Painting Boot Camp

So I went to my first class of Painting Boot Camp at Emily Carr last Sunday. I was a bit anxious as to the level of the students would be in the class. The Class was a good mix of younger (20 somethings) to retired Grandmother probably in her 70s. We explored colours and mixed them according to the RBY colour wheel. I was pleased to get the familiar assignment of painting an object with only one orange and one blue. Here is what I did in class. The goal is to lay the blue as the background and use the orange on the object to bring it closer to the viewer. I am very pleased with the instructor - Karen Yurkovich. She has extensive training in painting and a very light and encouraging teaching style. We are using acrylic like watercolour which I rarely do. I usually use acrylic as an oil substitute. I am enjoying going back to the basic of mixing colours and using a medium in a fresh way. I am enjoying being open and exploring.

In preparation to September

In the beginning of the summer, I received news that a good friend of, who is also a painter, is being represented by a gallery. I was very happy for her but also a bit envious and questioned where I'm at in my art career. Instead letting a bit of jealousy get to me, I though sensibly about my time and my young children. So I made a date for myself to refocus on my art career and also more on myself in September. With the kids back to school, well the little hopefully will get in to the 2 hours twice a week early preschool, I will have a more structured schedule to work with. I am excited when I flipped through the Emily Carr continue Ed calendar and think I have found a few courses I want to take. I decided on an intermediate painting boot camp course. Can't wait

Commission art

I am beginning a new commission art project of a 30" x 60" painting of my roses. I am very delighted to start this project. Although my hand still hurts from losing my balance off the bike, I am able to lightly hold the pen or pencil to do my sketches. This will be a horizontal piece, I am feeling more drawn to a vertical format right now so I am starting my sketches in a vertical format to get warmed up. I know that it will lead me to the required format in time.

Integrity

I recently saw an artist, I met in the past, preparing for a meet and greet at a local cafe. I have had odd feelings about this artist's work. She seems to have been successful in selling her work but I question her integrity. Does her work sellout? Why does that bother me? There are quite a few pieces of her work I really like, but I find that they seem to be strongly "influenced " by other artwork I have seen before. Her style also vary greatly from series to series; they seem very trendy. On the business side, it makes sense to produce work that will sell, but I question why her style seems so different? I like to try different things too, am I jealous that she is doing what I would like to do, paint whatever style she feels like doing and not concerned about developing a consist style? While I am bothered by her art practice, I know that if I can figure why it affects me, I will learn and grow from it.

And the doodle grew

New friend

I met a new friend who is a surface pattern designer for a fair size retail clothing store. She reminded me that I should state what I would like to do in my websites like my skills and my interest. I have since edited my online presence to include commission opportunities. I guess I just thought that it was clear by displaying my art in my online portfolio of what I do and like to do.

Here is a quick doodle of the day as a pick me up. It works!

What makes me tick

In my last blog, I asked myself what art is to me. In relations to the statement of " art is patience", I have come to acknowledge that creating art is patience. I also started dissecting my work habits and it feels like I've opened up a door into my creativity.

Walks - going for walks makes me look and see. They help me think.

Sleep - besides the obvious rejuvanation affects it has on my body, I create and process in my dreams.

Go or Stop - creativity, like life is constantly flowing, even when an artist feels that they are stuck in an artist block. I think blocks are a combination of stress and burn out. Also processing in between times of physically creativing counts too.