Here at the Jansen Art Studio...

Farewell Taipei

2010-03-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
A great seminar tour has come to an end. We have enjoyed several days here in Taipei. Several new students attended this year. One new teacher had such a good time, she called her student and had her join for the rest of the week. Now that is a great endorsement!

Serina had all of the core lessons painted for students and teachers to see. It looked great!

I have been typing up lesson plans. Somehow my role as photographer and window shopper has been transferred to transcriber.

I did get to see some cool things be for we left;

Everything is Cat and Life. I love this sentiment.
But what is CatnLife.com Gotta go check it out!

Our room was great. It had a foyer. And room service!

I think I could teach a small child to swim in this tub.

A great morning view.

This tower was made from paper!

I think I want this car. It is electric, holds one person and is blue. Perfect for in town running around! Trying to figure out how to get it home.

Lots of good things happened here in Taiwan. We had a great tour, saw our old friends, made new friends and shared time with those who have the passion to paint. We are exhausted but happy. Going home now!
Sincerely,
David and Martha
Our own slideshow!

Moving Taipei

2010-03-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
We had a great time in Taichung.

Here are some pictures for you.
Our morning routine:

Before we left Taichung, we went shopping:

Now it is time for Taipei. This a short, 2 hour drive north through some beautiful countryside.
When we arrive, the traffic is amazing.

Our room is the best!

David is teaching in two locations. One is a conference center above the flower market. Smells very nice.

The second place is Nancy, a coffee and snack store owned by the family of Serina's student.

This is heaven! David is happy as can be teaching flowers and scrolls. Me, I am in a petite lounge sipping fresh brewed coffee! I just need a jar of Nutella. I wonder if Serina brought hers.

Hard at work.

I have lost him!

Sincerely,
David and Martha

Hmm

2010-03-14T15:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,
David has been teaching at Serina's Studio for the past few days. The space is airy and light.

The walls are about 12 feet high. They are covered with trays and paintings for decoration and for classes and for sale. Very Impressive.

A few things for lunch included things we knew:

I do not think I can eat this:

I think I can work here:

We are having a great time.
Sincerely,
David and Martha

Food Photos

2010-03-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, I always tease Serina about taking pictures of food. Last year, during our tour of the Netherlands, Serina took at lease 1000 pictures of food: our meals, snacks and more. Okay, maybe not 1000, but it was a lot! While we took pictures of paintings and architecture and more, Serina had the added pix to show her friends how good the food looked. (It was delicious as well!)

When I got asked by friends what we eat when we travel to Asia, I rethought my position about food photography. So here I go: When traveling abroad, we usually eat where our friends take us. Often we let them order as they want us to try something special. We have enjoyed fish, chicken and beef many different ways. From fancy restaurants to local treasures, we have enjoyed some great food. Right now, you have to take me word for it. Perhaps some photos would be of interest as well. So here I go: my first food diary. Forgive my poor shots. Many a time, we were well into our meal when I remembered I needed a photo!

(chicken with roasted garlic)

Mark chose this restaurant because for the simple reason he likes it. We enjoyed fish, chicken and a great soup. He told me it was made with Monkey Brains. Hmm

After a lot of grinning and discussion, Mark clarified it was Monkey Brain Mushrooms in the soup. What a difference a word makes! Mark is a funny man. Very pleased with his joke as you can see.

This is the biggest lazy susan I have every seen. We had sweet-and-sour fish, black tofu, pork, apple soda, Taiwan chilled tea and lots more.

I am so full!
Sincerely,
Martha

Meet Mark

2010-03-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

For the past few years, Serina is joined in presenting our seminars with the help of her boyfriend, Mark. He is terrific! He is a stock market adviser that has fallen in love with the world of Decorative Painting. He takes on the organization and attention to detail that really makes a seminar work.

For example, each day Mark disappears for about 30minutes in the morning. I thought he was off to work. No, he was getting coffee for us. And somehow he knows how we all like it! He believes in doing all he can to keep the seminar environment positive and fun.

Today Mark had the less than glamorous job of making a white screen for the projector.

He laughed and chatted with us all as he assembled the sheets together. He enjoys the world of Decorative Painting; the art, the history and the students. It is a real treat to work with another couple who love the painting as we do.

