I just finished this 24x30 inch painting of Star. Sweet Star. He still has a calming affect on me. I miss his gentle eyes. There are many layers to this painting. The colors finally came together. I've been taking classes at the Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs. Every morning from 9-12 there is a different class...Mondays is watercloring, Tuesdays life drawing, Wednesdays more watercolor and acrylics, Thursdays color theory, and Fridays acrylics. For a minimal cost you have a studio at your fingertips with talented instructors and fellow artists. The best thing is it's just there, and you don't have to pre-register or put down any deposits...you just show up, and as in my case sometimes at the very last minute.
A spontaneously creative summer.
Maybe today I'll make some necklaces, and if I don't have what I need there is a wonderful beadshop in Vineyard haven. It's called Beadniks. There is also one in Chicago, although I've never been to it. I just made this necklace with some Turquoise beads I bought in Boulder, Colorado. I love them on my new brown dress from Lucky.
If you don't feel very creative and you need to fill your well there is inspiration everywhere you look on Marthas Vineyard. It's an Island filled with artists and farmers and fisherman, and most everyone is just so happy to be there that they are incredibly friendly. I was dropping off some things at the thrift store in Edgartown, and a young sparkling woman with an engaging presence called hello to me from across the street. "Come inside!" she urged, "and see our new gallery with the wonderful work of a New Orleans artist!"
The artist is Chris Roberts-Antieau, and her work is wonderful and all about joy, and she had to repeat 9th grade and was not recommended for college, but she said fortunately, "she never learned what NOT to do." You should check her out.
I'm still in the middle of Danny Gregory's online Sketchbook Skool, and it's going well. During our first week we were encouraged by Danny to draw what we see, and in the second week Koosje had us doing a self-portrait a day. I discovered that these self portraits became so much more than drawing. I really had to see into myself, and face some realities like I'm approaching 60, and i've got some aches and pains and grey hairs, but that's ok.
Our third week was taught by Brenda Swenson. I attached a link to a cool little movie she made about herself similiar to some of the ones Danny makes. It's really good. She had us doing continual line contour drawings of three objects for the week. At this point I'm getting a bit behind in assignments and jumping around from making necklaces to painting cows to other random spontaneous art activities.
We are on our fourth week with our new instructor, whose name is Cathy Johnson. It goes so quickly! I have yet to watch her demo and instructional videos or to complete any of the homework, but stay tuned...more to come.