Alabama watercolorist here!

[Monique McFarland]

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

Welcome Monique!

It's nice to have you here. There are so many good oil painters and so few watercolorists. You're needed here!

Well....lol...I'm crossing over myself...look at :
this
I've gotten the bug...all because of you guys, lol...it's YOUR fault.. I seriously love it...I learned likenesses the hardway, in watercolors..now I'm stepping back and trying my hand at oils..knowing how to do the likeness thing...but having to learn a medium from scratch!! I'm excited about the possibilities!!

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

You know, we probably crossed paths somewhere at the PSOA conference last May. I hope you don't mind me saying, but I like the first version of your son as a baby equally as much as your fixed version, because it has a more believable luminosity, in keeping with the setting. Sorry I didn't get to see it in person in D.C.

OH yes, I saw your work, and have recently looked up the thread on here about it...it was fabulous. I spent a good while a few inches away from it, trying to soak every single stroke up into my memory. There were so many perfectly wonderful portraits there that It was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to pick a favorite and vote. Once I did so, I regretted it and wanted about two or three or four others to have been my choice. It was nuts!! Do you remember Stephen Pann's portrait? Wasn't it beautiful? so very different than ANYTHING I could do...his style was so different and very artsy. I really really like it also. Plus to make it even more appealing was meeting him and his very humble nature. It was a real honor, to me. I saw you many times there, in passing, but of course, not knowing anyone there except the two I went there with, it was difficult to just jump into a conversation with a stranger to compliment them and their work. We met a few people standing in line each time and ended up sitting with them at the different demonstrations...that was really neat. I love interesting artsy, but not so far out, folks. Oh yea, loved the kilt!! You did stand out from the crowd with that on. That was you, right? or am I making a fool out of myself....maybe I'm thinking of the fantastic man standing on the hearth, the painting in the corner. The one that the incredibly YOUNG artist did....

what a memory...what a wonderful wonderful experience. So glad to have taken part.

Thanks for taking time to respond to my introduction....it was a nice surprise. Wish me luck in my oil journey!!

Monique

[Garth Herrick]

Dear Monique,

Yup, that was me in those plaid golf shorts, the first night. Golly we really did cross paths! That's really cool. (How did you know that guy was me?)

I hung out a lot with Stephen Pan at the conference. He would be pleased to know how much you liked his work in the finalist's display. I certainly understand if you had a difficult choice on picking your favorite of the thirteen; there were some pretty good paintings in there! I felt humbled.

I am glad you also had a wonderful time in D.C. Now, I hereby grant you the very best wishes on your artistic journey!

Garth

[Monique McFarland]

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

Dear Monique,

Yup, that was me in those plaid golf shorts, the first night. Golly we really did cross paths! That's really cool. (How did you know that guy was me?)

well, saw your tag...noticed a few folks hanging around in that room, meeting and greeting, figured they were the finalists and started trying to match name tags with paintings...I love connecting faces to paintings, it is a visual aid in remembering who's who. I remember you by your work.

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

I hung out a lot with Stephen Pan at the conference. He would be pleased to know how much you liked his work in the finalist's display. I certainly understand if you had a difficult choice on picking your favorite of the thirteen; there were some pretty good paintings in there! I felt humbled.

Our little group hung with Stephen too...I met him when he was standing around by the portfolio tables shyly showing his work. I peeked over and was blown away!! I complimented him on his work, then proceeded to really look at his entire portfolio. We struck up a conversation, then I introduced him to the magazine editor that I had met. I wanted his story and work to be featured, if they were at all interested in a humble wonderful artist with a great and interesting young life. I then introduced him to my friends that I was at the conference with. One of which is an incredible artist that owns a gallery here in my town. He's won the national duck stamp competition in the 80's, and is a really accomplished artist, I think. Anyhow, he was really taken with Stephen also and invited him to come down, expenses paid, lodging included, and do a workshop sometime. Stephen, of course, didn't feel worthy of such but was so honored, he eventually was talked into it. We have not gotten back in touch with him about setting something up yet, but I still have his card. I look for him online occasionally, still thinking he has a HUGE future ahead of him. I love his style...even though it is very different from mine. It is just breathtaking. There were MANY there that I thought the same about, he was just one of the very few that I met.

Thanks again for the kind greetings!! Have a wonderful New Year!!

Monique

[Alexandra Tyng]

Boy, I guess I'm coming in on this really late--so sorry I didn't see your introduction before, Monique. I love your enthusiasm! And I've been enjoying watching and helping with your venture into oils. I hope you'll be participating a lot in the future because I'm ready to see you take off.

Alex