visited, and teaching at the Beach Art Center and Maderia Beach Library.  It was a great mini vacation, but I was so disappointed in Havana.  It's a very poor country, not as colorful as I imagined.  The city is crumbling!  The cars were beautiful, enjoyed seeing Hemingway's Home. While we were at sea, I decided to paint miniatures!  I belonged to the miniature society of Florida about 15 years ago.  I studied with Jeanne Dunn, a true miniaturist!  I forgot how much fun it is to translate the shapes, values and design to a very small space.  

Class Project Wednesday, March 6th, 9-Noon Beach Art Center Indian Rocks Beach It's great to be back to my normal schedule! Finished up the workshop with Jerry Fresia in St Petersburg FL. Both sessions were great, wonderful students! Friday night opening at the Beach Art Center, Indian Rocks Beach, FL was the reception for the Faculty Student Show where Roberta Romeo, Terry Denson and yours truly did our annual "Paint Around".....three great paintings, plus we made money for the art center. 'Congratulation to the Winners"

Linda's Tulip Class Project Feb. 20, 2019 Indian Rocks Beach Art Center 1515 Bay Palm Blvd. Indian Rocks Beach, FL 727-596-4331 www.beachartcenter.org  It's been a crazy busy week!   I had my first "Make it Take it" class at Madeira Beach Public Library, we had 21 students, most first time painters!  They were amazing!  Thank you so much! Thanks to the staff for their hard work in help this event happen. We will being having a monthly class.  Check their website for date and project. Tuesday, April 2, 2019 5:00 - 7:30 RSVP Required Gulf Beaches Public Library 200 Municipal Dr. Maderia Beach, FL 33708 727-391-2828

My WORD for 2019 is "Create". January 1st, 2019 I made a New Years promise - Paint at least 5 days a week! January is over and we're starting a new month!  I kept my promise!!!!! Not only did I paint most days, I have been going to classes at the Beach Art Center.  It's amazing how going to class can motivate you. I joined, again, the Miniature Art Society of Florida, they're having the annual show in Tarpon Springs at Leepa Rattner, closed on Monday. 11" x 14" Watercolor on Arches 100% Rag Paper

Where has the time gone?  It's been a "few YEARS" yelp thats right.... Life has a way of getting into your art time. I have retired from the Beach Art Center board, just teaching my Wednesday, Beginning Watercolors Step-by-Step. I also will be teaching once a month at Gulf Beaches Public Library in Madeira Beach. Februarys Project is Cactus Flower Collage February 12th - 5:30-7:30

Hope you join us in this fun Adventure!  Check it OUT!

 Click on Link below to view a sample video!  Registration begins March 1st, 2014! http://animoto.com/play/QdLFOw1nv7KKiQCC0y6Zbg

Sketch Watercolor Adventure From my Sketchbook Lets take an adventure with our sketchbook!   Join me for this exciting online Workshop.  We will take daily adventures into a loose, quick journal format style of sketching and painting.  We will use daily "adventures" to create a beautiful, creative and inspiring sketchbook. Our first week we will travel to the Farmers Market to explore Fruits - Vegetables.  Our adventure will continue for 4 weeks traveling into a Botanical Garden of Herbs - Flowers, discover how to draw your favorite things in week 3 and in the final week we will take a "Spring Break" discovering the Beach. Each week you'll receive an email which will link you to that weeks adventure.  The "lesson" is available 24/7 and you will receive a downloadable  step-by-step "map" for traveling to that weeks lesson.  There will be videos and examples from my sketchbook to support the lessons.  Just like a real work...

Sunflower Oil 11" x 14" My first oil painting of 2014.....If was so much fun to be back painting oils.  As some of you know I've decided to do a FREE on line watercolor theory workshop.  If you're interested in joining me in this new adventure.  Email me at marybspires@yahoo.com  I taught Watercolor Theory from a workbook I did about 15 years ago.  I finally got it on the computer so I can email it to you.  I will upload to a "private blog" every Monday starting January 20th through February 14th, that week's homework, plus a demo video.   JOIN US!

Starting January 20, 2014, I will be hosting my very first online workshop.  It is FREE to anyone that emails me  marybspires@yahoo.com.  Website www.maryspires.com The workshop includes a 23 page workbook that will be emailed to you.  Sign up today!

This is a 6x6 study for a larger class project......30 paintings in 30 days

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor This purple Astor was Day #2 of the challenge....

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor This is #5 of the Leslie Saeta 30 Paintings in 30 Days.....This has been a direct painting technique.....I do not draw a sketch first, just paint.  So it's been a challenge....

I have about a 100 of these wonderful Poppies pictures from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We just returned to Florida so I'm trying to catch up.....will start teaching at the Beach Art Center next week.  We decided to do a Tuesday night class.  I will teach the same project for Tuesday & Wednesday.  I'm so excited about all the new happenings at the center....Check out our new class schedule.....                  

                 6x6 Transparent Watercolor Well I did it!!!! Signed up for Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  I did it a year ago .... It truly motivated me to painted first thing every morning.  This was painted from a photo that I took this summer in Steamboat Springs.   

I painted a small cooler one a few days ago.......I can't believe how different the look!                   6"x6" watercolor