K*NOW
K*NOW
25 Days of Snowflakes 2019
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…when Mr. Tony makes intricate paper snowflakes and there’s confetti all over the studio! We’ve got a time lapse video which offers a glimpse into the process. Tony hopes you can see the snowflake with all of the glare coming off his head 🤣Follow us on Instagram for the daily holiday posts or find us on Facebook to see the annual 25 Days of Snowflakes photo albums.
Art Shows
This weekend is the Culpeper County Public Schools art show which will feature artwork from all grade levels. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support the hardworking teachers, young artists, and their families. Please take the time to visit the exhibit and if you have children with you, ask them to pick some of their favorite pieces and tell you what they like about them. Learning to talk about art is a great skill to develop–finding words to express how you feel about something visual can be a challenge and a valuable exercise.
Our homeschool academy class wraps up next week, and we will have our own small art show on Tuesday, March 19 at 11:15 a.m. This will give families a chance to see everyone’s work and either leave when class is over at 11:30 or you’re welcome to stay a bit longer if you have the time. We’ll have some light refreshments which the kids are very excited about.
Culpeper Downtown Winter Carnival
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Mardi Gras is around the corner, and this Saturday is a big deal in Culpeper. The Culpeper Renaissance (CRI) coordinates the Culpeper Downtown Carnival, an all day affair at the downtown shops and restaurants. Lots of beads, live music, food, artists, wagon rides, costumed performers, and activities make it a great day for all ages.
The first time we participated, we partnered with the Museum of Culpeper History to make noodle necklaces at our studio. I had spent the week dyeing noodles green, purple, and gold, and I can still vividly recall the smell of rubbing alcohol that’s part of that process. I was so grateful to the museum staff for their help that day because the extra hands made it fun for all of us. Without them, it would’ve been exhausting.
Last year, I set up my easel at The Cameleer and painted during the Carnival. It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends as they stopped by, and I met other aspiring artists of all ages. The staff at the shop were incredibly kind and welcoming, and I managed to finish 2 paintings.
I’m unable to participate this year because of other commitments, and I will sincerely miss it. The Carnival is a wonderful example of the community here, and how much we can accomplish when we coordinate efforts. I’m grateful for all the behind the scenes work CRI does to make downtown such a special place to work, shop, eat, and play.
For more information, click here to visit the event website.
Culpeper Baptist Church’s 2019 Concert Series
Last year Culpeper Baptist Church celebrated the 40th anniversary of their pipe organ with a free community concert series. Performances included the Duke University Chorale, the National Brass Quintet, the American Youth Harp Ensemble, and of course several concerts highlighting the organ. The series was so well received that they have decided to make it an annual event, and they came to us in January to ask for help in branding and promoting it.
The first step was to create a logo that can grow with the vision for the concert series, and that included a discussion of the name of the event. Two concerns were to communicate clearly that the concert series is open to the public and all are welcome (it’s not just for members of the church) and that the caliber of the entertainment is very high and from beyond our community–with groups based in DC, Richmond, and Baltimore making the trip to Culpeper.
The 2019 series includes groups with local roots like the Rapidan Orchestra, as well as the renowned U.S. Army Chorus. We’ve created the program, large posters for the series, and individual posters for each performance. Click here to download the program.
Drawing Supplies
Collaborative drawing from the Art Jam: Drawing Workshop for Teens & Adults
I am grateful for the opportunity to teach last weekend’s drawing workshop for teens and adults. When I plan classes and projects, I have an idea for how I hope it will come together, but the one constant is that I am always surprised. Thank you to all of you that attended for bringing your enthusiasm, questions, and openness to learn and share. I hope to see you at the studio again!
In the meantime, I wanted to share some tips on supplies with links to help you find them. You really don’t need a lot of fancy supplies, but a good set of pencils is a worthwhile investment. I like Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils because the quality is consistently reliable. You can purchase them at Staples, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Amazon. They make nice erasers and sharpeners too.
A sketchbook is one of the best ways to develop your skills, but you have to use it for it to work! With that in mind, I like smallish books that I can keep in the car or my bag. I’ll draw when I’m waiting to pick up the kids or when I’m waiting at a doctors office or a restaurant, or while I’m at soccer tournaments and gymnastics meets. I use it as a way to relax or to capture a memory. I’ve found that when I draw something it becomes a much more vivid memory than when I just take a photo. It’s time well spent.
Moleskine makes some really nice sketchbooks, but I prefer the ones that have heavier paper and they have become very hard to find. My favorite is the pocket version of the watercolor album. Since they’ve become scarce, I’ve started using Global Art Materials sketchbooks which can be found at Hobby Lobby and on Amazon. The paper is good quality, and the books are 5.5″ inches square.
