AFTER The HOLIDAY

Blog January 15, 2012

After the Holidays, and my trip to Maine, life is almost back to “normal”, and regular programs resuming.    My Tuesday art class began last week.   We 

start with current events in the art world. I am definitely more tuned into the art news now that we discuss the subject.  I usually read over the news, and although I may be aware of the news item, it does not register very deeply.  I find myself paying better attention to the art section of the paper and news.  

We are all invited to show any work that we have been painting and would like to share with the class.  It is a great time to hear others’ impressions, critics of one’s work.

This week as our warm-up painting, we are painting from a picture of an owl  Owls are harder to paint than I thought! Until you try to replicate, draw or paint anything, you don’t really know what the item/or living thing really looks like.  I am struggling with the owl!  Last semester, I felt so insecure about my paintings that I tended to do multiples of every assignment.  I earned the title of  “overachiever”,  little did they know, it was actually pure and simple insecurity.

Each week we start a new concept or theme, and during the week, look for examples of this idea.  We are supposed to bring in a representative in picture format to then paint during the next class and week. 

This semester, our teacher, Fred, has told us that we are working on different types of light.  Our first type of light is indoor light, and the effects of that light. 

This week's word is artificial lighting.  That is a big topic, just think of how many times artificial light is used in out world.   I have looked for the perfect photo, just haven’t found it yet. 

Welcome to 2012, and back to getting started in a hobby and a Blog!  What have I begun for myself?
My new art class begins next week and my weekly "open studio" painting group reconvenes.  I will be busy trying to keep up with assignments in the class with a new painting and theme each week.
I will try to keep my posts current and perhaps that will help me with the class projects.

The poppy painting represents the concept of
"Vibrancy".
I paint with acrylic paints.  This means that a plastic-like fluid or "vehicle" is used to mix the pigments (colors) to make the paint spreadable.  The primary reason that I paint in acrylics is that is how I began in classes, and at this point, I am most comfortable with this form of paint.

Since I began my adventure in the art world, I have had to expand my knowledge of what makes a
good picture.  This is a struggle since there are so many factors in this one concept-"good picture".
Think about what that means to the viewer, why do you want to look at the picture?
I usually take photos to document an event, children growing up, or travel scenes.  Once I began to
paint, I began to look at photos as a painting, or parts of a painting, and had to start actually
composing a picture.  How does a photo or painting draw you into the picture?   The emotional side of
painting or the hidden meaning is an enormous area that I have not begun to unravel.  I have
basically been trying to achieve the "pleasant-decorative-arts" style painting.

One of my first classes was through the "Rufus Porter Museum" in mural painting.  Rufus Porter
was an early 19th century itinerant mural painter.  He painted to decorate homes in the 1800's, and this was my first style of painting:


These two paintings are from scenes of
Rufus Porter Murals.  
Classes in Rufus Porter and other early
American Arts are taught at the Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton, Maine, rufusportermuseum.org.                        

Just Start

How do you start doing something that you think you might like to do, or want to do?  What is it that
makes you "just do it"?  We all have something that we think we might want to try or pursue.  Taking the
first step is the toughest.  Then, of course is the continuing and making yourself do it.
I am hoping that this site will serve as an inspiration to others who
are thinking of a new adventure.  I hope it will keep me inspired to
continue my own growth.  I definitely have those days when I
don't feel inspired, and need a big push.  Perhaps this blog will serve
as my motivation, and your advice and feedback will help us all.

I began painting in 2005 when I found and bought a book at a used book store, "Fantastic Furniture in an Afternoon" by Mickey Baskett.  I figured my daughter, Laura, and I could have some summer fun at our Maine cottage by giving new life to some old camp furniture.  We took Mickey's ideas, created our own and painted to our hearts delight.
After we had painted most of the surfaces of furniture, Laura began her summer camp counselor job, then returned to college.    Now, I needed to expand my horizons, but in a small Maine town I had a limited choice, so Floor Cloth Painting! I learned a whole new subject, early American art, acrylic paint, varnish, polyacrylic, color mixing.  
Early American women used old sail cloth to cover their floors and painted them to add some decorative touches to their homes.  It is a wonderful art form, and there are many books with great idea and patterns for painting floor cloths.  I use mine in high traffic areas to protect hard wood floors.   They can be refreshed by washing and re-varnishing when needed.  There are some wonderful books about this subject.  My library expanded.            
When I returned to the West Coast, my Early American Folk style art needed to change.  There just aren't classes for this style of art in the local community colleges.  Thus, began the real journey! Art is an enormous field, I hope to record some of my exploration of the field, and share my new knowledge.  This blog will help me diary the learning process and encourage me to keep delving into the field and sharing it with others, opening new doors to all of us

One of my first classes at Bellevue Community College, now Bellevue College, was Flower Painting with Acrylics.  My teacher, Virginia, is an   outstanding teacher.  I repeated the class a few times, learning the material in different ways as I progressed and as it happens, regressed.  The lightbulb moment happens when you know there is so much more to learn than you ever thought, and wow, won't that be exciting when you know a little more than you know now!
I think the lightbulb moment is the understanding and the momentum to keep learning.  I hope the light keep shinning for me!  I have been enjoying my adventure in art, appreciating many facets of the field, meeting wonderful people, finding new opportunities, and as in most pursuits, having to take extended breaks form my avocation for various life events.

 Flower Painting from one of my first classes