Sometimes the slightest things change the direction of our lives, the merest breath of a circumstance, a random moment that connects like a meteorite striking the earth. Lives have swiveled and changed direction on the strength of a chance remark - Bryce Courtenay
I can hardly believe that a whole month has passed since I last wrote a blog post here, it only seems like last week that I was making my mini watercolor painting kit. It seems I'm now on that fast slippery slide that leads to Christmas and all the fun and mayhem that creates. I've made some great discoveries and painted a lot of color test sheets and tried some new watercolor techniques too over the past month. By far though, the best thing that's happened artwise has been the lucky discovery of a great Facebook sketching group.
Back in April I borrowed a fantastic book from my local library called "Artist's Journal Workshop" by Cathy Johnson. http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Journal-Workshop-Creating-Pictures/dp/1440308683
This book changed my life and I'm going to buy my own copy as a Christmas present to myself. This book is what started me on my creative journey back to art after 26 years and what started me blogging here in the first place. This book really has changed my life and this past month I discovered that there was a Facebook group of the same name running.
It's full of friendly, encouraging, wonderful, inspiring people who I've learned so much from in such a short time.
I've learned a lot about color, equipment, and technique but by far the most important lesson I've learned is that it's a long, lonely road when you walk it on your own but a wonderful fun filled trip when you have other like minded people to share it with.
Up until now I haven't done anything about finding other people in my town that like sketching or painting and I've had trouble keeping up a routine of working in my journal. Having this online group to share with has been great, seeing other people's work has sparked ideas for drawings of my own and I find that I'm more inclined to draw if I'm going to be able to share it with someone when it's finished. I guess my next step now will be to try to find other people that live in my area that I can go on sketch trips with. Something that I would never have thought of doing before joining this group.
My concept of what art is or can be and my enjoyment level has totally changed and so I thought I would share my found treasures with you so that you too can maybe find a reason to pick up a pencil and see the world through new eyes :)
The picture of Buddha is painted in non-permanent black gel pen and watercolor paint for the shrubs.
Have a great week :)
A wonderful post, Carol! A great idea to use half your lounge room for art....I kinda forced to do that for a while when we set up a bedroom for adult son in my garage art room. He moved out a few months back so I got my studio back and I have to admit that I miss my art table being in the section behind our lounge room. The house is open-plan for the living areas so no wall separated my art area from the lounge room so kinda like your situation. DO keep up your lovely journal work. I love sketching Buddha sculptures too...have quite a few of them around my house.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I don't have any sketchers in my area who I can connect with so the online groups are fantastic way to communicate with like-minded artists.
Have a great day!
Thank you for your lovely comments Serena.
DeleteIt was kind of the lounge or nowhere really. My husband makes wooden toys as a hobby so the garage is always noisy and dusty and the lounge had the most spare space. The lounge does have better light to work in too though and it's warmer in winter so it's no hardship really :)
My mother in law is about to retire and she's just built a large single garage sized studio to quilt and paint in. It's a beautiful light airy space and I wish I had space here to build one too. Maybe once my children are older and leave home I'll be able to move somewhere with this sort of space but until then, the lounge is it :)
Have a great day :)