Karin Richter Fine Art

Newsletter
Summer 2016

Ocean sunsets are the stuff summers are made of! For those of
us who are landlocked, being by the sea is a special treat. This
year I get to spend a lot of time by the water, starting with my
recent trip to Germany where I spent a few days on an island in
the North Sea where the photo above was taken,

a picturesque place with gentle dunes, the German beach chairs

and quaint architecture. An ocean away, not by the ocean but the
Great Lakes I enjoyed a lovely time in Toronto with its many
beaches and also an island offshore, reached by ferry in just a
few minutes. I had never been to Toronto Island but was
enchanted by the place:

More time on the water is beckoning, this time

on our West coast when I travel to Gibsons
Landing to hold a workshop in early August.
The flavour is again very different and I feel
lucky to be able to experience it all. I round out
the year with yet another trip, this time on the
water, savouring the last of the fall colours in
the Gulf Islands in early November (see my
website for both my workshop and Art-at-Sea).
Beach Living Gibsons, Pastel 24x12

While in Toronto, I also had a chance to visit the Niagara wine

country and to taste their wines at a few of their small vineyards
including a visit to see how ice wine is made. The Niagara Falls
were as awe-inspiring as ever and taking a stroll in the quaint
town of Niagara-on-the-Lake was enjoyable.

Travel is always a treat, a time to experience something different.

It seems when we are away our senses come alive and we truly
see. Just before summer arrived, I came across a wonderful
book: On Looking: A Walkers Guide to the Art of Observation.
In it, the author describes how walking with different people, from
a child to a dog, an artist to a entomologist, makes a difference in
how we see the things around us. Most of you will have
experienced a walk or hike with a friend only to realize that what
the other saw is quite different from what you observed. Being
with children has a similar effect, we suddenly see the world
through fresh eyes. I have been teased for distracted driving or
walking as I always see something interesting that stops me in my
tracks but this book has opened my eyes even further. That
brings me back to travel. In our own environment we tend to
expect the usual but travelling to different places gets our
attention. I now try to practice seeing more acutely while out and
about in my own environment at home and invite you to do the
same this summer. Be a tourist in your own hometown!
You can observe a lot by watching (Yogi Berry)

As a visual artist, photography is of

course a big part of our prep work.
However, it can also be considered a
medium of its own. I realized that I look
for different things. As reference
material for my paintings, I look for
scenes that appeal to my sense of
beauty. As a photographer, I look for
the unusual. Sometimes, the two may
come together.

Bridging Cultures

Time is a Bridge

These are two photographs I am showing at the Leighton Centre

in September as part of the Alberta Society of Artists 85th
Anniversary, entitled Bridges.

Meanwhile, summer is here and we want to make the best of the

long days and light. In-between barbeques and family visits, we
need to fill the need to be creative. A walk with your camera in
hand will do that or go to your studio/workplace and experiment.
We dont tend to do that while busy with shows and work during
the winter months so summer should be a time where we allow
ourselves to play. Something new and exciting might emerge we
had not thought of or tried before. Recently I have been trying to
reinvent my watercolours. To get myself excited and motivated, I
follow some of the advice I give to my students and use a bigger
brush and paint faster. It has been great fun and I will share this
at a workshop I give at Parkdale Nifty Fifties August 20. Check it
out and see if loosening up is something you would like to do!

Samples of loosey-goosey WC done with a 2 brush

For the acrylic painters, Ill have another workshop planned as

well: August 13, also at Parkdale Nifty Fifties, working on values
and composition. For both, register by calling (403)283-0620.
Fall will be here before we know it and you might like to check out
what galleries have on view around town. Remember that the
Glenbow Museum now offers free admission the first Thursday of
every month! Impact Framing in the SE (across from Stage West)
is currently expanding to offer classes and workshops by a variety
of instructors this fall.
I look forward to seeing many of you this fall. Have a wonderful,
safe and creative summer. Peruse my website to see what I have
to offer this fall. Aside from classes and workshops, check my Artat-Sea voyage onboard the MS Svell Nov.1-6 and my new
European adventure: Portugal/Spain with a Morocco extension in
May 2017.
All the best in life and in art!
karinrichter@shaw.ca
www.karinrichterfineart.blogspot.com

Karin
(403)272-1471

www.karinrichter.com
www.workshopinabag.com

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