Lucky us!

Sincerely,

David and Martha

Here at Serina's

2010-03-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, we are here in Taichung. Today is Day 3 of our 9 day seminar tour. Taichung is always special to us as this is the home city of Serina. We met Serina about 6 years ago. We have enjoyed lots of seminars and holidays together. We come to Taiwan to teach. She comes to our home for Christmas. We call her our little sister.

Serina is a tireless worker. She translates the lessons. She explains to the class (lots of new students this year) their job of repeating “yes, David.” And she translates the jokes. Each class is happy, laughing and learning.

Our first two days were held in the University's Lecture Hall. A great venue for special events. Then three days at Serina's home studio. Her studio is light and airy with tall windows and high ceilings. A very pleasant place to paint.
Sincerely,
Martha

Remodeling in the snow!

2009-12-06T03:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
All is well here. We have been busy! As many of you know we are adding onto our home. This is an addition we have wanted to pursue for a long time. Besides the added living space, the addition will add lots of wall space for us to display our beloved decorative art. Here is the most recent picture:

I have made a two requests: book cases and plate shelf. Our book collection is always expanding. And I have learned there is always a need for more display areas.

What else have we been doing? Heritage MultiMedia paint sets have shipped. Our family business had a busy week of shrinking, wrapping, and packing. I think we are all caught up. Thank you for your patience. Any questions, please email me.

David has been enjoying the Direct Painting technique so much. And judging from your emails, so have you. Well, one thing has led to another. David created the specifications for some new brushes. New angles, bristles and a fan. Global Art Supply has added the new brushes to the line. And we now have them up on our website.

We know how hard it is to find good sources for wood surfaces. We are always on the look-out for sources we can share with you. Dave has found a great source of plates. Lots of sizes, good quality, all at a very good price. We are so excited to add the plates to our website.

We are also adding a supply page to our website. Transfer paper, specialty pens and other supplies the creative artist needs. If you have an idea, please send it to me: JansenArtStudio@aol.com. Our goal is to make sure you have what you need to paint! paint! paint!

David is in production for two new dvds: Louis XIV Scrolls and Painted Fruit. Watching his creative process is exciting. Each dvd or book reflects years of study. When he is ready to film or write, he spends days designing and pulling together his references. Books begin to stack around him. Sketch pads and tracing paper litter every flat surface in his office. Tables, chairs and the floor have carefully stacked "idea" piles. Once I tried to clear off a chair. It almost cost you the Ompir series!

So now we wait. When David is ready, Jessica, Kaitlin and I try to get the books back into the bookcase. Family and friends are always on the lookout for more books. I hope I have calculated enough bookcase space!

Okay, I have to go. I am making jerky in the oven. Everyone says it is done. The cats, dogs and Dave. I better check it before they take over the kitchen.

Sincerely,
Martha
JansenArtStudio.com
JansenOnlineStore.com

Fishing in Australia

2009-10-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Okay, Work is done and the guys are out working hard to provide for the family. As we finish our trip, we have been warmed by the sun and eaten well. I think I am a bit pink. But Dave was very good about sunscreen. SLIP-SLAP-SLOP is the rule here.

I had asked for a board meeting. I let them pick the location. I do not think they are thinking business:

I was enjoying a book and a sandwich when a cheeky kookaburra swooped down and took my sandwich! To add insult to injury, he ate it in front of me. Ouch!

This is the face of relaxation. A vacation well deserved.

And yes, the guys provided. We had a delicious fish fry.

Heading home in the morning. I wonder what the weather is like?

See you soon.
Sincerely,
The Jansens

Here in Australia

2009-10-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
This has been a whirlwind tour. The seminars in Melbourne and Adelaide were great. The venues are wonderful. Food fabulous. And the painting phenomenal.

We had teachers and students from across Australia as well as New Zealand and South Korea. We had more fun that should be allowed.

Here are some photos from Melbourne:

A large room with lots of space to get up and move.

A great venue in Adelaide with lots of smiling faces:

A great venue:

Happy Birthday!

