A few words about the importance of painting/creating with others. Two classes ago we were working on a theme our teacher calls butterflies and blooms. Becky Darling taught us about really looking at the forms that leaves and butterflies are making and not just drawing what we think we “know” about what that leave looks like. Using tools like foreshortening, contrasting colors and values to create our leaves and wings. I was painting along mostly just having fun. I was thinking- I have too many W.I.P.’s to really give this project any heed, I need to focus on them. I was not even thinking about a finished project and just enjoying making shapes and mixing colors with little to no heed for any corners I might be painting my self into. After the first class was over- I looked at what I had done and grunted- YUCK! We put our paintings out and discuss them at the end of class. I was embarrassed and was going to just show what I had worked on outside of class that week but Becky said “Oh- No- please put that out.” I waited for the silence. This is what generally happens in a class when folks are trying to find something positive to say about a piece of work. When the class came to critique my painting everyone said OMG those colors are the “IN” colors that people are using to design their houses and you should finish that one! I thought, gag, really? I brought it back the next week and worked on trying to recover the places that I thought were weak. The butterfly was done in 13 or 14 sweeps of the brush just to fill in something in what was the blank space. I also thought the back ground needed some areas of interest but again felt I had created such an ugly painting. I was just almost doodling the back ground in…and again on the second critique from class others encouraged me to continue…so another lesson in Becky does NOT know best. I am learning so much this year and coming up on my one year anniversary of being full time artist. I thought this would be a more solo journey powered by my shear will power to become a good technical painter. I have found out that being successful as an artist is more connected to people than many of the jobs I have done in the past. Most of my jobs involved working in the service industry where others were relied on me and as it turns out I am now in need of others to support my endeavors, to help me find the path and stay the course and sometimes to believe in me when I cannot. I love this life and am so very grateful. A year ago I left my weekly paycheck job and took the leap…. I will blog about that later. Above is the progress of the “birds and blooms” picture and below a picture of the actual Hairstreak butterfly. I like to show you what I was looking at and how much artistic license I take! 🙂 Until next week- Peace Bec
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