Thursday, September 14, 2023

Studio work

 The last week or so I have been taking Louise Fletcher's

Find your Joy Taster Class

It was tremendous fun and also thought provoking.

This free "taster " course is to introduce you to Louise

if you don't already know her, and then many students go on to take

her year long course which I hear is tremendous. 

I won't go into the object of each lesson just show

you the fun projects and the experimentation I enjoyed.

These were quick mark making studies.

The paper is sectioned off with tape and

 you paint the entire study then remove tape.

My tape stuck a little but it won't matter when I turn into note cards.



Below was using foreign materials and foreign to you techniques and tools. 
I sketched with pencil onto a wood plank,
finger painted the background, finger-painted metallic inks onto deli paper
and then collaged. This was far outside the class idea, as I watched everyone 
else but well, it's where the path took me.  


Trying out collaging metallic deli papers


Very much outside my usual, but 
then that is where the exploration comes in.
We all get stuck in our "box" and repeat
the familiar and comfortable.


For me, these classes are not for 
finished art work so much as educating my own 
eye and techniques that I am unfamiliar with, 
or even better, uncomfortable with.
This process then applies to many aspects of my life.

My life veered off radically the past couple decades,
and I've taken a ride I never could have imagined. 
I've hung on for dear life, and managed to 
educate, graduate and watch my kids soar onto new heights.
They are in loving relationships, highly successful careers, and 
are just good people. 
Becoming ill threw me for a loop, I will admit,
but 6 years later I am still here, and was shocked to hear my primary Dr
tell me at my last visit that she wasn't sure that I would see 70.

I need to amend this : What I should have written was
that the Dr had not been sure that I would see 70 
because of how ill I was. Poor sentence structure-my bad.
I can see why several folks thought my Dr was awful- she's not - she's wonderful 
and I am  fortunate that we have such a great rapport. 

All my life, since I was first cutting up paper samples my dad brought home
when I was in elementary school,
I have turned to creative pursuits for my sanity and escape.
Paper, fabric, paint, bead, hooking, knitting, home design...
Art therapy has seen me through it all.

I'm still at it.  






2 comments:

lala said...

I am still trying to process the comment made by your doctor - I can't believe she said that - what a horrible thing to say to a patient! Total lack of "bedside manner" and certainly a complete lack of empathy! Hope her words didn't totally destroy you -Please just continue to create such lovely art and do what ever brings you joy.

Jillayne said...

I love Louise Fletcher - I did the taster course last year and have watched almost all of her YouTube videos. Her book is my favourite art book of all time and I re-read it every few months. She has a beautiful way of writing as well as talking. I also listen to the podcast Art Juice - (I must sound like a junkie of sorts!) but I do love what she hast to say. I enjoyed seeing your work from the class - and I love that veered off into your own ideas - well done!