Our dates are set for 2010!
Thank you for a great tour!
Sincerely,
The Jansens

SDP & HOOT 2009

2009-10-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
We had a great time at SDP and HOOT. Our booths looked great. This year we had many of the Heritage Designers helping in the booth. Lots of fun and laughing. We handed out lots of flyers about the Heritage Art Education web site and Education Program. Here are a few pictures of the conventions:

If you haven't been to a convention, you have to try it! It is lots of fun plus a great opportunity to meet with teachers and artists from all over the world.

Sincerely,
The Jansens

Catching Up!

2009-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
I know I said I would be better but all of a sudden it is October and I am in Australia. Where has the year gone?

Well, I have posted most of our pictures from Taiwan and Japan trips (March and April). But I do not think I have shared with you the great pix of France, PA seminars or Australia. I will do my best to get caught up. The best part is we are finding painting everywhere!

As I look at the pix on our camera, we wanted to share with you our experience at a flea market near Veronique and Francois's home in Colroy La Roche. Many of us have gone to the church bazaar or local flea market to enjoy the treasures to be had. Try attending one of these events in another country. You will see many of the same things but with the added component: How do I get this home?
Take a look:
Beautiful items everywhere:
Bureau-hmm Nice
Trunk: we both wanted it:
Jessica's Pick:

We saw castles:

We saw more castles:
Dave P wants a castle. We had to say no.

A typical French countryside kitchen.

Hey! How did Jessica's kitten pictures get into the mix?

We made it home with lots of great books and ideas.
Fondly,
The Jansens
PS Still looking for homes for three kittens (young cats).

Raggedy Ann of Hiroshima, Japan

2009-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Many have asked us about our friends Yozo and Yumiko Yamasaki and their painting studio and wood shop, Raggedy Ann. So here is their story.

Raggedy Ann is the first Decorative Painting shop of Japan. It began when Yumiko's sister, Kotami, who was living in Texas, told her of the wonderful world of decorative painting. With Kotami's urging, Yumiko opened the first decorative painting shop of Japan in Hiroshima. The first Raggedy Ann store was in the Itsukaichi area of Hiroshima City. Yumiko began to study painting as well. In 1987 she began teaching.

Yozo, Yumiko's husband has been making the wood for Raggedy Ann and other shops and distributors for years. He has two assistants that help him process orders. The Black Cat picks up orders every day. His wood surfaces are shipped throughout Japan.

For 23 years Yumiko operated a retail art store and studio on Coin Dori (Street) in Itsukaichi area of Hiroshima. In 2007 she and Yozo decided to bring their business home to Hatsukaichi. They remodelled the living space above the woodshop into a comfortable studio and art store. It has a spectacular view of the valley. It is perfect for seminars, relaxing and a bit of shopping. Oh, yes. And painting too!

So nowthey now have the art store and studio above the wood shop. Each day they walk down their drive to work. The store has all needed art supplies as well as beautiful gifts made by local and international artists.

Their assistant Miko helps with the seminars and day to day running of the store. Yozo keeps the wood surfaces in stock. And their dog, Kintaro makes sure everyone does their job. This is truly a family business.

And there are Raggedy dolls everywhere! These are only a few of the dolls that live at Raggedy Ann Art Studio.

Hmm A tough decision!

Oh no! Here are some more!

Decorative painting is very popular in Japan. The Yozo's woodshop is sending wood throughout Japan. Some of his pieces and designs have been seen as far as the United States. Yumiko teaches in her studio as well as traveling as far north as Nagoya for her students.

Each year Yumiko allows herself study time. She comes to the United States each winter to study with David as well as enjoy Christmas holidays with the Jansen family.

Yozo relaxes in Hatsukaichi with Kintaro. When Yumiko gets home they are all ready to start the new year.

We are truly fortunate to have the Yamasaki family as our friends. We enjoy their company and their creativity.

Sincerely,

David and Martha

Random Japanese Beauty

2009-04-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
We have been coming to Japan for many years. During that time, we have seen beautiful temples, historical sites and more. But there is another group of sights which most tour guides do not consider points of interest on the usual tour.

These sights our children named long ago (for them) "Random Japanese Beauty." These vignettes are part of our hosts everyday life. Yet to us, the visitors, they are utsukusii (beautiful).