If you don’t mind a bigger book, Strathmore and Canson book offer spiral sketchbooks that start at 5.5″x8.5″. The paper may be a little thinner if it’s listed as a drawing paper, but if you look for ones that say suitable for multimedia, the paper will be sturdier. Strathmore also offers sketchbooks filled with toned paper in tan or gray which can be a nice way to work with traditional pencil, ink or charcoal as well as white charcoal pencil or white pens. You can find Strathmore and Canson sketchbooks at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Amazon. If you want to try charcoal, the best charcoal pencils (black and white) are made by General Pencil and you can find those at the same stores.
As you may know, I’m not a huge fan of erasers, but they do serve a purpose. If you want to add one to your kit, these retractable ones are handy because they are can get into small areas and the casing helps them stay clean.
One closing bit of advice is to draw something little every day. Make a commitment to take that bit of time for yourself and see what you can do with it. A sketchbook full of drawings can be very satisfying and a lot of fun to share with others!
5th Annual 25 Days of Snowflakes
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Tony was decking the halls with pop art snowflakes again this year! There were lots of classic characters and nods to artists we lost in 2018. To check them all out, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Let’s plan for a good year!
January is special to K Art & Design. In addition to celebrating our anniversary, we do a lot of internal planning this time of year which is a combination of evaluating last year and looking at ways to improve in the next 12 months. It’s not that different from New Year’s resolutions in some ways. But if you only look at these plans once a year, it’s about as effective as most resolutions. It’s important to check the plan on a regular basis!
We rely on digital calendars and apps to keep track of work and our family, but last year I added a paper planner for the first time in a long time, and it made a huge difference for me. I realized that when I write something by hand, I remember it better, and I think I take more care with what I write since there’s no delete button. I also kept all my notes in one place which helped me keep thoughts and projects organized.
If we can help you with your plans for 2019, or if you want to add some projects to our calendar, we’re always happy to hear from you. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! Here’s to a great 2019!
~Kelly
We Give Thanks for You!
Small Business Saturday is this weekend, and we want to thank you for choosing to work with our small family business. I realize you have choices and there are websites promising a logo design for $10. I price check too, but I also firmly believe that the lowest price isn’t the whole story. Working with someone you know, being able to get technical questions answered, brainstorming ideas together, building sincere working relationships built on mutual trust–this is what’s important to us. When you live and work in a small town, your work is invested in the community and reputation is everything. Thank you sincerely for being a part of K Art and Design!
In the spirit of Small Business Saturday, I encourage you to shop downtown Culpeper. The merchants are competing with Amazon and the big box stores, and they need our support. I know you’ll have a wonderful day downtown and a level of customer service that the big guys simply can’t provide. For example, Pepperberries will not only help you select a gorgeous locket, they’ll scan your photo and print it to size. They even gift wrap!
This Thanksgiving, we hope you share the table with those dearest to you. Enjoy the well-earned break!
~Kelly, Tony, Cole & Joy
Turkey Trot
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Turkey Trot
Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22
Race starts at 8:00 a.m.
Tony designed the logo for the first annual Powell Wellness Center Turkey Trot, and in typical K Art style this event will be a family affair. Cole will be running the 5K while Kelly volunteers at the race. Joy has chosen to sleep in!
The Turkey Trot logo was designed to make it easy to update for future races and the colors were chosen to coordinate with PWC’s color palette.
Proceeds from the run will support Manna Ministry and its mission of providing nourishing meals to community members in need.
Inktober
31 Days. 31 Drawings.
Jake Parker began Inktober in 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. In the years since, it’s become an international art celebration whether you participate by drawing or simply by being inspired by the work of others. Each day there is a drawing prompt, and then the results are shared on social media with the hashtag #inktober and #inktober2018.
There are not a lot of rules. You don’t have to draw every day to be a part of it. You can set a goal for a week or just weekends and jump in or out at any time. It’s really up to you, but sharing the work is one important part because it will feels good to be a part of something bigger. You don’t need fancy pens or paper, and it doesn’t have to be all black and white either. If you can avoid the pencil and eraser and give yourself a chance the opportunity to work with ink. It’s scary and liberating!
Tony has completed the challenge for a couple of years, but I’ve only managed to make 1 or 2 drawings. This year, we’re working with supplies from Artsnacks which include a brush, dip pen, Dr. Ph. Martin’s bottled ink in matte black and green, Kuretake manga markers, and a Copic brush pen. Tony is excited about the new tools and has hit the ground running. I am so far out of my comfort zone and already a little behind!
You can follow our Inktober adventures on Instagram and Facebook. If you decide to participate, please share and tag us! We can keep each other inspired!
~Kelly
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