I finally finished my new online class, Soul Dwellings. I have been working on it for several months. There is so much new material I want to teach so I made the decision to create several classes one after another.This first in a series focuses on values, atmosphere, an introduction to composition elements and mark making. Another thing I discuss and demonstrate is making the background for figures to live in. Powderd charcoal is a wonderful media to use as a starting point and something I have been experimenting with which you will see. Here are the projects I complete in the class. There will also be several videos on learning the techniques as well as making beautiful and mysterious collage elements to incorporate in some of the final pieces. I combined one of the scribble exercises to collage onto this piece of art. The wire element gives her stability as well as creating the another way to explore scribble and mark making using wire. This piece was a final painting that I started out using the soft charcoal. I decided to push the portrait further by incorporating oil bars and oil paint. Here I work a figure with a very abstract figure and more defined face. This is a journal page and I demonstrate my favorite way to create journal spreads making drawings to use as collage elements with the scribble mark making and really busy, fun with lots of eye candy. I decided that I wanted to make this a more refined painting. I took the journal page and mounted onto a wood cradled board and continued to cover up some areas to give the painting some rest. I also go over the composition principle of called fulcrum, which was the "bones" of the piece. The composition element I worked with here is the cruciform. I take some of the collage elements made in some of the other videos and used them to create a cruciform composition. I pull it all together with the portrait I paint on top. Here is another project incorporating a landscape with a figure. I start out with a powered charcoal background and the building and figure emerge from this atmospheric piece Here is the link to the class. It starts Jan. 30 and the early bird price is $75.00 (The price goes up to $85.00 once the class starts) http://www.fracturedangelics.com/product/soul-dwellings-e-course I ALSO HAVE BECOME MORE ACTIVE WITH MY ETSY STORE with lots of art and my classes. I will have new pieces going up weekly so check it out. https://www.etsy.com/shop/fracturedangelicsart So as some of you know, I taught a class on Jeanne Oliver's site Children of the Wild. I just loved the theme and continued to create children with their animal muse/companion. I have written in the past about my experience visiting an abandoned reformatory school in North Carolina. I researched the place to discover that many children that lived there were abandoned by their families. I felt this emotional attachment to these "children" and wasn't quite sure why. I photographed inside and out this abandoned campus. As I was looking at the photos and thinking about the children the thought came to mind, if I can save these children I can save myself. Well that is kinda deep! A darling friend said to me, so now are you an orphan?!! She has a great sense of humor and I laughed but it did make me wonder why this feeling. The one thing that comes to mind was my impulsive move to Calif as a young adult. I was a wild child and jumped into a crazy, abusive relationship.I moved in with him.I thought I was quite cavalier free spirit but what I was was scared! My family, in particular my parents, were appalled. My dad told the family 'out of site out of mind'. I realized that my family abandoned me. For my part , my ego would not allow myself to ask my family for help. I was supposed to be this successful artist in Los Angeles.....at least that was what I told them. Less than a year later my dad died of a heart attack. It was the worst year of my life and I felt totally and utterly alone.I continued to make horrible life decisions. I put myself in danger with very reckless behavior. Now I know this is a buzz kill but I thought I would let the viewer into some of my emotional history I bring into my art. It also has brought purpose into my life . I have been privileged to be of service to women and that my past has made me a good messenger of hope. I rescue abandoned animals. I respond to the underdog. I don't dwell on my past as a victim, , but rather make it holy in my work. I actually had another topic to discuss but I will share that on another post. Also my next post will have alot more color in it! At least for me. In fact I am going to add pink! Thanks for reading.......kate