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A stencil of Ted's from Painting class
Away on a Christmas holiday, ( Family camp), even with the kids and husband, I had time to reflect and think about art. The questions I asked myself were, ‘what do I need to have set up to help me do art and primarily get my art exercises completed for OCA and have my first art assignment done and handed in.’
I came up with these ideas.
1. I need a good nights sleep and be fresh and alert. – It does help! But sometimes I will just have to do it even if I’m not feeling that energised…
2. I need table space prepared so I don’t spend all to most of my time just setting up and finding things.
3. A planned study pace would help. Giving me a goal, impetus, (and a feeling of slight exhilaration/panic sometimes helps too)!
4. I want to get a lot done before we start the watercolour class term up at the end of this month and my next Essentials course later in the year.
5. I do need to plan my drawing time weekly. I aim to get an OCA drawing exercise, (3.5 hours to 5 hours), completed every week. Can I do it? If I don’t aim for it, I won’t. So let’s aim for that as a minimum. One drawing exercise a week. I am finishing ‘Tone and Form’ and going to start, ‘Reflected Light’. I may have to put aside a day a week in the term just for OCA drawing. I could probably do that…
Had a wonderful family time at Matakana and Warkworth for the day. Visited Charlie’s gallery. He has a cafe too and makes the most awesome ice-creams. What a treat. My boys and husband indulged and then we enjoyed the three wonderful artist’s who were exhibiting.
I loved Joan’s etching, and my favourite of her’s was a harbour and wharf in watercolour. The play of light through the pier structure and water… She is an excellent teacher too and I am looking forward to spending more art time with her this year at Mairangi Society of Arts.
Merles paintings were full of humour, personality and movement with a dog called Spot’s running commentary under most exhibits. We enjoyed following with my 3 young sons, the comments around the room. It was encouraging to see skill and humour meeting together.
And then there was Julie Bishop. Her work was very realistic. She used mainly pastels and pencils. I loved her old fashioned milk bottles and the way I could see through them to the rest of the drawing. Her work was beautiful and I found inspiration in her coloured pencil drawings. It was so real. And it cheered me on in my drawing course…
Then off to Warkworth and extended family for tea and a play. What a wonderful day.
I had to move this from a “page”. Pages seem to be something else. I will have understand what they are – next month…
‘From early Dec: ”I am working on getting Christmas cooking and presents ready as well as set up my art room. Then over this Christmas 6 weeks school holiday break, I can come down in the mornings and do an hour of art while my 3 boys wake up… Will it work?? I haven’t got to my first drawing assignment yet. But I am regularly drawing and painting. These holidays I am looking forward to packing my drawing and watercolour bag and sitting under a Pohutakawa tree at the beach while the boys play…”
Torbay Beach, Dec '09
I have had a very fun time this term visiting exhibiting artists and their displays
On visiting the library with my 3 sons, we were bowled over by the strength of Gail’s paintings and the joy we all felt as we looked at them. I had been to a painting circle Gail hosts where like minded artists get together and paint in company. If ever I took up oil painting I would like to hang out with her again…
Gail's publicity page
Then it was a two-hour trip to Tairua for Aunty Ruth’s watercolour exhibition. I loved her bird in a nest painting. As we visited over lunch, she brought out the very nest that the bird had made in her hedge and she had painted. I loved how Ruth had painted what was so obviously an everyday occurrence and a joy as well.
Looking at art books with Ruth Lee
Doodling: thinking of water...
Marking marks. What a blast. Getting to doodle. Allowed to invent. Picking up different media. Loved it. Loved getting out all my pencils and other things I had squirreled away for one day use.
Each exercise did take longer than I thought it would, (and it did take about the time the page suggested). But I am believing that as I do this and apply myself my confidence and skill will grow. And the habit of daily drawing will become well established.
Practicing with different pencil holds brought memories of watching art teachers hold in different ways. And the satisfaction of recalling their words and pencil hold as I worked with my own.
I enjoyed drawing up the boxes andf filling them in. It was fun to show the pencil grades change from hard and detail ability to softer and more atmospheric. And then I would hold them differently and sweep across the box. I enjoyed the coloured pencil, pen and ink and brush and ink exploration. Making a flower with brush and ink. Drawing a gumboot with the pen and ink. That was fun.
Fun with pen and brush and ink
Exploring lines and drawing materials
