Class Three: Healing Art

After an unexpectedly difficult weekend, I was looking forward to distracting myself for a while in class. Mrs. C had arrived early this week to get started (good idea, Mrs. C!) as I heard the two casually talking as I approached the Drawing & Painting room. I had considered asking Ms. L if I could retry Water Pitcher and Tomatoes from scratch on a new canvas, but she blessed me with something better- a Matisse! YES!! An abstract piece, now that was something I felt confident in.  It was exactly what I needed to clear my mind and feel good about my work. Another blessing to increase my enthusiasm; I was able to paint on an easel for the first time since my neck procedure (to improve the mobility of my left hand and arm). Turn on that music, Ms. L, I am ready! Thanks go to Mrs. C, who was generous enough to give me a 16 x 12 canvas so I did not have to suffer my tiny 9 x 12 canvas board the Water Pitcher and Tomatoes were done on. I will get you back next week, Mrs.C perhaps with an even larger one...

Still Life of Goldfish. Matisse, 1912

I got straight to work, now I knew the routine. Set up your palette, water, brushes, kerchiefs and sketchbook. Ms. L recommends that two "thumbnail" sketches should be done prior to painting, one vertical and one horizontal to help become comfortable with your design. I had already begun painting by the time I learned this two sketch plan, but I will be all over that next week. :P 

I chose to follow the original (for the most part) for my study, 

and was excited to see how my concept translated on the canvas.

Then the next three hours just flew by. I took my time studying the original. It read very pink and green to me. I decided to change up the black shadows with navy, as  Ms. L encouraged. So I washed the whole canvas with a light pink before mapping out my design with a weak wash of yellow ocher. By the way I am really digging this yellow ocher! Ms. L gave me a recommendation for a good tube of premixed purple- Dioxazine Purple. Oh yes, I have great plans in store for that purple! Well, my plan is to use the crap out of it, but that doesn't negate the fact that it IS a great plan. Anyhoosits, I focused on working large to small, and from light to dark... The sweet beauty of painting and feeling motivated while all my cares faded away. 

In progress...

I only show this image to remind myself that the finished product doesn't have to happen from the get go. It is a resistive process, the retraining of my brain in not just how I see, but how I create, all the while fighting my old BYOB painting style: background, foreground, then final details, completing each section as you go. In this class we paint by color, working over the whole painting at once. Ugh, seriously it took some discipline resisting the urge to paint in details here! But I forged ahead, continuing on until my magical bubble burst, the clock struck four and I was a sad pumpkin once again. When I left, however, I had this feeling like some weight had been lifted by my time here today. And for that, my amazing friends, is just another reason I am so grateful for this gift. 

Swanky's Study of Goldfish. 2015  :P