Dot Courson Fine Art Blog

Sitting here planning paintings... and doing a few months of teaching lesson plans for a class that I teach on Mondays. Thinking to myself: "Well, I've done it again. I am booked pretty much solid through the spring!" Thought I'd post some- and I do hope to see some of you at one or more of these events. Events  (between now and the end of spring) Anderson Hall - NEMCC - Booneville. Exhigiton with Mississippi Painter's Society This exhibit opens Jan. 25 and runs till Feb. 21st, 2012.  A solo show at Caron|Prince Gallery: Small Places: Landscapes of the South March 1st - opening Reception from 5-7 PM. Save the date! Jackie and I are hosting an Anne Blair Brown Plein Air Workshop here in Pontotoc on April 19-21 : In the Women Painters of the Southeast show at Corse Gallery & Atlier in Jacksonville, Fl where I'm proud to say that I'm a signature member! Also teaching  3 day workshop for the Greenville  Delta Art Association...

I've not started back teaching yet, but thought I would give readers or art students ten suggestions for New Year's Resolutions.  It's only January 5th so it's not too late. After Jan 10th, resolutions are called "goals". My rule.  But goals are just as good as resolutions!  Paint looser. (This one is for me. I'm a lifelong student too !) Paint standing up if you can so that you can walk away and look at your painting every few minutes. Do this to know when you "have it right".  As I was painting this week I realize that I walk continuously. This is the thing that my students need to do more. If I could get them to do that they would know when to stop painting the life out of much of their work. It needs to be seen a few feet away to judge how it really looks.  Paint more AND use more paint. Draw more.   Do more value studies in paint and pencil or marker to understand perspective and form and mass.  Find an art book that you li...