From the article Hudson Happenings in the NJ Journal:
Read the press release:
Download the press release: ColleenBlackardSoloShowPR
RSVP on the Facebook event page: Summer Solo Show of Colleen Blackard Drawings in New Jersey
On June 20th, I participated in a summer arts festival in Jersey City, right off the Grove St. Path Station. It was a beautiful day full of music, celebration, sales, and new connections.
At our booth, “Greyegg & the ARTistic inTENTions”
I chose to create my second live marker drawing so that viewers could better understand my style. It was wonderful to have 6 hours to complete the canvas drawing instead of only one! As a result, my drawing was much richer, more detailed, and took 6 markers instead of the 3 it took last time.
After the first 4 hours
I loved how people would come up to me to ask about my technique and inquire about the drawing. My favorite was a little girl who also loved to draw. She would watch for a while then come back, and she even wanted to touch the drawing!
Still drawing as the sun sets
Almost done
As the sunlight faded and the music stopped, I finally had to finish. It’s hard to know when it’s done, but having the set cut off time helped me to resolve the piece as quickly as possible and focus on which areas were most important. I loved drawing the soft light on the path around the trunk, but the wild branches also call out to me in this one.
“Dusk Falls” 2014, Prismacolor marker on canvas, 16″x20″
With no light left, and the booths disappearing as I finished, this darling drawing didn’t get it’s spotlight that day, so look forward to it in my upcoming New Jersey solo show next week at GP’s!
I was invited by my talented artist friend James Giardina, who also teaches art at a high school in Brooklyn, to come in and speak to his students about my career as an artist a few days after the Conception show.
After seeing me draw in permanent marker for the first time, he understood my work in a new way and realized that “I’ve created an abstracted way to draw realistically.” He thought it would also be beneficial for his students to see me create one, so I got excited to share my technique with the class.
After introducing my artwork, explaining my career path, and talking about the drawings I’ve made, the class was given their own pens and paper and told to follow along with what I do, or create their own.
I created a permanent marker drawing in 20 minutes for each class, and was impressed by their ability to create their own “circulism” drawings. Some were like mine, and some were of their own subjects, but EVERYTHING was in circles! It was so exciting to see them apply their own style to my technique, every single one was unique.
 1st period 20 minute marker drawing |
 2nd Period 20 minute marker drawing |
The 3rd period class was full of many young serious artists, and I was very eager to leave them inspired. I created a drawing of the ocean, which was a bit more difficult to copy, but they were up to the challenge and did beautifully. Very talented artists in that class.
After 3rd period, 3 drawings done! A couple smaller drawings created by students are also up.
By lunch, my first three drawings were already claimed by students. I felt like a celebrity!
After lunch, during the off-periods, many students from previous classes came back to the classroom and asked me to draw for them. I learned that I can create quick circular-drawing portraits in Sharpee, and that I love the look of blue Sharpee for moonlight.
 A sketch of a member of One Direction in sharpee. This student was SO excited about it! |
 The moon at night in blue sharpee |
 The first Sharpee sketch I created of a student. Her friends were amazed! |
After the off-periods, I spoke to the largest class (30 students) who were very animated and curious about my work. After I explained where I was in my art career, I even got a “You go girl!!!” from one of the kids in the back.
 6th period 20 minute drawing |
 7th period 20 minute drawing of one of the students |
The final class was full of graduating kids, and it was basically an independent study class. I drew one of the students while they worked, and at the end the whole class gathered around to see the result.
AMAZING DAY!
While sharing my art with them was an incredibly supportive and validating experience, I was humbled by their kindness, passion, and confidence in their work. These are all brilliant artists. “Mr. G” has really made a difference in their lives, and I hope that my visit also helped them have the confidence to take the path to succeed at their dreams.
“Branched Out” in permanent marker on 16″x20″ canvas
What do they say again? The most beautiful flowers are those that grow under duress? That describes how my first marker drawing, “Branched Out” came into being. As part of the Conception Emerging Artists Festival, I agreed to create a drawing in one hour for the “Artists Clash! “where four artists have only one hour to create a work of art.
