Watercolor Demonstration for American Wetlands Month and International Migratory Birds Day
Topic: Watercolor Class

Wetlands Watercolor  Demonstration at Rockland Public Library

Rockland - Local artist Catinka Knoth will give a free  demonstration on painting wetlands motifs watercolor art and cards  at Rockland Public Library, on Monday, May 9th, 11 a.m., 80 Union St,  in the Community Room. Attendees will see sumi-e inspired brush drawing in watercolor of wetlands creatures such as frogs and egrets. They will also get to create their own art drawings and cards to take home.

Materials will be provided. The demonstration is sponsored by the Friends of Rockland Library.

Knoth  gives weekly watercolor workshops. Subjects for May will honor American Wetlands Month and International Migratory Birds Day. For more information contact Knoth at 596-0069 or visit her website www.catinkacards.com.

(Press release)

Spring Rabbits Papercut Cards (for Easter and the Year of the Rabbit!)
Topic: Art

This experiment was to be a simple carousel book of  just 4 spreads if possible.  Maybe it still will be. The second set was given away as cards. They are taped onto some of my Easter postcards so the viewer can peek through the front scene to another picture. I cut them freehand without drawing or pattern.

A friend recently gave me a book of Hans Christian Andersen's papercuttings. You can find it here on Amazon (sponsored link). The Amazing Paper Cuttings of Hans Christian Andersen

The book tells that he created freehand papercuts while telling his stories. These were then given as gifts to his dinner hosts or to the children listening. Instead of illustrations of the stories the papercuttings served as secondary story lines to help captivate the listener and provide a bit of a show! Can you imagine being able to tell a story while making up a papercut?... He made several thousand of them. Quite a few survived. The Odense Museum has more for you to see and read about H.C. Anderson. 

 

Cherry Blossom Festival, Baby Animals, Easter Bunnies & Eggs, Spring Peepers for April Kids Drawing Classes
Topic: Kids Art Class

 

Press Release: 

"Let's Draw April Awakenings!" - Theme for Children's Drawing Class at Rockland Library

Rockland -  Children will draw in celebration of the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, baby animals and birds, Easter eggs & bunnies, and spring peepers, this April at Rockland Public Library. Participants draw along with artist Catinka Knoth as she demonstrates. Subjects may include  cherry trees, koi kite, umbrellas, and Japanese woodblock scenes;  baby birds such as nestlings, chicks, ducklings, owlets, and eaglets; baby animals such as bunnies, puppies, kittens, lambs, and colts; rabbits & Easter eggs; and spring flowers and peepers.  Classes will also include some explorations in poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month.

The National Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival  inspires an exploration of cultural  traditions of flying-fish koi kites, origami, lanterns, umbrellas, and woodblock scenes.  Birds arrive with their songs of mating and nestbuilding, putting a spring in people's steps. Baby animals such as lambs, calves, colts, fawns, and kids kick up their heels to play in the fields. Easter baskets of eggs and bunnies remind us of the renewal of Spring. Choruses of spring peepers signal the land's awakening.  Knoth invites people to take a few moments to join her in celebrating the April awakening worlds of Spring in drawing and poetry.

The ongoing workshops, sponsored by Wendy and Keith Wellin, for age 6 and up, (including the young at heart), are free and open to the public.  Children age 10 and under should have an adult accompany them.  Class provides all materials. Classes meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm., Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., hosted by Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

"Let's Draw April Awakenings!" -
4/05    Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival
4/12    Baby Animals & Birds
4/19    Easter Eggs & Bunnies
4/26    Spring Flowers & Peepers

Painting Easter Cards Watercolor Demonstration & April Watercolor Classes
Topic: Art




Press Release:

Rockland - Catinka Knoth will give a free demonstration on how to paint watercolor Easter cards, at Lincoln Street Center, on Monday, April 4th, 11 a.m., 24 Lincoln Street, downstairs in "The Messy Art Room". Attendees will see how to use colorful crayon resist techniques to paint Easter egg patterns as cards. Knoth will also paint freehand rabbit scenes in watercolor. Knoth will repeat the demonstration on Monday April 11, 6pm, same location.

Knoth is also offering a four part watercolor workshop "April Art" , Tuesdays 10-Noon, April 5 - 26th, Messy Art Room Studio, at Lincoln Street Center, 24 Lincoln St. Each week's class is a different subject. Participants will explore themes such as daffodils and yellows, the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, colorful Easter egg designs, and rabbits. The weekly class fee is $25. For more information contact Knoth at 596-0069 or visit her website www.catinkacards.com.

St. Patrick's Day Bread, Talking Leprechauns Papercut, and Kids' Art
Topic: Seasonal/Holiday

The demo drawings (above). 'F' stands for the fold.

My no-knead flatbread today fell into the pan in the shape of a heart. What could I do but paint a background for St. Patrick's Day and take a pic of this heart shaped bread. Cheddar cheese on it was delicious. This is so simple to make.

Evening - in a small container mix some wholewheat flour, a pinch of salt, and a healthy pinch of yeast. Then gradually add warm water while stirring mix with a fork. Alternate a touch of stirring with a splash of water. You should not mix/stir it completely until you feel there is enough water in it. It should be a loose mix. Once you have that, you can stir until it is well mixed. You'll see it do its rubbery elastic sheeting thing. Cover loosely and set in a warm dark place overnight.

Morning - heat the stovetop skillet and throw down some cornmeal on it. Carefully spoon out the amount of battery dough/doughy batter you want for your 'flat bread' onto the cornmeal on the heated skillet. You don't want it to deflate anymore than is unavoidable. (It should be loose enough that it spreads rather than keeping a mound shape.) Cover the pan keeping the heat as hot as possible but not burning. You have to know your stove. I use my stove and cast iron skillet for toasting all the time but I don't know what that temp is called. (sorry!) Turn it perhaps after 7 min. - when you can see it has set up/firmed up and would hold its shape if turned. Try not to let it burn. (That is the trouble with cooking starch over direct heat and not keeping it moving.) Cook it on the other side til you think it is done. You can then split it and toast it, or let it cool and eat how you want. I usually have cheese with it.

Kids' art class we did papercuts for St. Patrick's Day. It was just supposed to be the shamrock, but then I showed my talking leprechauns from a couple years ago. One child wanted to try that too. They did beautifully given the challenges of working with scissors, symmetry/mirroring, positive and negative effects, and getting instruction from righties while being lefties! One of the tricks to flowing scissor cutting is think of the scissors as an alligator mouth that keeps biting through the paper with the back of its mouth. The mouth should not close often. Also the cast away part should be to the outside of your dominant hand (the scissor hand), the figure in your holding hand.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!