Accepted into the 22nd Annual CPSA International Exhibition in Daytona Beach Florida

This is "Waiting"  30x16", Prismacolor, Bruynzeel and Luminance pencils on rag mat board. I'm excited about this folks!  This means I become a CPSA Signature member! Rags, Ginger and Stewie are excited as well: my three beloved rescues who've managed to make it BIG.

Accepted into book STROKES OF GENIUS, Northlight Books, F&W Publishing

Thursday I arrived home from a long day at the Vet hospital where I work as a vet assistant to good news.  As is my routine, I checked my emails and happily came across a notice that one of  my painting "Who rescued Whom?" was one of the 144 pieces chosen from 1500 entries to be published in the 2014 Strokes of Genius by Rachel Wolf- a Northlight, F&W Publications book.

Yes, another cat!

This is a very early work in progress (WIP) of yet another cat.  Using Thomas again.  This should be fun.  My favorite time of year is Halloween. Can you see the broom beginning to emerge? Let's see if I can pull it off. I'm working on 4-ply rag mat- less forgiving than my most recent cats, which were painted on linen mat. I have to be very careful to leave untouched surface for the brightest white.  Keeping those areas pristine is difficult when creating large areas of dark. I use the scoring method, which also has draw backs (oo a pun,  Get it?).  I tried using a liquid mask once, but it was a total bust. Enjoy and be sure to check in from time to time.

Light, Shadow and Cats!

You may notice that I have been painting and drawing cats all summer. My gallery person says she likes my cats and horses the best. I have never really thought about specializing in one particular subject until recently. There are many CP artists who so consistently stick to one subject or style that they are branded. One of my heros, Ester Roi,  is a CP artist and inventor, known for giant technicolored pebbles. Her palette is so striking, that whatever she chooses to paint, be it flowers or pebbles, there's no doubt that it's hers. From a business stand point branding is good.  An artist needs to be recognized.  And with so many of us out there competing for your wall space, recognition is key. So I'm going to continue painting cats for a while.  They are fascinating creatures, with one foot in the wild and the other in our homes. They are graceful, beautiful and mysterious. I will continue also to explore light and texture and how they describe the subject.  This WIP cat is Thomas.  He lives at the veterinary clinic where I work as a vet assistant. He pretty much OWNS the place! Stay tuned to see how he develops.

Who Rescued Whom wins People's Choice Award

This piece won Best in Show at the recent CPSA District Chapter 119 exhibition.  It also won People's Choice.  Sometimes I get it right.

Ginger isn't sure what to make of these interlopers.

Ginger,  isn't sure what to make of this mess.  For one thing, her precious walks were impacted by the hours Mom spent making it. The stupid dogs won't move.  They smell like paint thinner.  What the hey?

Margi Featured Artist on CPSA (Colored Pencil Society of America) Facebook page today.

Today I am the featured artist on CPSA's Facebook page: " Today's featured artist is CPSA member Margie Hopkins from Ohio. She has a very interesting website....great bio, shows her process, and her love of animals is evident. One of her portraits appeared on a recent cover of the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association."

What an honor for myself and Meghan Hopkins who created and designed my logo and website.  If you wish to know more about Meghan and her freelance design, go to www.meghanhopkins.com