Dear painters, art aficionados, and art explorers everywhere. I would never have guessed this journal would keep my interest for so long! Join me as I learn about the processes of painting, drawing and at times, the history of art.
My website is: terirobusstudio.com

6.26.2025

Flowers Workshop - Part 2

 



On the first day of our Flowers workshop, Part 2, with artist and instructor
 Jordan Wolfson, we began with drawing.

As Jordan explained, it will be different than the Part 1 sessions 
in that we will be exploring mark making, gesture, "making a mess" - 
not as much on the skills of finding form, geometry and structure, like last time. 
It will be much more of an "open exploration".


So here is my first effort using charcoal. 

I am still trying to find the space
around the bouquet and vase ... very hard!


Since I had been given some lovely Lilacs by my friend Hali this year 
(for the third year in a row) I decided to use them 
for the second class of the workshop.

I didn't have enough paper to have a
fully pink background,so try to imagine it.





first attempt



Lilacs - second/final stage
24 x 18
charcoal on paper

Our second class was still in black and white, but in my case with oil paint.


Lilacs b&w
16 x 20
oil on canvas



The next 2 weeks will be exploring with color, so stay tuned! 
and
thanks so much for reading! 🙏

all my best to you, and happy painting!
Teri
🎨



6.08.2025

Flowers Workshop - end Part I

 Hello dear reader -

If you recently read my June newsletter and are popping over here 
to see these last flower paintings from the workshop I was in, welcome! And if you
always check this blog and many times there is nothing new,
but now there is, welcome to you too! 

[By the way, if you ever just want to read/see what I have been up to in my studio - just click on the menu line that says Studio Journal, on my website ... you don't have to "join or follow" like it says in the sidebar on this page.]


This is the still life bouquet I was
looking at to paint this next exercise. The progress shots are below.





Pink Rose (I need to think of a title)
still life
oil on Masonite
12" x 7 3/4" 


bouquet & painting side by side


For my last Flowers Part I painting exercise, 
I had a few Alstroemeria stalks that were still in 
good shape so I popped them into one
of my favorite vases.

The following show the photo of what I was painting and the progression.


I used a piece of watercolor paper that
 I had previously coated with a turquoise-y acrylic paint as an underlayer 



On Their Way Out
(but still beautiful)
Still Life
Acrylic & oil on Watercolor paper
10" x 7" 



painting and bouquet

Ok, that is it for Flowers workshop Part I. 
Thanks for reading!
I will be blogging about the second Flowers workshop (Part II) 
and the other challenge paintings that our group has made.

If you haven't yet, I'd love for you to take a peek at My Website!

Happy Painting!

Teri

6.03.2025

6th Challenge Painting - Collaboration!

 



Hi Studio Journal readers!
Today I am writing about our 6th painting challenge. For those of you who saw the Juneau/Douglas City Museum December 2024 exhibit, you might be interested in seeing how these paintings came together.

Challenge #6 parameters (chosen out of a hat with 18 ideas)


1 - Blind contour* drawing to begin painting 

2 - Collaborate with another member of our group and paint your work halfway through. Integrate your contributions so the original work can still be glimpsed.

3 - Rediscover an old successful painting or your own with the new parameters


First person responsibilities:

After contour drawing, paint all of the big shapes of the painting. 

Within each shape, paint 50% of it,

to what you consider to be “completed”.

Leave the rest to the next artist.


Timi’s to Teri

Teri’s to Patrick

Patrick’s to Timi



So, I hope that is clear for those who 
want to imagine what we did.

Here are the series of photos showing, first, my process 
for finishing the painting that Timi gave me to work on.
(Remember, she did the blind contour, 
from one of her own paintings, then painted it 50% of the way.)




The way Timi's painting looked when I took possession.
 
 
I got to work. I saw a cat.




Ok, here I was getting close, but realized that cats' legs 
do not bend like that! ... so we had our cat 
Haze Gray, model cat anatomy!


Big Hat, Big Cat  (sold)
oil on canvas
18 1/2" x 14 1/2"
by Timi Johnson
&
Teri Gardner Robus



Here is the original painting from which 
Timi based her blind drawing and her half-way painting.



Next, if your patience is still holding, here are the photos of how my painting
progressed and how Patrick finished it.

my blind contour drawing

This is my 50% finished - I handed it off to Patrick



Pear-fect Day
oil on panel
15" x 15"

by Teri Gardner Robus
&
Patrick Ripp

and my original painting:

Perfect Fit
collage & oil on wood panel
12" x 12"
(available)


And last collaboration - Patrick & Timi collab.

This is his halfway through painting; handed on to Timi:


Finished painting by Timi 

Oils of Provence Reimagined
acrylic and oil on primed Dacron
24" x 24"

by Patrick Ripp
&
Timi Johnson

Here is Patrick's original painting.


This was a challenging challenge ... aren't they all? 
Thank you for reading and check back for more posts about 
our challenge paintings.


Thank you for your support!

happy painting/viewing/collecting!

Teri


*Blind contour drawing is a drawing exercise, when an artist draws the contour of a subject 
without looking at the paper that they are drawing  on. 

2.04.2025

Challenge #4 - a fun one!


Dear Readers,

Our challenge #4 parameters:

1. Round canvas (integrated round shape)
2. Jackson Pollock drip painting abstract
* Any palette *
3. Stay an arm's length away from painting your still life or landscape

(remember you can click on any of these photos to enlarge) 






The picture above was taken either by my brother or my cousin 
who were both interested in photography
at the time (1971-72?).

I had already done a studio painting from it.





My first thought was to use a magnifying glass
 to warp the image.

sketch through magnifying glass,
my eyes went a little wonky after that





My round canvas was a Masonite panel that Matt cut for me.
You can see how big it is here - 22 5/8" diameter.




To set it up on my easel, Matt also made a "sub-cradle"




I had to make a sign!


Below are Patrick and Timi's paintings.






3M Tondo Under Glass
Ink, acrylic & oil on Masonite
22 5/8 inches diameter



Ok, so that was our Challenge #4, that we began around December 2021.
Thanks for checking it out and be sure to check back to my Studio Journal for more
in-depth notes about our other challenges, and miscellaneous offerings.

Happy Painting!

🎨

2.03.2025

Repost of our 3 Body Problem Challenge #2


Hello Studio Journal readers,

 I posted this in November 2021, before we had even thought
about applying for an exhibit at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum.
It was our second challenge.

Enjoy!

 Hi everyone. Have you done challenges with your painting practice? 

It forces you to think & react differently from your
"normal" way of painting.

Recently I did this one with these strict parameters:

Finger painting - no brushes, no knives
Palette:
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna 
Cadmium Red Medium
Payne's Gray
Viridian
NO white (none showing from the canvas nor used)
Self Portrait

I chose to use a mirror to paint myself.



I covered the canvas with a layer of yellow ochre. Yes, just using my hands.




These were some of the color combo's using the palette.




This is the beginning 👆 ... i forgot to take any mid-way pics.

Red Lipstick (A trope of femininity)  oil on "canvas" paper   16 x 12


I would love to hear if you have tried

a challenge.

What were your parameters?

How did it go?


Stay safe and happy painting!


PS i am steadily adding more paintings to:

TeriRobusStudio


Come on over and sign up for my website

newsletter. In the menu click "Keep In Touch" (or that link)

and I will send out some news every month or two.


🎨

Teri