OK, let's dive right into the next 10 web sites (Actually 12 due to the number of submissions from you!) : If you haven't shared your web site with the rest of us send it to me for a future newsletter. Every time I ask for web sites I get tons, so it's going to take a couple of months to get some of yours into a newsletter.

1) Fellow NYC artist Arlene Horton paints people, still lifes and landscapes.

2) South Texas plein air and studio painter Bonnie White.

3) Here are the large, colorful paintings of Florida artist Joann Williams Walker.

4) Unusual to see someone like Janet Lee Butler who paints and writes poetry.

5) Sonoma County Plein Air Artist Sterling Hoffman paints a wide variety of subjects.

6) Georgia artist Caroline Swanson, who came on Ken Mcindoe's NYC painting workshop this year paints colorful, intense bright paintings.

7) Simi Valley, California artist Rich Brimer is a member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.

8) Takeyce Walter is another painter of color and light but has a blog, not a web site for you to look at.

9) Jill Schultz McGannon likes to find magic in painting her landscapes.

10) Check out the fresh eye of North Carolina oil and acrylic painter Jerry La Point.

11) Michael Fenton shares is painting web site with his son Ryan the film maker.

12) Dear friend Beth Cody paints her heart and soul.

Sometimes I forget that many of you receiving this newsletter have never been on one of my workshops. So it's important that I try and paint a picture of what they're like day to day. For me the most successful workshop happens when everyone's having a great time with the painting locations I've selected and with the social aspects of the trip. I realize that many people come to my workshops alone so I really work on being sensitive to their needs. Will they enjoy going out to eat at different restaurants with the group or will they prefer to pick and choose how involved they get? My job and my passion is to honor what the paying customer wants and to provide that if at all possible. If there's a problem then priority number one is to get it resolved NOW..not later. If someone's not happy with something I'm intent on listening to what that's about and changing it if I can. At the end of the workshop I'm happiest if I know that you're happy and had the greatest of times -whether or not you came home with masterpieces.

Do you remember the conversation I started two weeks ago? I talked about views and opposing views regarding creating art - following rules; breaking rules, etc. Well, here's a link to the responses that came in from you.

Some little known facts about Picasso from John Richardson, Picasso's ultimate biographer:

1) Picasso was very superstitious. In later years he refused to let his wife give his old clothing to his gardener for fear that some of his genius would rub off.

2) He hated driving and in spite of owning a great limousine it was always chauffeur driven.

3) He had an affair with Coco Chanel and although she wished it would continue he felt she was too much of a celebrity and not submissive enough.

4) Picasso never really indicated women's butts in his paintings until the 1920's when he departed from that tradition for some reason!

5) He was even more egotistical than we thought: He once told a friend: "God is really another artist like me.. I am God. I am God".

I wanted to share a discovery about my painting process that's added possibilities yet to be fully exercised. I've been doing nothing but NYC street scenes lately, all in the West Village. I start by taking photos of the scene, then take lots of photos of people there. I go into the studio and set out the composition based on the photos and add people where and how I want them. Then I take the canvas outside again - generally 30 x 24 and larger, and finish it on location. I not only finish it on location but I effectively repaint the entire canvas when I get outside. The magic happens when I work on the painting outside. The colors come to life as do the people, the light, everything. This is my process now but I'm wondering if I can capture that magic without taking the canvas out again - especially when it's just too cold to do that. Can I find a way to put that feeling and energy into the painting while still in the studio?

Well, wouldn't you know it, but just after writing that paragraph I discovered what I needed to do in the studio so I wouldn't have to go out again. It was about raising the intensity and punching up the light and raising the key of the painting. I'm still working this out but the possibilities are interesting. Of course if I learn to finish them in the studio I'll miss out on the excitement of being back out there again. So it's a trade off.

If you've got a special process for doing your paintings why not share it with the rest of us? Describe it to me and I'll get it into the next newsletter.

Katie wanted to mention something in relation to Gail Wheaton winning an American Artist competition: "I don't know how I got on your list, but I enjoy reading your newsletter, and viewing the different websites. I noticed you mentioned one of your readers, Gail Wheaton, was the winner in American Artists Magazine 70th Anniversary for watercolor. I thought you would like to know that my painting, "Native Sun" was chosen for third place, in oils. You may check out my website: www.dobsonart.com.

Joan is looking to rent an apartment or house in Paris or the surrounding area for April or May next year (lucky gal)...Know of one? Email her at Jlnewfi@aol.com

This is a call for artists in the NYC area: Patti is interested in starting an informal get together for artists of all persuasions to network, share ideas or just shoot talk art. If interested please email me her at pmollica@optonline.net

I've got a nice group signed up for San Miguel with Laura Loe February 3-10 with just a few rooms still available. I still have room for the Judy Crowe painting workshop in Provence May 13 - 21... Remember that you can always choose to come as a uninstructed student and pay less in any of my workshops.

Phil Levine Workshops, Inc.
69 bank Street #102. NY, NY 10014
phone: 212-414-8875 fax: 866-501-6873
e-mail: philiplevine@earthlink.net