Artist News and Notes
Jean Pederson’s DVD workshop won’t be out for a few more months, but we still wanted to wish her congratulations for winning the Charles Comfort Medal for outstanding figurative work from the Canadian Scoiety of Painters in Watercolour.
To learn more about Jean’s work, visit her website, and drop Susan a note if you’d like to be notified when Jean’s DVD is ready for Pre-Order.
Ask a Question; “Encaustic Collage Workshop” Pre-Order Special
Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch’s fast, fun, and inexpensive methods break down the barriers to working in encaustic. In this DVD workshop Patricia leads you through three encaustic collage projects using dozens of creative methods and materials. You’ll start with low-cost supplies from stores you visit every week and incorporate techniques from collage, scrapbooking, painting, and other media that make you feel at home.
Take advantage of the Pre-Order special and get the chance to ask Patricia a question!
1. After an on-line Pre-Order is placed, you will receive a questionnaire form via email.
2. You can fill it out with your question for Patricia and send it back.
3. The artist will then select questions from the group to answer.
4. Over the next several weeks, answers will be publicly available on the newly revamped ccpvideos blog and made available to everyone!
Creative Catalyst Productions Announces Agreement with ArtWorkshops.tv, LLC. for Video-On-Demand
Free Media Passes offered to members of the media
Albany, Oregon, February 10, 2009: Creative Catalyst Productions, Inc. (CCP) today announces a licensing agreement with ArtWorkshops.tv, LLC (AWtv) to offer its art and craft workshop videos on-demand through their new site.
Media Passes are available through CCP to members of the media who wish to review the site in their magazines, zines, blogs or in any other form of media. You may apply for a press pass from Kelly Powers, CCP’s Director of New Media. Apply HERE.
More than seventy of CCP’s, full-length, art and craft workshops will be offered through the video-on-demand site. This agreement enables AWtv to launch with a full library of videos for art and craft enthusiasts. New titles from artists and independent production companies will be coming on line throughout the year.
One exciting feature of the site is the ability to rent workshops for as little as $9.95. Options include daily, weekly and monthly rentals through streaming and purchase by download. Rented media can be streamed instantly from any PC. (Not yet available on Mac computers) The viewing experience is enriched by advanced encoding features that enable the viewer to navigate to any part of the workshop.
“We are thrilled we can offer our workshops, world-wide, on-demand. This means that anyone with a PC and a web connection can learn from these wonderful teachers,” says Kelly Powers, Director of New Media Marketing. “I think ArtWorkshops.tv is presenting an incredible opportunity to artists and crafters around the world who want to share their talents. It also gives students a resource that will allow them to flourish as artists.”
About ArtWorkshops.tv, LLC
AWtv was founded in 2008 with the goal of designing a Video-On-Demand delivery system for Art and Craft video produced by variety of production companies and independent artist/video producers. The site offers a platform to monetize video content to a world-wide audience without the considerable up-front cost of development.
Video-On-Demand meets a number of opportunities, head on. It overcomes shipping barriers to international DVD sales and offers art and craft students and enthusiasts an alternative to renting DVDs. AWtv gives instant access to this educational media and pays artist royalties on every transaction.
The licensing agreement with Creative Catalyst enables AWtv to launch with the substantial group of workshop titles produced by Creative Catalyst. New titles with other production companies will be added throughout the year.
SOURCE: Creative Catalyst Productions, Inc.
Websites:
www.ArtWorkshops.tv
www.CCPVideos.com
Contact:
Kelly Powers – Director of New Media Marketing
Kelly@ccpvideos.com
Kwan Jung Greetings
Dec. 2008
Dear Friends &
SEASON GREETINGS
2008 has been an artistic year for the Jungs. We have been busy doing paintings and engaged in many art activities like: attending friends’ exhibitions, being a helping hand in painting workshops and the art class.
We have also got our names in prints. In art book publishing of 2008, Kwan’s landscape painting “ Engagement in the Park “ is included in the book “Splash 10, the passionate brushstrokes“, edited by Rachel Wolf of the North Light Books this year. In her book, Editor Ms. Rachel Wolf asked all artist who is contributing his or her artworks to tell how to passionate those brushstrokes. Everyone had his or her thought written. In page 19th of “ Splash 10, the passionate brushstrokes “ Kwan wrote “ It is a lifetime goal to create something special” as his answer.
