Carol Sue Witt

 This summer I submitted my name to Artsy Shark, a well respected and well followed art magazine ...and they agreed to do an article about my art. It was a challenge ( but a good one!) for me to figure out how all my creativity that has only increased over the years, evolved. And to select some of my favorites to showcase. Many thanks to Artsy Shark and especially Carolyn and Loren. Here are some of my all time favorites: "Snip, Snip"                                             "Low Water Crossing" "Deep Roots"                                                                                                     "Deer Me...It's Winter" "Jingle Your Bells" "Texas Roadside Beauties"                                                                                                                                             "Jump in, The Water's Fine"                                                                    

Saint Michael's Mount                                             Can you find my secret message? This summer my family visited the United Kingdom. As guests of good friends from nearby Marazion, a tour of St Michael's Mount nearby was a favorite. I was inspired, and I hope you will be too, by this castle fortress, St Michael's Mount, off the coast of Cornwall. Not only is it isolated high on a cliff on an island but no doubt has a long history which I will be exploring. But for now, in a peaceful time period of its life, with tourists climbing its colorful landscaped rock path, it looks like it could last many more lifetimes and tell even more stories. I immediately wanted to paint it and, in keeping with the Medieval customs of secret passages, secret messengers and secret alliances, I have painted a secret message in my painting,  too. Let me know if you can find it. As for my techniques, I used a tablet sheet ( 24"x 18") of Strathmore 140# paper and designed

                             "Volunteers"  Imagine the hottest June on record and you might be in Austin, Texas. It easily reached 100 degrees well before summer arrived. And our normally wet May, was not at all wet.  Keeping our plants alive in this dry heat is a daily task. Imagine my surprise when a large front pot in full sun sprouted sturdy portulaca. aka purslane. These little darlings love the heat! And I love them...this is a perky and colorful, fun plant! So, it was only natural that these blossoms and buds inspired a watercolor just in time for a demo I was doing for the CenterArt Club in Round Rock on June 15th. Many thanks to Cecelia Lankes for inviting me and to Darrell Hutchinson for promoting and introducing me. What a great group! This group meets at the Allen R. Baca Center, an enviable facility for residents in that area ages 50 and above. I stopped by the Downtowner Gallery to see their latest artwork while there. Make a point to stop by this well done art

 I know what you are thinking…how much more can anyone say to advance my understanding in watercolor? The answer is PLENTY!  I just finished teaching 5 March Classes with some beginner to intermediate painters and watched them grow exponentially each week. We painted a still life, a landscape, a floral, an animal and a person. It was a great deal to cover. I always learn something when I teach ! The next week April 4-7, I attended an intense and rewarding Carol Carter ( internationally known, St.Louis based ) workshop along with 18 others held in Austin. Both teaching and attending made me grow as an artist but the deeper experience was to awaken from just doing what Carol does to making it a part of my own skill set. I hope my students got a little of that from me. Here are some of my student’s paintings:                                                                             Background for drama and dog fur lessons And then I attended a very informative workshop taught by Carol C

W hat a pleasure it is to introduce new artists to watercolors! After almost two years of NOT meeting in person, and despite icy road conditions and...yes, our ongoing struggle with Covid, I taught a full class at Lost Pines Art Center in Bastrop on February 5th. It was a wonderful group of various ages and experience. We painted a winter scene of mine titled "Deer Me...it's Winter". We were all vaccinated and ready to test our immunity! I selected this scene for several reasons...it's winter and the colors are all cool in temperature except for the deer, who is the focal point. it also allows the painter to create sky, water, trees, rocks and an animal. My classes are always geared toward a beginner but many who have painted a long time are stuck in a routine that does not allow new exploration of shapes, colors and techniques. I often get a longtime painter who no longer enjoys their tried and true methods and can't think of anything inspiring to paint. That wil