“If you want to really hurt you parents,
and you don't have the nerve to be gay,
the least you can do is go into the arts.
I'm not kidding.
The arts are not a way to make a living.
They are a very human way of making life more bearable.
Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly,
is a way to make your soul grow,
for heaven's sake.
Sing in the shower.
Dance to the radio.
Tell stories.
Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem.
Do it as well as you possible can.
You will get an enormous reward.
You will have created something.”
Kurt Vonnegut
Yesterday's artists' creativity was as diverse as they are. The artist below uses reference photos that she has taken on international trips. Below, she is challenging herself to mix the correct colour for the buildings - not an easy task. I love how her tree stands out from the background building. It's like it is the star of the show.
The following three images show process. First, this artist ripped masking tape in the shape of three leaves. The ripping causes a more natural edge to occur.
When she had painted all of the background that she wished to paint, she carefully peeled off the masking tape.
Next she introduced some greens and browns into those leaf shapes. She is now in the process of lifting out some paint where petals will reside. And, to keep busy while the lifted out paint dries, she is going all multimedia on us and using a white fine-tipped marker to draw stems of seeds.
The artist below is new to watercolours. She first completed a series of right-brain drawing lessons and did very well. That strengthened her drawing skills and now is working on her painting skills. A style is emerging already. She will probably be very good at layered washes.
Some artists love a challenge. Next to drawing and painting a baby, drawing Coco Chanel has got to be one of the most difficult things to do. I love how the light from the window casts cool shadows on her artwork.
Going from painting in acrylics to painting in watercolours is never easy. If you add the challenge of painting on an absorbent clay ground, you have a serious task ahead of you. This sky has had many iterations in the past few weeks. Clay grounds have strengths and weaknesses. Strength: the paint can be lifted out. Weakness: the paint can be lifted out. Darn!!!
Two paintings from the same artist. Aren't those trees in the bottom painting wonderful? And, the use of "dry brush" technique to get the sparkles in the water. I feel like I am in the Everglades when I look at that painting.
There is a long waiting list for our classes here. If one of my regular students is sick, I have a couple of ladies on the waiting list who will come to class with short notice. The "laundry at the beach" scene artist is one of those folks.
So, you might ask yourself, "What about the sick lady?" Well, this particular sick lady took 3 hours at home and worked on her painting there. She sent it to us so we could admire it during class.
They are a tight group.
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