This is a roadside shrine set up by the neighbors.

A beautiful bed of tulips after a morning of rain. Always nice.

A shrine to commemorate the loss of young and old. A mix of styles. Sad yet sweet.

A garden stairway, beautiful statuary tucked in among the trees.

As we walk across a bridge or through a gate, we pause to reflect on all this beauty.

We love it here.
Sincerely,
David and Martha

Designing In Hiroshima

2009-04-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
All is well here in Hiroshima. The design class has begun. And the students are off and running. This is their 11th year of studying design. To get this far, they have made the commitments to attend, study and paint their homework. Their commitment shows as the class moves very quickly. During the seminar, the students will bring their homework to be reviewed and discussed. It is a great method to show how different elements and colors are assembled for the style studied.

This year the Hiroshima students will study Rogaland, Romsdal and Telemark. After one day of discussing traditional elements and colors of Rogaland, they are already trying their hand at creating their own designs.

Tom has been David's translator for about 12 years. They have developed a great friendship. Tom likes the seminars. His favorite subject is color theory. He remembers the material from each year and often participates in the color theory discussions.

Our seminars each day are held at Hiroshima Raggedy Art Studio.

We are greeted each day by Kintaro.

Materials are prepared by Miko.

And yes, we have ice cream at 3:00.

I think everyone is here.

Sincerely,
David and Martha

Pictures of Japan

2009-04-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
David and I have been in Japan for almost three weeks. We have gone from Osaka to Nagoya to Tokyo to Hiroshima. During all of this travel, we have enjoyed several sites that are unique to the Japan experience.

Riding the Shinkansen is great. You are moving at 180 mph. The schedule is precise. So be ready to board when the train pulls in. If you are not ready, they really will leave without you!

This is some of the Japanese beauty we see every day. Formal gardens to rice fields, all are laid out with precision. A joy to view from the train, car or from hotel window.

Our rooms have ranged from traditional western style hotels to the traditional tatami mat with tea service and futons. Don't be afraid. This is a very comfortable way to sleep. And the tatami grass smells so good!

Eating in Japan is both tasty and beautiful. Here are pictures of a traditional Japanese breakfast. Yes, we can get eggs, bacon and toast. But why? We are in Japan!

I got this for the train ride to Hiroshima.

So, where do you put your shoes at the traditional hotels? In the locker, of course!

This looks important.

We usually pick up gifts for the kids at their two favorite stores; Daiso and Uni Qlo.

We try to take advantage of the view at every opportunity. But sometimes work just has to get done.

We are so fortunate we have this opportunity.
Sincerely,
David and Martha

Tokyo Seminar

2009-04-19T13:58:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,
The Tokyo 2 day seminar finished last night. This is their first year of design. After day 1, one student was so excited she brought her first design to David. This is our first year with our translator, Yoshiko. As you can see, she worked well with David to explain the ideas of design.

These students have painted for several years. They are anxious to learn the material paint their own designs. Lots of questions. With some discussions continuing after class was officially over.

Lunch is spent with the class, enjoying an Obento lunch box. Very delicious. Ice Cream or cookies at 3:00!

At the end of the seminar, we present certificates to the students. Sometimes, there is a discussion about name pronunciation.

We finished a great seminar. Plans are in the works for next year's tour. But the pace is grueling. And it is hard to keep up with preparations, travel, business meeting and more. It takes its toll on all of us...

Next stop: Hirsoshima
Sincerely,
David and Martha

Hello Nagoya!

2009-04-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
We have finished a great two day seminar in Nagoya. The students had been doing a lot of designing during the year. The review discussion was lively!

Setsuko has been David's translator for several years. Although not a artist, she is able to convey the emotion and heart of David's presentations very well.

This is the second year of design for Nagoya. They learned about Dutch, Chippendale and Rogaland designs elements and techniques. They are excited about this year"s homework.

Many ask what do I do during the seminars. Yes, I do go out walking. I enjoy "eye-shopping"(much to David's relief). But I spend a lot of time in the classroom ready to help David, preparing cerificates, and getting class supplies. Oh yes, and 3:00 is Ice Cream time! It is a delicious break.

