Please not that all the images, artwork, photos and text contained in this newsletter, are the copyright of Teresa Mallen and any artists that are featured. The images, artwork, photos and text may not be copied or reproduced in any way unless written permission has been obtained.

From My Studio...

Hi everyone! Wow, is it June already? I can't believe how quickly the spring months went by.

For those of you in the Ottawa area, there are just two days left to register for Beyond the Basics.The course starts Saturday morning, June 13th. You don't need any supplies, just your pencils so a last minute registration is possible. For more info please see the classes section below.

Don't forget about the on-line art show that is coming up in the fall. It is never too early to take reference photos and to start working on ideas and sketches.

I would like you to meet Heather Gaff Mewis in the 'Introducing' section. Also, don't miss my horn tooting in the news section. :-) Finally, if you know of someone who is interested in the coloured pencil medium, do tell them about this newsletter.

So off we go...

I am always impressed by the interesting lives you folks lead. Not only is Heather passionate about art but she also creates and sells unique jewelry. Oh, and she works as a paramedic! Here is Heather's story...

Please note: Heather has submitted these images to be included in this newsletter. Please be reminded that these images are copyright protected. Heather Gaff Mewis owns the copyright and copying and/or reproducing is not permitted.

"My interest in art started with my dad; I remember him teaching me the basics of realism drawing. I specifically remember him explaining how my drawing of a dress would look more realistic if I curved the bottom hem instead of drawing it straight across. At the time I didn't think very much of that but I look back and see how his talents and interests fired my own. While I've dabbled in numerous mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, pastels, etc; drawing in pencil has always been my first love. I was the kid that loved coloring the maps in social studies!"

"So when I rediscovered the modern art versions of colored pencils, namely Primsacolor, I fell in love all over again. Colored pencil allows me to manipulate a level of detail that I have never achieved before. I've also discovered Ester Roi's Icarus Art Board that expands the boundaries of wax colored mediums. My best work, in my opinion, has been achieved through colored pencil.

I considered pursuing art professionally in high school but was concerned about both finances and my ability to consistantly produce. I choose to attend college instead for a creative writing degree but eventually ended up in paramedicine. I received my paramedic license in 1994 and have worked full time on the Houston area streets ever since.

Consequently, my art was set aside for many years and I established myself in the medical field. After several years I was able to devote more time to my artistic interests and I have since explored arts and crafts through various ways. I learned to crochet, knit (which I was never very good at), calligraphy, scrapbooking, painting and photography to name the major interests. I used my calligraphy to hand address all my own wedding invitations 5 years ago when I married my wonderful husband, Brad."

"I still work full time as a paramedic but started my own business in August 2008 to promote and sell my artwork and jewelry. Most of my artwork and photography is inspired by nature; the palm leaf colored pencil painting was taken directly from my own photograph of a palm leaf in a strong breeze. My jewelry is inspired by my parrot companion, Royal, a white bellied caique. I decided to make a pair of earrings from her tail feathers last year, sold them on ebay and have been in business making jewelry that incorporates feathers in the majority of my pieces."

"I'm mainly inspired to incorporate feathers in my jewelry, bookmarks and other personal items. However, sometimes a design calls to me and does need feathers. I use feathers both as focal pieces and accents to many of my jewelry and I really enjoy creating new ways to create with and around feathers. Right now about a third of my business comes from custom orders and some of my stock designs started from a custom order that I liked so much I recreated it. When I started making jewelry I used costume jewelry quality parts but I'm gradually improving the quality of my stock pieces by using more silver plated/sterling silver and gold filled findings. I also take it as a personal challenge to use as few manufactured parts as possible. My virtual store front is http://jinx1764.artfire.com and my business online catalog of work is www.featheredfriendsmementos.com which also has a direct link "Rapid Cart" to my store front."

"My new personal goal is to take over the world by making feather jewelry mainstream! My jewelry is very eclectic and most can be worn in the business environment, as casual ware or for a formal evening. But as much as I love making jewelry now, I will never stop drawing and have several new pieces that I'm currently working on.

My main bit of advice to another artist of any medium would be: Stay true to yourself and create what you love. And if your trying to sell your work don't worry about making something that everyone will love, you only need two people to love your work: yourself and one buyer! :o) "

Thank you Heather for being April's featured artist! It was wonderful to see your work. To see more of Heather's creations check out her sites listed above. You can also visit Heather's blog by clicking here. Heather writes that she is recovering at home from recent surgery. Best wishes Heather for a speedy recovery. If you enjoyed Heather's art and jewelry, why don't you send her a quick note? I am sure she would love to hear from you.

