Professional Artist Development Grant

Join me on my "Grant" Journey. 

Six months, ending March 31, 2022

My Grant proposal is all about my colored pencil art. I have a history of acrylic painting, watercolor, collage, mixed media, abstract and representational. Lately I have concentrated on colored pencils. The fact that I currently am without a studio inspired my Grant proposal.

I have broke down my Grant Journey into four parts:

PART 1

It all begins with the Studio and the supplies. I am in the process of down-sizing and moving, to where is still an unknown. So I need a portable studio, one that may be utilized in a home, an RV, a condo, on the back porch, you get the picture. Colored Pencils are the perfect medium for this scenario. They are clean, portable, and require very little supplies.

Shopping is the next step, oh how I love to shop for art supplies! A portable easel is the first purchase. It can be used on any surface in any location. It has a drawer to carry a limited amount of supplies. Then I added a storage cart, on wheels, to move to any location if necessary. And of course, new pencils. I researched which pencil colors had the best lightfastness quality and I created my new and improved pencil palette.

PART 2

My colored pencil "body of work". I love doing colored pencil art but I didn't think it was taken seriously by galleries and critics. So I  created in other mediums that I thought were more acceptable. On this Grant Journey I will focus just on colored pencils. Improving my skills and learning new techniques. I will create as many new and awesome colored pencil paintings as time allows.

PART 3

This is the most challenging part of my Journey, changing the art society's opinion of colored pencil art. Helping them realize that the Coloring Book Craze (CBC) is a separate genre completely. I hope to infiltrate a few galleries and exhibits to expose the public to this new genre of Colored Pencil Fine Art. Not only creating an appreciating new audience but also a few artist converts!

PART 4

Documenting the Grant Journey. Not only do I have to submit a final report to The Cultural Alliance, I will document this process for inclusion in a self-published book. This book will include basic colored pencil instruction and samples. Of course I will use my own art to illustrate this book. Ultimately, I hope this book will encourage more artists to try colored pencil art. The more artists painting with colored pencils, the better chance we have to change the opinions of society.