I have signed up for a two-day art workshop this weekend.
Sometimes, you know, I have to step away from words and let another part of my creative mind have a play day or two.I am a very amateur artist who enjoys sketching and watercolor dabbling. What attracted me to this workshop, called Watercolor Traveler: Simple and Small, is that it is described as being for someone looking for "some fresh portable ways to paint and draw." It promises that at the close of the second day I will have a hand-made reference journal full of examples to use "in the field or at home."
Any activity that involves notebooks appeals to me. And, simple and portable is just my speed.
So I have gathered together my paints and brushes and am ready to Meet My Muse.
To inspire me even further, I dipped into my copy of The Art Spirit (1923) by Robert Henri and found this:
Painting is the expression of ideas in their permanent form. It is the giving of evidence. It is the study of our lives, our environment. The American who is useful as an artist is one who studies his own life and records his experiences; in this way he gives evidence. If a man has something to say, he will find a way of saying it.
As will a woman, Henri. As will a woman.
Sounds like fun. I hope you have a wonderful watercolor weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt was great fun, Lark. I have been waiting for a workshop like this one all my life! Words and images and paper and watercolor. Just play!
DeleteBelle, here is another similarity between us! I dabble in watercolor and sketching myself (and am also a sucker for notebooks). I enjoy it but don't do it as often as I might. I've taken a few of my friend Laure Ferlita's online watercolor classes and loved them--you might also be interested sometime (her website is called Imaginarytrips.com). In 2014 I'm going to try to make sketching practice easy to do--as easy as picking up a book--by putting my supplies someplace easily got at, etc. I hope you have a great time at your weekend class. Will you share your work here?
ReplyDeleteNot a day without a line...one of the many ideas I took away from the workshop, Kathy. Chose something that pleases you and begin there. The daily practice, even just five minutes, is key.
DeleteIt was a wonderful weekend! I wanted more, of course.
Thanks for the tip on the online classes. I will check it out.