Day 52, 100 Happy Days: It's All About the Journey

I had a really great conversation with some ladies in my studio tonight. One of the things we touched on is that there is no destination, no end; it's all journey.
As artists we may be more in touch with that than the general population. As painters we love the process. I suppose some of us (and at times most of us) get frustrated with the process and look forward to the finished product, but... is a painting ever finished? No, not really. It just stops in interesting places.

So, creating art is a very zen experience. It's about the process, not the product. It's a journey.

I tried to think of this as I headed out into the dark, cold, snow packed streets to walk a dog tonight. Instead of trying to rush through the walk and get it over with, I enjoyed that leg of my journey.

Having that mindset made it possible for me to see things that I otherwise might of missed. It really was a beautiful night. I love how the snow seems to make everything more quiet - is that an acoustics thing, or is everyone just indoors? Probably both. But hearing the snow crunch under my boots is a wonderful thing. As is looking at the little trail of footprints that the dog in front of me makes.

Happiness Project Day 60: People Creating in my Space

Focused at Paint Club

Oh, what a great day in the studio! First class of the new Artist's Way session, followed Paint Club.

People come to my studio all of the time to create. I think that I usually take it for granted, but once in awhile I have to stand back and just wonder at the thought of all of the art that has come out of that place.

Normally we're a pretty chatty bunch at Paint Club, but for a few minutes today the only sound was the music playing. I stopped painting and took in the sight of everyone being fully engrossed in their work. It was a really satisfying sight, and a sense of well being came over me.

Many people have said that my space has good energy, and it must be because it's filled with creative energy.  I love my studio, and I love the wonderful creative people who come out to get lost - and find themselves - in art.


I told the Artist's Way group to feel free to doodle as we discuss the book, and this is what happened to yesterday's fresh paper. I love it!

5 Bits Advice for Beginning Painters

I've had a lot of beginning painters come through my studio in the three and a half years that I've been teaching my Painting Soiree workshops. There is much advice that I would like to give newbies based on my observations, and I have compiled some of it here. This advice works whether you're in a class or painting at home. I hope you find it helpful...

1) Don't expect to be a master painter right away.
Yes, I know that we live in an instant gratification society. And I know that the painting studios (including mine) tell you to come to class and paint your masterpiece. What we mean by that is come paint your masterpiece. Not Monet's, not Van Gogh's, not mine, not your neighbor's. When you come to my class I want you to create your own version of my painting. It will not look exactly like mine, nor should it. Painting is a form of expression; your expression.
I want you to love your painting, or at the very least be satisfied with it, and with the experience. One way to do that is to...

2) Keep it Simple
So many people come to my classes with big ideas of what they want to do with their painting, and it turns out that they've never painted before. I love confidence and a sense of adventure, and I really do encourage people to shake things up. But keep in mind that generally speaking, the more complex the idea, the harder it will be to put onto canvas.
If you haven't held a paint brush in your hand since you were six years old, then it might help to get some command over the brush before diving into something an experienced painter might hesitate to approach. Also it's good to...

3) Get out of your left brain and simply enjoy the process.
Painting can be very relaxing and therapeutic. To this day, I still enjoy watching the paint blend on the canvas. Watching yellow and blue turn into green before my eyes is such a soothing thing.
The majority of people who paint in my studio seem to have a similar experience, but every once in awhile someone has a really hard time getting out of that analytical mind. Trying too hard to make the paint look like something you think it should look like can be stressful.
Painting is an exercise in letting go. For those who have a harder time letting go, I recommend - well a myriad of things - but trying out abstract painting is a good start. (I happen to offer a fun abstract class...)
That said...

4) Painting is also about figuring it out.
Whenever I'm having a hard time with a painting, I try to remind myself that as an artist, I like to figure things out. It's one of the reasons I paint. I don't want it all laid out for me. I like to work at it and have the satisfaction of having found my way and figured it out.  And it gets easier to figure it out if you...

5) Practice, practice, practice!
Just like any other skill, the more you paint, the better you'll get. 

So, have fun with it. Forgive yourself. Be patient. Experiment. Explore. Read books, watch videos, but I encourage you to go to a class, take private lessons, or simply paint with people who are more experienced than you.

For a full list of classes and lessons that I offer, please visit http://PaintingSoiree.net

My Happiness Project Day 11: Paint Club

Paint Club is a weekly open paint session that I host at my studio each Sunday. Everyone from beginners to professional artists come to hang out and work on their own projects in a safe and supportive environment. 

There is a small group of regulars and a larger group of people who rotate through. It's always nice to catch up with people I haven't seen in awhile. None of my "regulars" made it in today; there were five people who were new to Paint Club, and one who has been a few times. Everyone had a good time, and it's nice to watch people experiment with paint just for the fun of it. It makes me happy to be able to provide space for people to create.