Let's Draw Butterflies and the Monarch Migration
Topic: Kids Art Class

We started by drawing the Monarch butterfly - head, body, wings, pattern. I used an unnamed Victorian illustration from Dover publications. When I came around to the kids to show them the illustration and let them compare it to a photo I'd taken of a Monarch butterfly, one of the kids pointed out that we'd just drawn a decoy butterfly - probably the Viceroy. He explained that it's patterning mimics the Monarch and prevents birds from eating it. Birds don't like Monarch butterflies because the milkweed they eat makes them taste nasty to birds (or anyone I suppose). We'd been fooled as well. Monarchs have more rows of white spots, as well as spots on their head and body.

The Swallowtail was meant to be just for basic shape. The kids were to make up their own designs.

Here are my demonstration drawings, the kids' drawings follow. 

A Question of Faith?
Topic: Life
Some questions to ask:
If everything started by 'accident', shouldn't we be trying to have accidents instead of trying to control things? I mean, this is some accident we find ourselves in the middle of. (But then of course the act of trying to have an accident makes any result intentional rather than accidental.)

And, it would seem, with all the things we do 'wrong' and mess up with, the state of everything should be many times worse than it is. What is holding it all together, driving things so that in general life forms/organisms find life worth living?

When it comes right down to it, there is no way to prove one over the other. The observer can never be bigger than the whole to know for sure that all the facts are in. It is a question of faith or belief. In that case, the question is, which would one rather believe - that we live in a supportive universe or an unsupportive universe? Isn't 'supportive' what we really mean when we ask if there is  a God?

There  are surely holes in my logic, but perhaps the reader will try to take this as a whole and excuse my unholy (or holy?) considerations .

August Children's Drawing Classes at Rockland Public Library
Topic: Kids Art Class

Press Release
"Let's Draw up a Collection of Maine Memories for August!" Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Public Library

Rockland - Children will continue exploring drawing Maine memories this summer at the weekly drawing classes led by Catinka Knoth at Rockland Public Library. Children ages 6 and up follow along with Knoth in drawing a variety of motifs. Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult.

Wendy and Keith Wellin sponsor the workshops, which are free and open to the public, with all materials provided. The classes meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm, Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., hosted by the Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

August themes will include subjects such as: Maine lighthouses -Marshall Point Light; rowboats, sailboats, & lobsterboats, a visit to the Union Fair - blueberry farming, belted galloways, ferris wheel; Maine birds - puffins, eagles, ospreys, chickadees, and more.

Knoth believes that everyone can draw if they keep their minds and eyes open, and that drawing by 'following along allows one to discover new ways of interpreting subjects. Knoth, known for her watercolors of Maine scenes and animal drawings, also gives watercolor workshops. Her work may be seen at www.catinkacards.com

You can download her marine coloring pages and try drawing them yourself. Demonstration drawings (shown above) by Catinka Knoth

 

Marshall Point Light (2 views)
Friendship Sloop Race by the Rockland Breakwater
Lobsterboat
Sailboat

Contact Catinka Knoth
38 Pleasant St. #201
Rockland, Maine 04841
207-596-0069, 207-542-7317
Some of Catinka's prints at Imagekind
Selection of Catinka's greeting cards to order singly at Greeting Card Universe
Catinka's Fan Page on Facebook!
Follow Catinka on Twitter:

testing remotes post
Testing to see where of if this post shows up. Sending it to two
addresses.

How to Paint Migratory Birds - Watercolor Workshop Series
Topic: Watercolor Class

"Birds & Brushes" Watercolor Workshop Series

 

Press Release 

Rockland - Catinka Knoth will lead a "Birds & Brushes"  watercolor workshop on painting spring migratory birds, starting Saturday June 6, 10-Noon, and continuing Tuesdays 10-Noon, June 9, 16, & 23, in her studio, #2  Lincoln Street Center, 24 Lincoln St. The series of four workshops is $100, or $30 per class. Materials are available if needed. Contact the artist for more information 207-596-0069 or visit www.catinkacards.com.

Students will work in the studio creating from either their own or provided reference photos. Each week will focus on a different bird, such as cardinals, finches, warblers, hummingbirds, herons & egrets. Knoth will demonstrate exercises and painting techniques such as sumie style calligraphy, working with washes, creating textures with wet-in-wet and drybrush,  direct painting, and using negative spaces to create white shapes. Students will learn skills of observation and expression that will enhance their future study and enjoyment of birds.