Created By: South Coast Artists
#44 on the Brochure
Artists showing at: ShafferArts 1 Monument Dr, Westport, MA 02790
Kitt Shaffer
BOTH TOURS
CERAMICS/PASTEL: Local and distant landscapes and ceramics
Will provide ongoing demonstrations throughout the Tour weekend.
Kitt Shaffer explores landscapes in oil, pastel and ceramics, as well as painted furniture. Her ceramics include whimsical masks, finials, and sculptural pieces as well as functional wheel-thrown and hand-built works. Her white line prints include whaling themes and local scenery. She also draws and paints the figure in bright colors and various media.
White line printing is a simple and inexpensive method for printing that involves application of watercolor to the non-carved portion of a wood block. Outlines of areas to be colored are carved, producing a white line on the final print. No printing press is needed, as the paper is thumb-tacked to the wood block, and after a small area of color has been painted onto the block, the paper is pressed down (with a spoon) to absorb the color. This allows for endless adjustments of the print as it evolves. The block can then be washed and used again, with the same or different colors.
During Open Studios, various stages of white line printing will be ongoing, with examples of completed prints and blocks. At some points, carving will be shown, and at others, the process of printing, which can be done in a leisurely fashion. Demonstrations will be ongoing from 1:00-4:00, with occasional breaks, but at other times, there will be examples of prints at various stages to view and someone to answer questions.
Restroom is accessible indoors and ceramics will be displayed outdoors, weather permitting.
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Kris Shaffer
BOTH TOURS
OIL/PASTEL/WATERCOLOR: Vibrant landscapes of urban and rural scenes, lively portraits
Originally from Kansas, after many years in the Northeast Kris Shaffer now considers the Boston area home. She transferred from Kansas State University to Massachusetts College of Art where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting. After college, she moved to Tesuque, New Mexico where she fell in love with landscape painting. The magical light of the high plains desert was fantastic, and reminiscent of the stunning Flint Hills of Kansas. Her next stop was San Francisco where she married and had two sons. The family returned to Boston and became her focus while maintaining an active painting studio. During this time, her passion for art was also expressed through a flourishing interior design business. Urban landscapes have always been a favorite subject, but harsh weather and demands of life lead her to an ongoing series of book paintings. Being able to stack, arrange and light books in the studio provided many elements reminiscent of urban scenery that were utterly controllable. With her sons now adults, painting has once again taken center stage, with landscapes remaining one of her favorite subjects. Bales of hay are seen as sleeping giants that could come to life at any time and meander away. Cows are also a favorite subject. Roads leading to nowhere, to anywhere, to everywhere provide endless fascination. She has recently expanded her work to oil pastels and portraiture. The human face, or any face is so expressive. Figure drawing was her first love, but she never explored portraits until recently. Oil pastels brought her to watercolors and the immediacy and non-toxic nature this medium is attractive. Changing mediums has challenged her to see things in new ways adding depth and understanding to her work. She continues to explore varied methods of capturing the beauty of everyday objects.
There is no street sign for Monument Drive, which is about 1.5 miles west on Adamsville from Main Road, Westport, on the left. The studio entrance is about 400 feet from Adamsville road on the left, with a white shell driveway, and parking available along Monument Drive or in the driveway parking area. There is a restroom available up about six steps from the yard.
This point of interest is part of the tour: 2024 Westport Artists
Please send change requests to changerequest@pocketsights.com.