Expressive Figure

I'm continuing to enjoy the figure class at Andy's.  Above is a pastel sketch I did a couple of weeks ago.

At the right is an expressive painting that was done on gold gessoed paper.  It was really a fun exercise!

And below is Green Nude - a sketch I did from Pose 3.

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Figure Sketch

I am having so much fun in Andy Braitman's Creative Figure classes on Mondays.  Having the opportunity to sketch (or paint) from a live model is wonderful, and even better is the fact that Andy and Charlotte provide great input, modeling, and feedback.  The sketch on the left took about 20 minutes.  Now, some of you may be thinking that it's not that great!  My challenge to you, try it!  It's a fun and humbling experience.  I remember going to galleries and even museums and sometimes thinking, "I could do that."  Well, in most cases I was speaking out of ignorance.  In the past three years since I have been working on my art, I have come a long way AND I have a long way to go.  In the new book about Stephen Jobs, he is quoted as saying,  "The journey is the reward."  How true!

Back to Painting

Well, I'm finally BACK to painting on a regular basis.  This summer was wonderful with trips to the mountains, to see my dad in Mississippi, to San Francisco, and to Alaska on a cruise.  However, with all of the going AND going to water aerobics and playing golf and bridge, I let my painting take a back seat.

Yesterday, I started a Creative Figure class at Andy Braitman's Studio.  Andy is so great!  He's a wonderful teacher and cheerleader.  He is also good about giving content-specific feedback.  He's encouraging us to try new techniques and to be creative.  I think I'm ready for this!

The painting above is one I finished today at my studio.  I have a new strategy.  I am going to try to finish a painting a day - either one that I started previously or a new one.  I've been reading a lot about learning through making mistakes.  I also read an article where an art teacher said that she encourages her newer (like me) students to finish a painting in three hours - to work on quantity as much or more than on quality.  This sounds like a good idea for me right now.  I tend to work and work and overwork and overwork paintings.  So, I'll blog about how this goes!  

Still Painting

I'm embarrassed by the fact that I haven't posted in almost two months.  The summer has been great, and I have even done a little painting.  I spent another week in the mountains painting scarves with my sister.  It was cool enough that we could paint outdoors on the porch beside the creek.  I'll post some of our creations soon.

My studio was broken into and the thief stole all of my paints and many brushes.  What, pray tell, would someone other than an artist want with oil paints?  I was surprised that it was very depressing for me - sort of took the wind out of my artist's sails for almost a month.  My landlady has been great, and we now have a new alarm system.  I've replaced about half of the tubes of paint and several brushes.  I should be ready to paint again in September.

My plan for the fall is to get back to regular (at least two days a week) painting.  I'm taking a figure class from Andy Braitman on Mondays beginning mid-September.  I'm really looking forward to this!  During the summer, I've let golf, water aerobics, bridge, taking care of others (not a burden, but a joy), and travel fill most of my time.  Art is back on the  priority list for the fall and winter! 

Nell's Scarf

My sister Nell painted this scarf!  Isn't it a beauty!  We worked together on the background (each of us starting on opposite ends and meeting in the middle) to change the color from blue to green.  Won't it be pretty when it is tied!

Another scarf!

Here's another one of the scarves that I painted while at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Murphy.  We hung our scarves on the windows and doors for the "show-and-tell"session and for our teacher's demonstration. 

For some reason, I got "into" twin figures and panels of colors.  I think the double ladies will be a lot prettier once they are cleaned, ironed, and worn - and not hanging on a glass, classroom door!  

Silk Painting

My sister Nell and I just spent a week in a silk painting class at John C. Campbell Folk School in Murphy, NC.  We stayed at the Franklin guest cabin that we love which is fifty-minutes away.  We had so much fun - painting, visiting, sitting by the creek, and relaxing.  At left is one of my scarves.  It will of course look better after it is taken off the rack, steamed, dry cleaned, and pressed.