Pileated woodpecker feeding fledgling

I was on my patio hoping to video some fledgling wrens leaving their birdhouse, when this Pileated woodpecker flew up to the birdfeeder. Watch as she then feeds her fledgling waiting in the tree!

Featured Artist, Yvonne Mucci!

This week's featured artist is Yvonne Mucci, BWS.

Yvonne Mucci is primarily a watercolor artist and teaches painting and drawing in workshops and classes. She travels throughout the region and the mid west to compete in plein air events and is considered to be the top plein air watercolor artist in the region. Although she lives just across the Delaware river from me, I first met Yvonne many years ago at a plein air competition in Wisconsin. We now paint together regularly, and serve together on the Plein Air Brandywine Valley planning committee.

Yvonne's artist statement:

"As a regional watercolor artist living in Southern New Jersey, I have the good fortune of
being surrounded by beautiful shore lines, rich farm lands, and picturesque towns.
These diverse landscapes allow me great opportunities to draw upon for much of my
work.
I grew up in Chicago and graduated from the American Academy of Art. Irving Shapiro
was my mentor in the medium of watercolor. I have enjoyed 30 successful years in
advertising, but felt it was time to get back to my roots with this wonderful unpredictable
medium and have not looked back.
My goal in painting is to recapture my initial feeling for a subject and convey that to the
viewer. I am a participant in many plein air competitions and enjoy a camaraderie with
other artists. Juried into Plein Air Brandywine Valley, Chadds Ford Paint Out, Cohansey
Riverfest in New Jersey, and Cedarburg Plein Air in Wisconsin. I also exhibit in local
shows and galleries."

Here's where it gets interesting...

Yvonne is a Guest Teacher at my studio this summer! She will be here to teach watercolor painting on Thursday, July 16th. 

Summer classes at my studio in Kenett Square, Pennsylvania start on July 9th. As always, classes are every Thursday for 7 weeks. 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. New this year, we will have our classes outdoors on the spacious patio!

• Each artist will have their own table and patio umbrella. 
• Tables will be 8 feet apart.
• Masks will be required.
• Social Distancing will be enforced.
• Frequent hand washing and sanitizing will be encouraged. 

Guest teachers this year include Yvonne Mucci, Karen Berstler, and Karen Frattali. This is a special opportunity for art students to expand their knowledge and skills by studying with the region's most popular and respected art teachers. Class size is limited, so send me an email to reserve your space.
the full schedule in on the workshops page of my website. Each 3 hour class is $45 per person. 

paintings!

I'm disappointed to announce that once again I was not accepted into the National Watercolor Society's annual juried show. This is the painting that was rejected...

Planning Committee, watercolor by Annie Strack

However, I have some good news -- I was juried into the Georgia Watercolor Society members show this summer with this painting:

Toes in the Sand, 14x20 watercolor by Annie Strack

Always something new. I'll be framing this one and packing it up next week to ship off to the exhibit in Georgia.

Summer classes!

Weekly Watercolor Classes will resume July 9th at Annie Strack Studio in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania!

Classes will be held OUTSIDE on the patio this summer, each student at their own umbrella table.

Masks are mandatory and Social Distancing will be enforced.

NEW this year! We have VISITING GUEST TEACHERS!!

Enjoy this opportunity to study with Award wining artists Karen Frattali, Yvonne Mucci, and Karen Berstler! Each of these popular teachers is coming to us to teach a class this summer!

Send a message or email to sign up!

Schedule of teachers:
July 9th -- Annie Strack
July 16th -- Yvonne Mucci
July 25th -- Karen Berstler
July 30th -- Annie Strack
Aug 6th -- Karen Frattali
Aug 13th -- Annie Strack
Aug 20th -- Annie Strack

New brushes from Dynasty!

I always enjoy trying out new art supplies, so I was thrilled to open a box of new brushes from Dynasty Brush that came in the mail yesterday. It's one of the great benefits of being an Artist Ambassador! I've been playing with these all morning, and they have quickly become my new favorite.

This line from Dynasty Brush is called Water Lily. It is synthetic, but it's much softer and more absorbent than usual synthetics. Dynasty has created a synthetic hair that mimics the qualities of natural kolinsky hair more than any other synthetic brush that I've ever used. Everyone knows how much I prefer kolinsky brushes -- but now I've found an excellent vegan alternative that gives me the same identical performance. Over the years, Dynasty Brush has rolled out new lines of brushes and each has been better than the last. But they have really raised the bar with this latest product line. I can't begin to describe how amazing these new brushes are -- you simply must try them!

New paintings!

Since all my workshops, classes, demos, exhibits, and competitions have been cancelled through the end of the year, I'm finding more time to learn and grow my own skills. I just finished these figurative streetscapes painted from photos that I took while I was teaching plein air painting in Provence, France.

The Book, 16x12 watercolor

The Break, 16x12 watercolor

The Dog Walker, 16x12 watercolor

I should be busy packing right now to go back to France to teach this summer, but because of COVID-19 my workshop at Sennelier in Brittany has been postponed until June 2021. On the bright side, Air France has refunded the full amount of my cancelled plane tickets. Hopefully it won't be long before I can book my travel again.