Sunday 9 September 2007

Make Mistakes...please!



I finished the "beginners" painting course last week, and I miss it...it was so nice to have four hours messing about with paints. Gina is a wonderful teacher, supportive but with high expectations. She would gently push, suggest, cajole or have a laugh with us. My very first, a still life, is standing in a corner with its back to the room, but my second, inspired by some photos I took near the river, has been "hung". Family and friends have given mixed reviews and interpretations, but, hey, isn't that what art is all about?
I've now bravely started a triptych - it's to become an abstract, impressionistic version of sunset over the river, all pinky bluey purples. Thanks to having George Bush and all the APEC leaders in town, we were given a public holiday, so I've had time to mess about. I've primed the canvasses with a mixed up burnt sienna, just as Gina taught us - now I'm procrastinating. I'm sure procrastination is a very important part of the creative process - and the best thing about acrylics? You can easily paint over your mistakes! So here we go...........

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I'm glad you enjoyed the challenge and your painting is great! When I worked at an art institute, i always told the incoming students that art school was like 4 years of therapy! it requires a lot of inner work and putting ourselves out there takes courage and leaves us open to critique (which can be good!),but it's not for the faint of heart!

patti said...

You have really captured the colours of the bush. I recognise the subject from the photo's. Great stuff!

I call my failures cupboard paintings, cos that's where they end up when I can't bear to look at them anymore!

Brandi Reynolds said...

I can't wait to get back to painting now that wedding stuff has died down! what an inspiration this post is :-)