I work in ballpoint pen, and often spend almost 12 hours on small drawings that are the size of business cards! I prepared a small drawing surface, 2.5″x3.5” and created a sketch as preparation so I could at least have something to show for my hour of drawing.
When I arrived at the challenge and asked them where I could sit and draw in my little sketch pad, they said “Oh no, you’re creating a drawing on THAT,” pointing to a 16″x20″ canvas. My jaw dropped, but I knew it was finally the hour to move up to a bigger medium. Game on. I didn’t have much time, so I immediately asked all of my artist friends present, “DOES ANYONE HAVE A SHARPEE?!”
I scrounged a few markers that were not completely used up, and asked one of the curators to buy me any Sharpees she could find at a nearby corner store. Since she was announcing the event, she had to make a run for it after we began, so I started with whatever I had. “Artists, ready, set, GO!”
There was spray paint and paintbrushes flying as I laughed while saying, “Okay, here we go!” Surrounded by viewers who were both supportive and curious, I found the wonder in my new situation and let the marker take over.
Drawing under pressure and loving it
From the start I knew this drawing would have to be bolder and more expressive than most of my work, so I found a few key points of focus and started drawing the shadows and light. Since the markers I had were mostly dead, the initial lines were very faded, which worked to my advantage. I had more freedom sketching out the image in light circles since it took longer to make a mark, but it soon seemed like I wouldn’t be able to finish in time if I didn’t get new supplies. Then, at the perfect moment, my friend the curator returned with TEN new permanent markers. Putting that first bold wet line to the canvas was pure bliss! Looks like I’ll be able to finish the drawing in time after all!
Just finished!
At the beginning when it was just loose circles, no one knew what I was doing, but as the momentum built it became clearer. As I started adding details around the trunk and making the branches bolder, I heard exclamations of awe: “That looks like a photo!” “How did she do it?” “This one’s my favorite, I’m going to commission her for a drawing!” and many more supportive comments. They kept me going. A couple kids were watching closely and rotating between the four masterpieces in progress. They were my biggest help.
Our conversation:
Me: “What do you guys think? Does it need anything else? Maybe this part?”
Kids: “No, I think its done. Yeah it’s done!”
Me (while quietly drawing): “…no…maybe just another circle here…”
I finished 10 minutes early and still couldn’t stop myself from doing touch-ups here and there until the time ran out. Then it SOLD on the spot!
With it’s new owner! So glad you could have it!
After years of talking about how to take my artwork into a larger scale, all it took was a little pressure, friendly competition, and support, and then I “Branched Out.”
Check out my interview on the Conception Artists video!
…Coming soon…
Get ready for this one… 4ft x 5ft in progress
Travel Show on the Japanese Major Television Network BS NTV
The TV show visits my studio
How exciting! In March, I received a message from a friend asking if I wanted to be featured on a Japanese travel show. They were looking for a Brooklyn-based artist, a young woman in her 20s-30s, looking for Japanese exposure. The timing was perfect, I had just been in 2 art shows in Japan, and was now represented by ISSO Gallery in Tokyo. It was a serendipitous match.
I met them at a bookstore in DUMBO, and was immediately greeted by the director. She smiled animatedly, and introduced herself with a quick succession of bows while a crew member translated. They described the scene they wanted to film, and I got excited to do a little acting. On camera, they find me looking at an art book and ask to see my studio. I then engage with the camera as if it is a person, and invite it/them to Greenpoint. I walk the crew to my studio building, where the camera follows me up the elevator and down the hall, into our shared 4-person studio space, surprising the Greenpointers and their puppy mascot. I show them my work, then they watch me draw for a bit and ask me questions about my art career.
The crew was delightful! While I could only understand them through translation, there were a lot of giggles as we tried speaking each other’s languages. They described my circular style as “kuru-kuru,” so I’m taking that on as my Japanese nickname!
With the crew of “Through the Hotel Window”
Here is my segment of the episode, which aired during “golden hour” (prime time) in Japan last month on a major network that has almost 2 million viewers:
Colleen Blackard on Through the Hotel Window
You can also visit the show’s website to see the episode summary. Gomen nasai, it’s in Japanese, but you can use google to translate if you’re curious: http://www.bs4.jp/hotelnomadokara/onair/09.html
Arigatou gozaimasu!
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