Painting, painting, painting

Posted on | April 13, 2007 | 2 Comments

I was honored to have the opportunity to spend Wednesday with some arty friends. DJ Pettitt, returning from her workshop in Kauai (yes, folks, the same place I left two weeks ago!), had a long layover. Angie picked her up at the airport and they both came over and we played in the studio. I’ve chatted with DJ via email; I read her blog, and we, of course, have Angie and other friends in common. And though I had seen her at Art Unraveled last year, we never did get a chance to really “meet”.

So after the big studio cleanup, I was able to actually clear off my studio desk and Angie, DJ and I sat in the studio and played. We painted; we talked; we laughed; we shared so much. It was a lovely day! Unfortunately, I have no photos because DJ asked that we not take photos of her. She had taken the 9:40 pm flight from Kauai and arrived here at 8 am. Poor thing hadn’t slept. I was actually shocked that she was awake the entire time she was here! I made lunch for us and we did more art.

DJ, in her generosity, thanked us by showing us the art she taught at the retreat in Kauai. And then she was kind enough to share some of her techniques with us. To the right is the portrait I painted from one of the drawings I created last week. Now the most interesting thing, besides the technique and the fact that I love the work I did with DJ’s support, was that Angie and I were in the same room for an entire day, but we hardly talked. It was absolutely amazing how quiet it was in the studio. I usually have music on, at least. But not during this day of intense concentration and creating.

And yesterday, still inspired, I wrote what I remembered as the steps and then prepared some more fabric to work with. I painted a second portrait (to the left). I thing this will become a habit. I’m starting to see my own style coming out. I need to do more sketches so I have a group to choose from. And I need to just keep at it. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I have, in the past, done something like it, with watercolors, but it was only with my niece’s picture. (Sorry, folks. Can’t show you that one today, since I gave it to my MIL and FIL for their home. I will try to remember to photograph it this weekend.) The depth was not the same. And, with watercolors, you don’t have as much time to keep working with them. You wouldn’t believe how many layers of color are on the face to the left! I think I re-did it four or five times, but I was determined to make it work. And I’m so pleased that I stuck with it!

Oh, and yesterday, I also finally did some work with the calendar journal I’ve had since I returned from Hawaii. I started 3 pages and I’ll work on them today in-between some painting and household chores. The laundry has not been done this week… Hmmm. I ought to head off to put in the first load. I’m off to whistle while I work!

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