Early January 2008, Yee Wah and Kwan both participated in the invitational small group exhibition of “ Celebrating Tradition” in San Francisco State University. The exhibition was sponsored by the San Francisco State University, supported by the Yale -China Association and collaborated with the New Asia College Alumni Association in Northern California. “ Celebrating Traditions “ included 60 pieces of diverse artworks created by the renowned masters who had taught at New Asia College, a founding member of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Alumni artists who are living in California. The Exhibition was held at the SFSU Downtown Campus from February 8 to July 31, 2008. We were able to show our artworks together with our teacher Professors Ting Yen Yung (1902-1978), Tseng Ke Duan (1900-1975) and Principal Mr. Chien Mu (1895-1990). So, we drove up north twice. Each time, we took the opportunities to visit our daughter Kathy who is living in Livermore and friends who are living near San Francisco area. First, we went to deliver paintings for the exhibition and secondly for the Opening Ceremony which was scheduled on the the 8th of February and the demonstration of Chinese brush painting . Kwan took up the task for the New Asia College Alumni Association and did the demonstration on the 9th. It was a part of the lecture series related to Chinese art and culture to be offered to the general public at SFSU during the six month exhibition period. Kwan made twenty small Chinese paintings in two hours during the demonstration. In both trips, we visited friends and had small gatherings or informal College Reunion . Together, we had several delicious dinners in China Town. It was like the good old days when we were college kids. A 36 pages Exhibition Catalog was printed by the SFSU to accompany the Exhibition. All artists (11)who were in the exhibition are in one page print with photo, resume’ and painting occupying the Catalog. Kwan and Yee Wah have their pictures printed in pages 22 & 23 of the catalog.
Mrs. Blue of the General Atomics of San Diego purchased six more landscape paintings from Kwan for keep this year. In addition to the thirteen previous purchases, the total number of Kwan paintings in the General Atomics’ permanent collection now has reached 19. All paintings are on display daily in the facility there. The new paintings are “ “ Blue Grass Country” 26” x 36”, “Moon” 28” x 38”, “Purple Cloud” 30” x 33”,“Waterfall”19” x 58”, “Metallic Tree” 27” x 54”,and “Golden Hill” 33” x 60”. ” After the new collections were framed and hung, we made appointments and visited the General Atomics Gallery in two occasions. First, we went with our friends Janet and Minching Lam, Kwan’s high school friend. Secondly, we went with artist Kitty and Danny Tow, Danny was employed and worked there many years ago. We were so impressed with the enormous scale of the gallery and the various art collections displayed. The Gallery is in the middle of the offices. Their employees are actually working in an artistic and cultural environment so designed by the Blues.
We wish all of you a Joyous holiday season, Merry X’mas and a Prosperous Healthy Happy New Year 2009 !
Kwan & Yee Wah Jung
Creative Catalyst Newsletter October 23, 2008
Announcing a Winter DVD Giveaway
Enter to win our weekly and 2nd chance Winter DVD Giveaways! The more you order, the more chances you have to win.
Each week, starting this past Monday (October 20th), your name automatically goes into a hat for each DVD you order that week. At the end of the week, we will draw one name and announce the winner in our E-Newsletter (winner will also be notified by e-mail). Winners receive one free Creative Catalyst produced DVD of their choice.
But wait, you have a 2nd chance if your name is not drawn that week. The names not drawn that week will move to the 2nd Chance Hat for another drawing held at the end of the period. Then it starts all over again!
Periods Run:
• Begins October 20 & ends November 23, 2008.
• Begins December 1 & ends December 21, 2008.
• Begins January 1 & ends January 31, 2009.
• Begins February 1 & ends February 28, 2009.
(Note: Maximum one free DVD per person, per month)
Creative Catalyst Artists are Winners
Last week we reported that Nicholas Simmons took top honors at the National Watercolor Society. Mark Mehaffey and Donna Zagotta (all CCP artists with DVD workshops in various stages of production) were notified they had also won awards at the National Watercolor Society. Mark received the Janet Hilford Memorial award for Blue Monolith (1). Donna took a memorial award at NWS for Heart to Heart (2). Additionally, Donna won first place at the Rocky Mountain Watercolor Society for Morning Stroll, Key West (3) and fourth at the San Diego Watercolor Society with Big Yellow Taxi (4)
In addition, remember Claudine Hellmuth will be on Martha Stewart, September 12th.
Filming Craig Nelson
We wrapped up last week and started this one by filming Craig Nelson. Craig is an instructor and department chair at the San Francisco Academy of Art, a world renowned institution. We stayed up way too late talking about notables in the art world that are Craig’s friends, students or fellow artists. Many of the illustrators whose work I’ve loved for years are on a first name basis with Craig… not the least of which is Burt Silverman.
Friday morning we did our first plein air shoot. A ‘first’ in anything is a learning 
experience. I am the person under the black cloth… The sunlight made it impossible for me to see my display screen. Next time I’ll have something more professional looking, I hope. All went really well. And of course, Craig’s painting was great.
While here, Craig did two more paintings. One is an exercise, with a limited palette, he recommends for beginners. The third painting is a more complete two day landscape painting done in studio.