*Newsletter Group Members, I need someone to volunteer to be featured in the next issue!

Please drop me a line if you are interested. You do not have to be a professional artist to be featured. Hobby artists and newbies are welcome. My email address is teresa@teresamallenstudio.com . I can't wait to hear from you.

Time to toot my horn...I am delighted to report that a recent work of mine was juried into the Coloured Pencil Society of America 17th International Exhibition.

Swiss Chard Mosaic, 19" x 7", coloured pencil on Colourfix paper, copyright Teresa Mallen

This piece will be on exhibit at the Hudgens Center for the Arts in Atlanta Georgia, from July 9th until August 29th, 2009. There will be approximately 120 works on display, done entirely in coloured pencil, so if are in the area this summer do plan to stop by and have a look. For more info on the exhibition and to read the names of the artists participating in the exhibition, visit the CPSA website.

"Amateurs practice until they get it right, experts practice until they can't get it wrong." (Faith Duck) So there you have it, amateur or expert - there is no avoiding practicing your craft!

Two days left to register! Please note that you do not need any special supplies, just your pencils, so last minute registration is possible.

Beyond the Basics shall be held over three Saturday mornings in June - the 13th, 20th and 27th. This course is primarily about creating colour with your coloured pencils: how to use complementary colours in a unique way, different methods for creating values, how to 'see' colour, exploring warm and cool colours, etc. To read all of the details about this course please see the classes section of my website. You can also register from that page. Secure on-line payment options are available.

Newsletter Group Members, don't forget to start working on something for this Fall's on-line show. The show is scheduled to be posted in October 2009.

- your work can be done in any medium, of course coloured pencil would be preferred

- you will submit via the computer so slides etc. are not required (you can scan your work or take digital pictures)

You have several months to get something ready so I do hope you will participate. Remember this is open to everyone and you can submit anything, from graphite drawings to pastel to cp mixed media. As the focus of this newsletter is coloured pencil, I hope to see lots of work done with cps. Right now I am limiting the number of pieces to two per person but if there are just a handful of participants this restriction will be lifted. If I am flooded with hundreds of images, then the number may drop from two to one. Please note, if you only have one piece to submit, one is fine. I will keep posting reminders and if you have any questions, please contact me.

The purpose of this show is for you the Members to have a chance to show your work. I look forward to seeing your art!

I will post details in later issues on how to submit your images and what info to include.

This month's question comes from new Newsletter Group Member Mary Ketonen who asks: "When you're working with pencil on paper, is the paper taped to a board, worked loose on a table or is it held firmly somehow? Thanks."

I like to tape my work to my drafting table. As my drafting table is in a slanted postition, the tape helps keep my work from sliding. I think it is a good idea to fix your work somehow, otherwise you might find that you end up holding the paper with your free hand to keep it from moving. If you are working for a while, this isn't a very comfortable position to maintain. Also, as I tend to work back and forth between colours, I usually end up holding pencils in my left hand, so I find I need to keep that hand free. If you wish to use tape, I would use painter's tape. It is a type of masking tape and you will find that maufacturers usually make it in a green colour. You can find it at an art supply store or at a hardware store. People use this tape to cover edges and areas that they don't want to paint over when painting rooms. I recommend this type of tape as it has low tack so it won't destroy the surface of your paper when you remove it. Having said that, I only apply tape to the outer edges of the sheet I am working on. I always cut my paper so that I have a border of uncoloured paper around my work and it is to this area that I apply the tape.

Feel free to change the position of your paper. For example if I am working on an area at the top of the paper, perhaps the background, I will turn my paper and work upside down so that my hand and arm do not have to rest on my work. I also turn my paper to make it easier if I am using a directional stroke.

For example, when I worked on this piece, 'Neptune's Leaves', which at 21" x 16" is rather large (and yes it is done entirely in cps), I turned it upside down to work on the background at the top and on the sides. I still taped it to my drafting table but again I didn't use any edges that were part of the image.

