Let’s Build A Fort!

Did you know that the definition of an artist is a person who creates art such as painting, sculpture, music or writing using conscious skill and creative imagination? It also means a person that is very good at something. I think I like the second one better.

When I was growing up I was good at many things. I loved to dance, draw, paint, sing, and create worlds I could escape to. Back then we didn’t travel that much, and I was a quiet kid who spent a lot of time by herself. My escape was taking boxes and creating forts...fantasy worlds along with them. Those were the best times of my life, because I was never limited. By limited I mean told that there was only one way to create a fantasy fort and I was doing it wrong! This enabled me to be in a constant creative mode. It was inspiration that led me to have confidence to explore other things.

Short Cut Anyone?

There are many students that come to me wanting to get to point Z without having to take the long road of self discovery in their art journey. They don’t want to be told they’re doing it wrong. They want to get lost in their own artists worlds. Whatcha talkin bout, gurl? Well, let me explain. Many artists are people that use it as therapy, and some have retired and finally have the time to paint. There are others that use it as their fantasy fort, where they can disappear, recharge and find their childlike imaginations once more. They want to get rid of fears they have with the painting mediums and actually create something exciting.

I’ve had many students tell me, “I want to create something I’m proud of.” I haven’t exactly shortened the road trip, I’ve just incorporated a new approach. Teaching each student by taking them on a journey, explaining how I pull my inspiration and compositions together, and using techniques to achieve the paintings they envision. Each travel experience leads to a new medium, new techniques, and new paintings. Now that’s progress, you never stop learning. You only add more tools to your toolbox. Techniques used in charcoal, pastels, and watercolors can all be used together and intermingled. There is a method to my madness...cue the wicked laugh!

Let's Go on a Road Trip

This week I decided it would be all about pulling inspiration from one of my favorite places to visit...Amsterdam. Yup, a magical fantasy...ahem I mean world, full of canals that feels like a floating city. The amazing thing about Amsterdam is that it feels like a really big city but it's not. It’s the Netherlands capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades. Best of all, its museum houses works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and none other than...cue the drumroll please...Van Gogh. I almost felt like I walked into a story book, and each step I took turned the page to reveal another adventure...imagination kicking in! I turned into that little girl in the fort, pulling from my imagination. Oh, the things I could create using these amazing images. Now I know why it’s renowned for the Masters of the Golden Age. This place is a welcoming open door for people that like experimenting with their art. Photography, painting, urban , street art, and other media. You don’t need to go to museums, everywhere you look there is art. Mind blowing contemporary and urban art.

Let Me Paint My Fort!

There were some streets that were filled with amazing artwork and stories. Oh, there I go again walking into my fantasy fort. My imagination was running wild. As I’ve said before I love to journal, and that's key to jogging your memory to use later. I don’t know about you but when I first heard the word composition, the first thought I had was where the heck do I place my subject? Oh, wait...what is my subject? Well, there is planning involved before you start an art piece. There is deciding what the subject will be. In comes our travels. Then figuring out how to portray it. This includes what medium, style of art, design, view point, colors, and story. Writing short stories based on what inspired you is a start to creating some fun art pieces.