News – September 4, 2007
This week opens with a holiday and beautiful weather here in Oregon. For all the many months of winter, with constant rain, this state redeems itself with the weather of summer and fall. It is just barely 80 degrees, clear skies and flowers everywhere. It’s 106 in my old haunts of LA….
I managed to get through last week with only one major blunder of misquoting the juror of the National Watercolor Society and editor of Artist Magazine, Maureen Bloomfield. I guess if one is going to make a fool of one’s self, there is no point in doing it in private….
Our week will end with filming Craig Nelson In Plein Air. Craig will paint a vista overlooking a local stream toward the neighbor’s barn. It will be our first workshop filmed ‘in nature’. We have thought of every contingency we can imagine. Time will tell. The report of an oncoming weather downturn is par for the course. We are charging our batteries, rounding up umbrellas and portable mics. What a blend of art and science!
Among other news this week, Nicholas Simmons, Mark Mehaffey and Donna Zagotta (all CCP artists with workshops in various stages of production) were notified they had won awards at the National Watercolor Society. Additionally Donna Zagotta won first place at the Rocky Mountain WC Society. Also, our very own Claudine Hellmuth will be LIVE on the Martha Stewart Show September 12.
- Lynn –
August 28, 2007 – Painting in the CCP Gardens
Even though we have lived here over 26 years, and I’ve spent a good portion of my time working in the yard, I’ve never thought of the yard as a place to paint. Last week a group of artist joined us here for a morning of painting. Seeing the yard through their eyes has changed how I see where I live. Instead of focusing on the bind weed and devils grass (dead spots in the lawn, dead branches in the trees… ) I see color and shapes. What a gift! Since then I have found much more peace here.
I have touted for years the importance of being able to see things as shapes etc. It took seeing through the eyes of others before I could do that for myself, here where I spend most of my time. What a gift!
Also, we received notice that THREE Creative Catalyst artists won awards in the recent National Watercolor Association show. Nicholas Simmons received the NWS Purchase Award, with Silver Star (top honors!). Mark Mehaffey won the Janet Hilford Memorial Award…..AND artist Donna Zagotta also won the Members Memorial award in the NWS show as well! Mark has two CCP workshops, we filmed Nicholas in May, and we will film Donna next year.
Creative Catalyst Newsletter – July 24, 2007
“Go with the flow!” and learn the art of working WITH the natural tendencies of watercolor and not against them. In ANN PEMBER’s DVD watercolor workshop, PAINTING IN THE FLOW OF WATERCOLOR, you see Ann use Strathmore high plate bristol board and only five colors to produce this serene mountain river scene. She works on a slant, and with the use of a spray bottle, coaxes the most incredible textures. Her technique is straight forward, and amazing. It’s worth at least checking out her preview / trailer!
We had, Paula, a wonderful customer, suggest we keep you informed of what’s in “the works!” Good idea Paula, thanks!
Acrylic layering artist JACQUELINE SULLIVAN’S workshop will go on pre-sale soon. In her workshop you will learn about using the right adhesives for layering different materials, including metallics and a variety of texture compounds. It was sent to our duplicator on Monday, 7/23/07. Take a peek at Jacqueline’s CCP gallery to see the rich variety of work she does.
Front and center in the editing bay is currently GLORIA PAGE’S workshop about creative stamp carving and some cool ways of incorporating stamps into our art.
Last week we finished filming (A) CARLA O’CONNOR AWS DF, NWS last week. Carla’s workshop is part of the master’s series and is primarily focused on design.
Prior to filming Carla, we filmed (B.) NICHOLAS SIMMONS. Nicholas’ workshop entails using acrylics in conjunction with masking fluid. The result is a very unique effect that looks somewhat Asian.
Before Nicholas, we filmed VIRGINIA COBB. Her problem solving approach to painting is an eye-opening, mind-expanding approach to design.
Watercolorist, SUE ARCHER arrives in about 2-1/2 weeks “¦ looking forward to her arrival (SIDE NOTE: We are remolding the guest bathroom “¦ hoping to finish in time for the Sue’s arrival!)
We’ve just scheduled oil artist CRAIG NELSON“¦ he will be coming back to Oregon to film a Plein Air DVD workshop in early September. Here’s hoping it won’t rain!
Watercolorist, PAT WEAVER will join us after Craig.
Then Lynn and Jim will be off to the Florida Watercolor Society’s Tradeshow where we will meet and greet customers and artists.
In October we will be headed to ART & SOUL in Portland to film three mixed media artists, ANNE BAGBY, ROBERT DANCIK and a new ANN BALDWIN workshop.
Next year is looking great too… the lineup, so far: NED MUELLER, DONNA ZAGOTTA, DOUG LEW, JEAN PEDERSON and a new tour de force by JOHN SALMINEN.
