New Postcard Announcing My Upcoming Events

Picked up my latest postcard from the printer with images and information on a number of events where my artwork will be on exhibit. I'll have these postcards available at both of my studios but here's an advanced peek. If you would like to receive a hard copy, send me an email with your address and I'll mail you one. Put it on your refrigerator or bulletin board to refer to as the dates go through November. Or you can always email me to set up a convenient time to meet me at either location. The best way to reach me is to email - donnasansonartworks@comcast.net

Two Studios/Multiple Events

These days you can find me in one or the other of my two studios. You could say I’m lucky, or fortunate, or spoiled; truth is I’m all three!                       

Email me to make an appointment at either location or come see me and my new work at one of the following events:

Multnomah Village Art Studios , Open Studios -  Aug. 3/4, 11 am
7830 SW 40th Avenue, Studio #2, Portland 97219

La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival  -  Aug. 10/11, 11 am to 6 pm                               

Cedar Hills Crossing Mall @ Walker Rd, Beaverton - Vendor Booth

Framer’s Touch “Sneak Peek” Reception for Wash Cty Open Studios  -  Oct. 2              

1920 21st Avenue, Forest Grove

Multnomah Village Art Studios Open Studios  -  October 12/13, 10 am to 5 pm            

7830 SW 40th Avenue Studio #2, Portland 97219

Washington County Open Studios   -  Oct. 19/20, 11 am to 5 pm                                    

14595 SW Topaz Lane, Beaverton 97007 (home studio)

Multnomah Village Art Studios, Open Studios  -  Nov. 2/3, 11 to 4 pm                            

7830 SW 40th Avenue Studio #2, Portland 97219

This & That

Dropped off three new paintings last week to be framed in time for upcoming events: Open Studios at Multnomah Village Art Studios, 7830 SW 40th Ave, Portland on August 3 and 4 from 10 to 4, AND  La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton the following weekend, August 10 and 11 from 11 to 6. I'm in Studio #2 with Dianne Jean Erickson for Open Studios and I have a vendor booth at the chalk festival and will have many of my new acrylics on display. I think you will enjoy spending time at either event - better still both; one is small and intimate and the other expects to draw a crowd of over 10,000 visitors. Both are FREE!

"Heavenly Provence - A View Across to Avignon"

The Open Studio weekend will give you access to eight artists and five studios. Enjoy demos and hands-on activities as you tour the private work spaces all under one roof. Recent accolades by members of the group include awards given to works by both Don Bishop and Brenda Boylan at last weekend's Lavendar Festival; and a feature article on Chas Martin's innovative sculptures in July's issue of Chaleur Magazine - chaleurmagazine.com. Just a idea of the talent you can expect on August 3 and 4.

On the other hand, La Strada chalk festival will offer 15 professional chalk artists from across the country creating large chalk paintings on the pavement in an outdoor event with live music, local vendors and chalk artists, and art activities for children. This is the first annual La Strada Festival and it's going to be awesome! Visit www.2D4D.org/la-strada for more information.

Yesterday was a family day with yard work in the morning and time at the driving range with Tom in the afternoon. Tried to remember all I learned last year when we both took golf lessons and I invested in my own set of clubs. Started off strong but was swinging and missing as the bottom of  the bucket appeared. Despite the frustration, it was fun and I will keep going back until I improve.

Golf is like painting - some days your stance and swing result in good shots, and other days you struggle. Likewise, some days at the easel are productive and smooth, and other days make you feel like you've never painted before in your life. But it's fun and I'll just keep going until I get it right.

My last painting more or less flowed. Had to make some adjustments as I went along, but the result was a finished painting with lots of pattern and design elements that I found pleasing. I limited the palette to secondary colors - greens, violets, and oranges - some of my favoite hues. It's signed and ready for a frame - time to start something new.

"Houses in Dinan, France" - Acrylic on Board

La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival - August 10 & 11

I encourage you to mark your calendars now and plan to spend some time at the 1st Annual La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton on Saturday and Sunday, August 10 - 11, from 11 am to 6 pm both days.

