Mary B Spires Watercolor & Art Stuff

11 x 14 Watercolor/Mixed Media This is the current picture on my front page of the web site. I will be featuring more painting as they get painted!  You know me maybe today maybe not! It's up and running great!  I 've been working on it for about a week or so.  Still has a few under construction pages, but I'm very happy with the over all look..... Please feel free to add any comments like or dislike....most artist can't see the trees for the forest.....so if I've overlooked something let me KNOW. I hope to start adding some new features to my blog and website in the coming weeks.....I talked to my friend Robert Warren of   http://www.robertwarrenartloft.com/ about maybe doing a joint adventure into the blogging world.....so please stop back soon to the website and Blog.... We have HOOT next week so we are under the gun......

I did it!  It will be published later tonight......we have slow upload this time of day. I would love to hear from ya!  Any suggestions about like or dislike.  Of course I have a few pages still under construction......

11 x 14 in. Watercolor Instructional Lesson  Packet Available for this project on my website. We are on count down for the HOOT Convention.  I'm working hard on the newsletter and new web site...of course I have these little glitches (*&%$!!) but I'm being NICE.  I'm so looking forwarding to seeing old friends and making new ones.  Hoot is such a great convention, lots of burning the midnight oil with all that painting going on.  I'm going to show everyone my last year's Christmas Present from Santa (new ditigal projecter, don't tell my students).  As you all know watercolors are painted almost laying flat, so when you have 35 students in one class it's kinda hard to see, but with  my new present, everyone will get a big view!

Yellow Cactus Flower (I never paint a cactus without thinking of Goldie Hawn's Movie) 11" x 11" Mix Media Watercolor/Tissue Paper (Class project at Convention) As usual I have a million excuses why I haven't posted, I have been painting, working on the stuff for the HOOT convention.......finished all the Teaching STUFF Today Yea!!!!  I have also been working on setting some new GOALS ( I do know what that is).....I seem to work better under pressure!!!!  My web site is under construction (it's about time). I'm really excited about the new look. The blog is taking on a new look and content also. I decided to make it more about sharing information. I will be doing a monthly newsletter . If you sign up to received it via email, you will automatically be registered for a instructional packet, my last book or a print, your choice! So please sign up! On a special occassion I may just throw in an original painting!  I love painting, but I also love teaching!  I...

Watercolor on 140# watercolor paper. The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week was to paint a gift bag. I've been making and painting actual gift bags for a very long time.....it's a fun project ! I show my students how to make one with those old paintings that did not make the big time! For free instructions, layout and folding of the bag, please go to my web site http://www.maryspires.com/ Look under the "Free Stuff "! Have fun......let me know if you have any questions!

Watercolor 11" x 14" on Paper with Tissue Paper I did this while we were in Florida........I'll be teaching this project at the HOOT (Heart of Ohio Tole) Convention in August.......the class is almost full! So if you want to join us, get going and send in your registration. This is a really fun project....you first paint the local color then add tissue paper with Mat Medium....let dry and finish painting.......the nice thing about tissue paper and mat medium is the color will life, so those mistakes can easily be fix!

6" x 6" Oil on Board I posted this yesterday, but for some reason it didn't get posted. I'm going to try and put it on the DPW challenge for this week. I love to paint vegatables that are still attached to their leaves.