Three Heavenly Days of ART

This past weekend I treated myself to a 3 Day Workshop at the South Shore Arts Center taught by Kimberly Alemian called Perception-Abstraction: A Work in Process.  In the class we explored the process of constructing paintings through additive and subtractive activity including layering, scraping and mark-making.

Over the past couple of years I’ve had a growing fascination with Abstract Art.  It has been my experience that  it can be very, very good or, well, horrid! Sometimes when I study a piece I “fall into it”, meaning that every time I change my view I see something new. Good abstract paintings make you work at the viewing.  I was so excited to have the opportunity to explore this medium in depth as an artist.

The class was an intense experience for me. I worked much larger than my usual 6”x 6” panel boards, using 20”x 20” canvas,  22″ x 30″ illustration board and several other LARGE papers. I used watercolor, pastels, oil pastels and oil paint partnered with charcoal and graphite ~ and 3”-4” brushes. It was an extreme experience!  But oh how I learned to make art differently!  Come take a peek at our exercises…

We started sketching a still life tableau set up in front of the class using graphite (pencil).  After 20 minutes we were instructed to turn our work upside down and sketch a new view, then again and again.

Then on top of this sketch we painted a larger image over the entire piece.  Of course I chose the chair because it is part of an interior.

We always went out to a corridor to critique and discuss our work with Kim.

This next exercise was to sketch out faces by only using our hands ~with our eyes closed.  We also had to fill the large board.  At least I managed to give myself  eyes! The purpose of this exercise was to find and FEEL the planes and hollows of the face.

We then sketched round and round with our opposite hand.  My sketch resembled a skeleton…it that a good thing??

On Day 2 we painted a nude for most of the day with 20-30 minute exercises. I haven’t studied figure painting so this was a stretch but I was learning.

Ahhhh,  oil paint…

My oil nude

Throughout the class I was learning the vocabulary of abstract art making including words such as markings, lines, and staccato marks…

Here is my watercolor of our model.  I am ok with how this turned out…maybe a little…

Day 3 brought a new still life set-up:

The class making marks round and round on their boards.

Can you guess which one is mine? Hint: look at the color…

This workshop was filled with so many new materials and ways to create, that at times my head and eyes hurt from focusing so hard. I did walk away with some new mixed media ideas I am anxious to try.   Isn’t that the purpose of taking classes, to stretch oneself?  Mission accomplished!

I wrapped up the weekend by attending a reception for fellow Girls Just Wanna Paint artist Mary Sheehan Winn.  Her show of oil paintings is currently featured at Bella’s restaurant in Rockland.

I was thrilled to see her name in lights…

Bella’s always does a beautiful job with the cheese platter:

Here are a few of the paintings on display and for sale.  If you are local, this is a must-see show ~ just in time for holiday giving…

Which one is your favorite?  It’s so hard for me to choose, love them all!

Here is the beautiful and talented Mary Sheehan Winn…

Congratulations to Mary!  Be sure to take a peek at her blog, Just Painting  and her work on Girls Just Wanna Paint.  I hope you were able to attend an Art Show or another local happening this weekend ~ now we are on to Thanksgiving plans!

xo,

Pamela

xoxo

Share this!

Tweet