Pen & Ink Practice, Sketching & Scribbles (Fall 2022)

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go! You'll find it's a medium worth getting to know. It dries quickly and won't smudge; however, once some marks are made, they will not budge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter. Work through an October challenge as if it's a no-brainer.

Jug. 8x10. Ink sketch on paper by Christy Olsen.

Practice with the guidance you seek as you learn a variety of inking tools & techniques. Whether a novice or an established inker, you may discover that you're intrigued by pen & ink practice hook, line, and sinker. During this class, you will have access to the supplies you need, and by the end, you may even feel as if your challenge in pen & ink will succeed!

Meets: (3) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Oct. 1, 8, & 15 in 2022
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Mark making, line & how to use fountain pens
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

Register or enroll at the Art Verve Academy!

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Guest Speaker & Demonstration Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) (Spring 2022)

Invited to demonstrate and lecture!

Sponsored by the Tucson Pastel Society (TPS), this event will be held in the TPS Art Center in Tucson, Arizona. It is open to the general public and members of the guild. Admission is at no charge.

How to Find Your Colorfulness

Painting can be lots of fun; however, working with color is highly complex, with many elements to consider. Have you even introduced a new color in your artwork only to discover that something else is suddenly out of whack? Let’s try a new approach by introducing neutrals next to highly intense colors to make them more vibrant.

Feeder. 9x12. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

Date & Time

January 19, 2022 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium and have fun doing art in the communities it serves. TPS is an active and vital art organization for pastel artists to flourish, fostering the skills and camaraderie of its members while encouraging community awareness of dry pastel fine art by offering exhibitions and events. For more information, visit the Tuscon Pastel Society.org.

Location

TPS Art Center
2447 N. Los Altos Ave. Tucson, Arizona 85705

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Pen & Ink Toolbox for Ink Challenge (Fall 2021)

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go! You'll find it's medium worth getting to know. It dries quickly and won't smudge however once that mark is made, it will not budge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter, work through the October/Inktober challenge as if it's a no-brainer. Practice with the guidance you seek, as you learn a whole variety of inking tools & techniques. Whether you are a novice or an established inker, you may find out that you're intrigued by InkTober practice hook line and sinker. During this class, you will have access to supplies you need, and by the end, you may even feel as if your InkTober practice will succeed!

Husky. 5x7. Ink sketch on paper by Christy Olsen.

This class will focus on how to perform a 30 day Pen & Ink challenge!

Meets: (2) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Oct. 2, 9 in 2021 (Inktober)
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N Los Altos Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Absolute Beginner to advanced, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Drawing, Hatching & Cross Hatching
Materials: Bring a sketchbook, notebook, pencil, pen, or something to take notes on.

Register or enroll at the Art Verve Academy!

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Drawing in Pen & Ink (Spring 2020)

Drawing in Pen & Ink

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go, you'll find that it's a medium definitely worth getting to know. Once you make a mark, it won't budge, it also dries quickly and is sure not to smudge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter, work with ink washes to build values like it's a no-brainer. Practice with all the guidance that you seek, as you learn a variety of inking techniques. Whether you are a novice or an established inker, you may find that you're intrigued by colored inks hook line, and sinker. During class, you will have access to all the supplies needed, and by the end, you might even feel that drawings have succeeded!

Artwork by Christy Olsen

Meets: (2) Sunday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Jan. 19, 26 in 2020
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N Los Altos Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Absolute Beginner to advanced, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Drawing, Hatching, Cross Hatching, Ink Washes & Working with Colored Ink
Materials: All materials will be provided. Bring a sketchbook, notebook, or something to take notes on.

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Design and Composition: Notan (Spring 2019)

Whether you are drawing or painting, a strong composition will attract attention, engage the viewer or provide clarity in your message. This class covers some of the basic principles of art, simplification, and the Japanese concept of Nōtan (濃淡), a concept that evolved during the evolution of woodblock prints using a limited set of dark and light shapes. By the end of this class, you will have a solid understanding of how to simplify your shapes and arrange your values into a pleasing design.

Notan by Christy Olsen

Meets: (2) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Feb. 9, 16 in 2019
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Medium: Not media-specific, demonstrations will be performed in graphite or pen & ink
Technique: Design & Composition
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list prior to the first day of class.

Register or enroll at the Art Verve Academy!

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Open Studio Tucson Artists in Gallery at the J (Group Exhibition & Art Sale 2019)

Will be in this show!

This year, Gallery at the J will present selected artworks from multiple artists participating in the Heart of Tucson Art and Art Trails local artist-run Open Studio Tour. The exhibit and art sale kicks off the 2018 Open Studio Spring Tour!

San Xavier del Blanc. 12x16. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

Group Exhibition & Art Sale

This event is open to the general public. Admission is frees at no charge.

Dates

January 26 - February 10, 2019

Artist's Reception

February 10, 2019 (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)
Refreshments served.

About the Host

Artists & artisans located deep within the heart of Tucson, Arizona band together through the Heart of Tucson Art (HoTA) to celebrate the rich artistic culture of the Tucson Arts District. For more information, visit heartoftucsonart.org. For more information on Art Trails, visit arttrails.org.

About the Gallery

The Gallery at the J is located in the main hall of the Tucson Jewish Community Center (JCC). It hosts various art exhibitions throughout the year, each with a unique genre in the gallery.

The Tucson Jewish Community Center (JCC), sometimes called the "Tucson J," is a 110,000-square-foot center built in 1989 and recently renovated in 2015. With more than 2000 families and 5000 members, the Tucson J is open to the Tucson community for all people, all faiths, all identities, all abilities, and all walks of life.

Location

Tucson Jewish Community Center (JCC)
3800 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718

Directions

Driving east or west on River, turn south onto Dodge and enter our north parking lot. Driving north on Dodge, stay straight to enter our parking lot. Traveling east or west on Alvernon (where it turns into River), turn north on Dodge to enter our parking lot. You can also enter the northeast lot by turning in from River Road between the Tucson Hebrew Academy Day School and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.

Hours

Monday - Thursday (9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.)
Friday & Saturday (9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
Closed Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

Sales

Artwork may be purchased during the show but must stay hung throughout the exhibition.

For Purchasing Information:
Phone +1 (520) 299-3000

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Frank Sinatra and the Egg Connection

The Egg Connection owners and servers have asked permission to use one of my wee urban sketcher gouache paintings on their menu for their Christmas wishes!

Frank Sinatra for Christmas. 8x8. Gouache on paper by Christy Olsen.

This is one of their Christmas decorations that I painted from life when I was at the restaurant. It is fun to look at. It moves and sings like Frank Sinatra!

Below is the modification.

For more information on this fabulous restaurant, visit theeggconnection.com.

Just wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

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