While taking several online classes this year I was still disappointed with my portraits. I loved Misty Mawn's "Full Circle" class. She brought so much to the class in the way of different mediums, going from paint to clay and wall hangings. I've even been asked to give a workshop at Sachem Library making a "mixed-media mobile" next month.
In Jeanne Oliver's "Studying under the Masters" many talented artists selected their favorite masters to copy. One of my favorites was given by Kate Thompson. She introduced me to the soft delicate style of Francoise deFelice, who I continue to be awed by.
I then took Kate Thompson's "Fractured Angelics" class, continuing to try and improve my faces.
By September I was taking Gillian Cox's "Unearth, Gather, Create". I truly enjoyed her class also, but I still wasn't thrilled with how my own portraits were turning out.
I came across a quote by Picasso, "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child". As I had already been painting for many more than four years, I thought painting like a child was the easier route.
I had been drawing since I was very young, but it remained a hobby. Something I always found time to do. Art in some form. When I went away to nursing school I brought my acrylics.
When I started reading "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, I felt the connection between happiness and art. When I can lose myself in painting a canvas or in an art journal, or even making a paper house. I am truly happy to have completed the piece. Being able to do something I loved as a child, making covers for book reports was something I looked forward to doing.
I had made a journal with Fabriano Artistico hot pressed watercolor paper and decided to work on copying a few of my new favorite artists.
Getting ready to start next class, Lifebook 2015.
Joan Dumouchel
Francoise de Felice
me
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