Nagoya is a beautiful city. We visited the Tokugawa Garden on our last day. Kyoko, Yumiko and I have tea in the old Tokugawa family residence. Sugoyii!

Next stop: Tokyo!

Our Shinkansen arriving at the station. It is the bullet train to Tokyo that travels over 180 mph!
See you in Tokyo!
Sincerely,
David and Martha

Osaka Seminar

2009-04-15T04:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
The seminar in Osaka went great! This was the second design class for the group. This year they studied Dutch, Chippendale and Rogaland. Lots of good questions. There was a lot of sharing of good books.

Designs from last year were brought in for evaluation as well. Keiko has been taking classes from David for several years. She knows to ask questions!

The translator, Noriko is very good. She gets involved with the explanations.

Yumiko keeps notes. She will email the notes to each student so they have more explanation. I made lots of copies of design elements. Everyone goes home with homework.

I just spoke with Jessica. She assures us that all is well at home and your orders are being shipped as quickly as possible.

Next stop: Nagoya!

Sincerely,
David and Martha

From Osaka, Japan

2009-04-14T15:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

After a great flight, we arrived in Japan ready to start our tour. With one day of rest before the tour began, David chose to use his time wisely: rest and prepare for the seminars. Yumiko and I went to Nara!

Nara is one of Japan's oldest cultural treasures. It is the home of universities, buddism and the Sacred Deer.

The deer are revered. This means they are accustom to getting their way. So take the picture, pet the deer and give them the cracker. Despite their pampered status, they are docile and put up with a lot of petting and crackers.

Nara was beautiful. Their gardens contain three elements: stone, water and trees. Bridges and outlooks all represent aspects of life and the other world. We climbed to the top of a hill to look over Nara. The view was beautiful. The cherry trees were in full bloom. Families were gathered in open spaces enjoying the view and gentle weather.

As we came down the hill, we passed this relaxing view.

On to Todaiji, the home of the largest Buddah statue in Japan. He lives inside this beautiful temple surrounded by statues of other priests and guardians.

Forever the artist and designer, Yumiko noted design elements along the way. Formal and informal designs are everywhere!

We finished Nara with ice cream before our train ride back to Osaka. Meanwhile, David was at the hotel working, working, working. He feels good about tomorrow's seminar. A great day for all.

Sincerely,

David and Martha

Finished! For now...

2009-04-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I just finished editing Parts 2 & 3 of the Ompir Study Series. The free online lesson for this beautiful tray will be posted on http://www.jansenarteducation.com/ tomorrow. We will be shipping the Disks 2 & 3 on Monday to those that have ordered the subscription. Also, Dad has been filming all afternoon for the Dewey Roses dvd. Pretty amazing how he can switch techniques so rapidly. I will be working on that footage tomorrow and we will have it ready to ship by the 15th.

Here are some pics from the new Ompir videos. It is a lovely techinque to watch. Enjoy!

Jessica

Jessica Says,

2009-04-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

Quiet on the Set!
Today Dad is painting and filming the second installation of the Ompir Study Series (DVD8002). We worked all morning to transform the classroom into the filming studio. We now have 3 cameras and the tiny new one will be postitioned above Dad's palette to better capture his mixing. We are still testing this new setup but you can expect to see the additional angle in future dvds. For every 2 hour dvd we process more than 6 hours of footage. Dad does it all in a single take but all the camera angles have to be linked together and watched simultaniously. The soundtrack is then worked on in a separate program. Of course then there are all the photos organize, patterns to scan, labels and covers to create.

With Dad creating so rapidly it is sometimes difficult to keep up!
Thank you for all your support. And thank you, Keiser, for being the ever vigilant assistant.

This week's painting

2009-04-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

David has been painting all week. I cannot keep up. This week he finished the Dewey Roses (very beautiful). They are featured on our web site (JansenArtStudio.com). Now he is working on his beginner lessons. I have posted two lessons for you to see. They are so pretty.

Sincerely,

Martha

Martha Says

2009-04-02T20:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,
This is my first post to our blog. I wanted to share with you some pix from Taiwan. We had a great time. David and Serina did a great job. The students were so enthusiastic. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Sincerely,

Martha