With regards to a surface, such as working on a board or a table, basically work in whatever way you feel comfortable. I find that pencils perform better on paper if there is a firm surface underneath as opposed to working on stacks of papers or fabric as in a tablecloth. If you work directly on top of a wood table, make sure that the wood grain is not rough otherwise this may affect your work (depending on how thick your paper is).

I wrote more about surfaces, drafting tables and working on a slant, a year ago in the June 2008 issue of the Newsletter. If you would like to read more, this issue is still available to read, just click back to the Newsletter page of my website and scroll down to the June 2008 issue. I just reread last year's June issue and hey it was a good one - so I encourage everyone to go have a look!

Thanks for you question Mary. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please email me at teresa@teresamallenstudio.com.

To see some fabulous wildlife art,check out artist Leslie Helena Evans. Click here to visit her website. I especially like her best in show piece, "Hitchcock". What a captivating face!

Another cp artist whose work you might like to look at is Robin Borrett. Robin is in the UK and his work ranges from buildings, to landscapes, to animal portraits. The majority of his work is commission based and his clients are from the UK, USA and other parts of the world. Click here to view his website.

Okay this site hasn't anything to do with cps but I have to admit that I am smitten with the work of felt artist Andrea Graham. I love her pods, her landscapes, and her 'figures' make me smile everytime I see them. I was fortunate to be able to attend a presentation that Andrea gave recently and I was able to see her work in person. Absolutely wonderful! You can see her website by clicking here and woo-hoo Andrea also has a blog! I really enjoy reading about her creative process and also how she juggles studio time and all of the business/teaching stuff she does. I guess most artists who work at their art full time struggle with the balancing act of producing work and running a business. I find it inspiring to read her journey. So, I am not the only one dashing about like a mad thing, frantically trying to keep all the balls in the air! That knowledge is comforting. :-)

Any Newsletter Group Members need help with a piece? This section has been very quiet in past months. If you are shy, please note that you can remain anonymous. If anyone would like to take me up on my offer to help, just send me an email.

If you are new to my newsletters and you would like some help, here is how it works. It is really quite simple. If you are a Newsletter Group Member, you can obtain free, helpful advice right here! Perhaps you have a piece that you would like me to review and to give feedback on. Perhaps you have just started something and you are unsure if you are heading in the right direction. Maybe you have a photo picked out and you are wondering if it would make a good painting. We learn from following another's process and this feedback is being offered as a way for members to learn from each other. If you have something you would like help with, email me a photo or a scanned image and we will go from there. You can also remain anonymous in the newsletter if desired. I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope you are enjoying my latest rose series as I post my works in progress. If you are a new Newsletter Group member, please know that I write an art journal blog. In my blog I post pictures of my works in progress. I talk about what inspires me and I share details of my process. There is lots of other info on my blog too. I have been blogging for over a year now and I have written a lot of posts. I have recently added a new section to my blog, entitled Featured Writings that I hope you will find helpful. I have compiled some informative blog posts from the past year (topics include getting into galleries and marketing art). These featured writings can be found in the right hand side bar. Just look for the artsy buttons!

You can check out my art journal blog here: www.teresamallenstudio.blogspot.com. If you like what you see, why not sign up to subscribe via the RSS feed or via email? Just look for this info on the sidebar of the blog. You can also become a follower of my blog. I have recently added the 'follower' widget to the sidebar on the right.

Are you reading my blog and would like to share your thoughts? You can click on the comments section at the end of each post to read what others have written. If you have a google account or are willing to open one, you can also leave a message. If you would like to make a comment but you don't wish to leave a message on the blog, why not write me an email? I would love to read your comments, no matter how they reach me.

My Motivation Monday series of writings on my blog is finished for now but if you missed it just look for the Motivation Monday button in the righthand sidebar. I will post more motivating thoughts in future.

This newsletter is for you, so please feel free to participate. Send in images of your art for show and tell. If you have a question, please ask. If you need help, just shout. If you have a helpful tip or suggestion, send it along. Perhaps you have a business or website you would like to promote. Don't be shy, why not get involved?

Not sure how to become a Newsletter Group Member? It's easy, just email me to become registered!

Some pictures from a lilac and an apple tree in my backyard - sorry you can't smell the blossoms. :-)

(If you would prefer to not receive a newsletter notice in future, please email me. Put 'remove' in the subject line and you will be deleted from my mailing list.)

Teresa Mallen Studio	Coloured Pencil Artist
	www.teresamallenstudio.com