Fifteen professional chalk artists from across the country are coming to Beaverton and will create large scale art on the pavement at the Walker Road/Cedar Hills Boulevard end of the mall during the two-day event. They'll be joined by an equal number of local artists also working in a large format. In addition, children will have an opportunity to create their very own chalk art in a 2' x 2' square. Blick Art Supplies is providing all the chalk for the festival; and the event is free thanks to sponsorship from other local businesses, Cedar Hills Crossing, City of Beaverton, and members of the community. My sincere thanks to everyone involved.

Artists booths, live music, and children's free art activities will round out the festivities. Be sure to stop at my art booth during your time at the festival and see what I've been working on during the last year, then visit the Washington County Open Studios booth and learn about the 58 artists who will have their studios open the weekend of October 19 and 20. During both days of the festival, WCOS will provide materials for young visitors to create a piece of artwork using finger paints. My home studio in Beaverton is on the Washington County tour this year so be sure to come see me in October.

Free festival, free live music, free art activities for the kids - what more could you ask for!

Chalk Art Image from Chalktober Fest, October 2018, Marietta, GA

Original image by Suzanne Rothmeyer

For more information about La Strada, visit www.2D4D.org/La-Strada

Open Studios at Multnomah Village Art Studios

Our second open studios event is planned for Saturday and Sunday, August 3 and 4, from 11 am to 4 pm. There is a new artist in the building, Janet Otten, and she will have her welcome mat out as well  when visitors come calling. Join all eight of us and experience the artwork and activity that happens within the walls of each studio located at 7830 SW 40th Avenue, Portland 97219 - across from the Post Office.

Janet, who is still moving in, is a painter and rents a large studio space downstairs. Dianne Jean Erickson and myself are in Studio 2, just inside the door at the top of the stairs. Dianne works primarily in encaustic, oil, and hot wax; and I've added works in acrylic to my watercolor and gouache painting. Meander down the hall and check out Don Bishop and Suzanne Vaughn's studio on the left, where both are currently focused on large oil paintings. Just across the hall is Brenda Boylan who is always busy shifting between pastel and oil painting, plus spending time outdoors painting in plein aire. Cherie Shanteau-Wheeler and Chas Martin are Brenda's next-door neighbors. Chas is a watercolor painter and a sculptor who creates three-dimensional works using paint, wire and paper. Cherie's creations are wearable - both jewelry and fiber art.

Be sure to mark your calendars and allow enough time to visit all of us. A sneak peek below:

"patience" by Chas Martin

"Doris" oil and cold wax by Dianne Jean Erickson

"In Full Bloom" acrylic on board by Donna Sanson

Signed and Ready to Hang

Honfleur Harbor, Acrylic on Canvas

This week I signed and applied wire to the back of this painting of Honfleur Harbor in France. The piece is acrylic on canvas and is 24x48 - larger than I typically work. Tom and I spent about a week in Honfleur last year and we loved our visit. We stayed in a four story house with three bedrooms and three baths -  just in case we got any guests while we were there! A local informed us that the reason the buildings were mostly tall and narrow was because back in the day property was taxed based on the width of the building, not the square footage. The word "charming" immediately comes to mind when I recall our time in this part of Normandy.

It's an easy drive from Honfleur to Etretat if you take the freeway. We spent a day there, first trying to figure out how to pay the parking meter with directions only in French. Once we were legally parked we headed for the sea and the stunning cliffs that have been favorite subjects for artists over the years. It was a chilly, overcast day with very few folks out and about, but the sun broke through for a moment to give me enough time to take a few photos of the limestone giants looming north and south of the beach. I knew immediately that there was a painting of this place inside me. 

Cliffs at Etretat by the Sea, Gouache on Paper

A Little News


Although my intentions were good, you can see from the time gap since my last post that I have not lived up to my goal of regularly posting to this blog site. Like when I start a diet as my annual new year's resolution. It's hard to change my bad habits after all these years. Anyway...

In early June, Tom and I visited our daughter and son-in-law in Sacramento and among other things, Emily gave us a private tour of the art collection recently acquired by UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. Emily works there and was on the committee to finalize the pieces for their permanent exhibit. What exciting artwork throughout the entire building! And what a wonderful atmosphere in which to work and study. The committee's focus was to choose work that was innovative, uplifting, stimulating, cohesive and beautiful; in my opinion the group did just that. So proud of my daughter for the part she played in this important project.