Nature Painting in Nature Yesterday we drive out to a recreation site recommended by a friend. The dam that created the swimming hole had an interesting and artsy collage. I packed very limited art supplies with the intention of just using up some watercolor paint on my palette. Painting in monochrome with just a variety of saturation was freeing. No color mixing, no color decisions. Nice and calming. Though I loved the spot we settled by the river swimming hole and painting in nature, the ride there (and back) was unnerving. I don't understand people; I really don't. Why is it necessary to turn your home into a political compound? Yes, everyone is entitled to express themselves freely, but in these strange times doing so makes a huge and powerful statement that reflects the tense division we are experiencing in America. I don't want to be reminded of it when I am driving through the rural countryside as a respite from city life. C'mon, people. Chill out.
Art Soul Gathering 2024 This mystical and magical art workshop celebrating Mother Nature and the Divine Feminine is hosted by Ida Andersen Lang, an artist from Denmark. 12 days of art (Aug. 29-Sept. 9) with two artists featured each day. Such an interesting variety of instructors and styles, some very much out of my comfort zone. But I’m going to try giving them all a try. Tracy Weinzaphl - “Pocket Full of Sunshine” - gessoed mixed media paper, acrylic, Posca pen, ink , found text, buttons Karen Campbell - “Dolphin Dreams” - toned paper (thanks, Dad), markers, Posca pen, colored pencil, charcoal pencil. Drawing is completely out of my comfort zone, but Karen’s instruction was excellent. I’m happy with the resulting project. Ivy Newport - “Blooming Within” - lots of layers here: acrylic, charcoal pencils, colored pencils, Posca pens. This one took forever, but I like the gentleness of it. May we all bloom from within. Melanie Rivers - “Art is Medicine”...
Nearly three years have passed since I last wrote a blog post. Setting up this new blog, I never expected to encounter such a seemingly insurmountable obstacle right off the bat. . . naming the blog. Having tried nearly 28 creative names and finding them all unavailable, this was the first one to stick. So, this is it, and here it goes . . . The arts have always been a part of my life, thanks mostly to my father who insisted that I play the violin in elementary school and encouraged me to always give school projects some sort of artistic flair. I guess a part of that mentorship was due to his background in music and art. As a gifted artist, sculptor, and industrial designer, he was an amazing role model and our house always had a plethora of varied art supplies. My journey towards art, however, has been a delayed one. Having abandoned my music major in college, I turned to education. The last couple of years of my 35-year career in public education, I discovered jewe...
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