The final (4th) week of class - collage on watercolor paper

Colleen - finally week 4

viewfinder image:

Week 3's collage:

I liked using the triangle, so I pulled it back into week 4's work, however, I wasn't liking it.  It's the first time I've taken an element (the triangle) out of the border and found it was difficult to anchor.  I played with it for a long time and then finally settled on what's below. 

1 comment:

Laura7:29 AM, April 05, 2015

Hi Colleen,

This is so Radical...and awesome. The transformation and the personal character is really standing strong in this piece. Having the black bottom and left side where the triangle base is lends is self to an anchor area. As the Triangle comes up and off to the angle there is a wonderful openness that allows us to go off and and then you've used the skinny thin black lines to pull us back in. The interesting part is the Asymmetrical composition that you are working with. Loving the way you divided that up. I see this blue that is on the top of the Triangle and it's also in the back ground of the water. Good job of repeating the color. Gives a treat from the back to the front, so to speak. How do you feel when you look at the place where you started with in you view finder to where you are now...?

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 That was feedback from my instructor.  She's always very positive and encouraging.  I will definitely take more classes with her when offered.

So how do I feel when I look at this piece from where I started 5 weeks ago?  It's been a real stretch for me to do this.  I like that I can play and put pieces down until they look (or feel) right.  There are still some things I'd tweak in this - like the crooked black line going down the middle.  I'll probably make it straighter by adding another piece.

There is a sharpness to these pieces that I don't get when I paint, so that is new to me.  Using shapes has been fun.  To me it is the difference between country chic and modern design.  I'm more of an eclectic, country chic person so I find this part interesting.  Of course I've used elements of nature in this design so that is still something familiar to me.  I may try to do another one today.  Maybe even go to a different collage/viewfinder image. 

If I had to name it, what comes to mind is "Nature's key."

Intuitive painting - Test class

I took a big leap in faith when I said 'yes' to being asked to co-facilitate a meditation/intuitive painting class.  People have told me for years I should teach this or that, but I never felt I was a teacher.  What I know doesn't really come out of my mouth the way I know it; words seem to get jumbled up in my brain and I get concerned about the way I'm appearing.  But since moving to Florida in September, I've become a new person.  I feel more whole than I have in a very long time.  Opportunities have opened up that I didn't think were possible and I continue to say 'yes,' going out of my comfort zone over and over again.

We did a 'test class' for the meditation/intuitive painting class which went really well.  The description of the class reads like this: "The evening will start with a guided meditation. After the meditation we will continue in a quiet, reflective state while painting from our intuition. This is not a ʻhow to paintʼ class. Instead you will be following your own inner guidance giving yourself permission to paint with the freedom of a child."

The guided meditation was lead by Joy, an interesting man who lives a very spiritual life.  Then I stepped in with painting guidelines.  Most people painted what they saw in their meditation, although one started from a place of point zero.  Her experience started when she put the paint on the paper.

I think that as long as the image one gets during the meditation carries enough energy, it will be a great starting point to paint from, especially if the painter allows the unknown to also enter into the painting.

I'm excited for our next session and a new group of people.

Week 3 of on-line class

I'm really not sure if I'm getting this or not.  Here is the one I did today.  I may try to do another.  This one was not fast... couldn't seem to get a fast one going.   I played mostly with lines and shapes.

Tweaked - put a line across the top.  Not sure I like it any better:

Original image:

Laura Lein-Svencner's Collage on-line class - work from week 1 and 2

Top is the initial image turned around. 

My collage:

 

 When I came back to the collage to take photos, I had to laugh.  I've been having such strange dreams this week.  The last dream I remember I was watching myself and my mother, when an alien came up and attacked me - eating my arm.  To me, this composition looks like it could be alien.  I better watch my back. 

First week's work - finished composition on top; image I worked from is on the bottom:

fyi... The picture below is the magazine photo that I cropped from, giving me the abstract image to work with. 

I think it's time to start blogging again.

It's time to once again track myself.  Well, that's how I view it.  I was an avid Xanga blogger a while back but then Xanga went by the wayside, so now I'm here.  This is different than Xanga but my life is also different from back then. 

I've made a move from the Chicago area to Florida.  I've been in Florida since August and I have to say my life has truly opened up.  One might say that after 54 years,  I'm finally coming into my own.  I've sold a few paintings and have my work shown in a gallery/gift store in DeLand, FL. 

DeLand has been a wonderful place to settle into.  Good food, artsy atmosphere, wonderful people and there always seems to be something going on downtown.  A perfect fit. . .  a small town with a lot to do. 

I've signed up for art classes, a writing class, started working part time, and I get to share all this with a special companion & friend.  I'm meeting people every day, some have become friends, others have given me much needed information, but almost all have inspired me in some way. 

Life is good.