Whew!
View or Enter the Summer Art Show
“Finishing a painting demands a heart of steel: everything requires a decision, and I find difficulties where I least expect them…It is at such moments that one fully realizes one’s own weaknesses.”
~ Eugene Delacroix ~
1796-1863
From Artist to Artist
Compiled by Clint Brown
Mark Mehaffey Returns from France-June 29, 2007
CCP artist/instructor Mark Mehaffey took a lucky group of students to France. Here is a short description of the experience written by Mark!
The trip went off without a hitch, the group was willing to try 
everything I presented both conceptually and technically. They ranged from a beginner with just a month of drawing/ painting experience to folks that had been traveling and painting for years. There was so much to see and do that the hardest part of me was finding enough down time to actually 
paint. As an instructor I tried to cover all the bases for a painting and exploring trip…how to use the view finder of the camera to start the Artistic process, using the sketch book to record both written and graphic ideas of “place”, using the sketch book to define value and shape in preparation for painting,and using photographic references as a source. We actually brought a small printer so we could print a few photos everyday, it worked well! Demo’s included using watercolor over a pen and ink drawing, simplifying shapes and assigning value from photo references, Painting on site to “capture the essence”, using 
gouache to add the light ( the beginners really appreciated this lesson as they did not have to worry about “painting around” the lights a necessary procedure with transparent watercolor.) , using neutrals and neutralized color to create mood ….and the biggest lesson of all…how to eat all that fabulous French food and not gain a pound! -Lynn-
Lynn’s Garden Tour
In the next couple of weeks I’ll be preparing to present my second main interest and love to the local community in the form of a ‘Garden Tour’. The local Master Gardeners have created a fund raising event around a one day summer tour of a few select gardens. Although it has made us complete projects that have lingered for years, the additional stress has taken some of the peace out of the yard for me. It’s like hanging an art show…. Suddenly the framing becomes an issue and the painting process itself takes a back seat for a while. I hope to take a week off just to focus on the yard, but that’s a little tough when your business is at home. The gang at CCP must be tired of me saying “After the garden tour!”
On another note,collage and mixed media artist Anne Bagby has agreed to film an art instruction DVD with Creative Catalyst next year (2008) . She’s a very interesting combination of drawing, collage and almost a Klimpt like patterning. Should be wonderful!
It’s part of my job to review art instruction workshop DVDs produced by other production companies to see if we want to carry the workshop. I’ve been truly frustrated with camera angles, lack of reference materials, poor audio or just simply “watch me do my thing” mentality without any true instructional value. How crazy is that?! Art instruction workshops should be just that. Not a venue for an artist’s ego but rather an opportunity to share information and expand the community of artists. No wonder so many people are leery of purchasing a DVD workshop!
And finally, In many ways, we are on the outside looking in on what’s going on in the art world. Every once in awhile we catch a drift of some disgruntled person that complains that too many people are using Yupo, or watercolor in an opaque fashion, or heaven forbid… white paint. Sometimes it is difficult not to be threatened by the new. But to forbid new media and experimentation is like forbidding someone from using a word processor and requiring them to write their novel with a quill pen. Hopefully we can all recognize that it is the content of a work and not the materials that makes it successful or not. Watercolorist Dean Mitchell paints award winning, highly valuable small watercolors (many are only a few inches in size) in a very traditional style. He holds his own very well in this modern era. Clearly he is not threatened by new techniques. He has found what works for him.
The world is big enough for us all.
-Lynn-
Friday May 25th, 2007
I’m taking a quick break from filming to post this entry.
East coast artist Nicholas Simmons is here taping a watercolor art instruction video/DVD. Thankfully the weather is co-operating! Although we don’t get to see much of the day because of working in the windowless film studio. It’s 77 and clear. A rare spring day indeed.
Nicholas has stretched us. Our new backdrop passed muster with rave compliments from the artist. We are managing to accommodate his 40″x40″ painting. He is showing us how to paint in an interesting process of very non-traditional techniques. His technique is very well suited for his subject, KOI. He neither stretches his paper or uses a backing board. And it’s only 140# hot press so it buckles. Buckling is exactly what Nicholas is after. He makes it look easy, but we’ve been in this business long enough to know that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I’ve yet been able to do a process on first attempt to my satisfaction.
A quick update on 2008: We have signed Ned Mueller (oil), Donna Zagotta (watercolor and acrylic), Doug Lew (watercolor) Pat San Soucie (mixed media) and John Salminen (watercolor) who promises to do one of his street scenes. We are very excited about the line up for Creative Catalyst Productions.
Back to it. The phones and web are so quiet! I guess people really are taking a long holiday weekend. – Lynn
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