Whereas Saturday we worshiped shade and iced drinks, when Sunday dawned, the jackets went on. A new group of students arrived seeking sun for their warm up sketches. Several students wanted to find a way to either overcome “beginner-itis” or to find a way to jump back into an art practice in a non-threatening way. So we focused on sketchbooking as creating a tapestry of shapes and colors building out from the first shape drawn boldly in pen. I had created a simple collage of pieces of map glued onto the paper and simply started drawing what was closest to me, Ann’s foot and then the hat with sketchbooks in it behind the foot. Many of the students expressed relief at not having to master perspective and intricate foliage detail and other challenges of realism, and were quite pleased with their results. This was especially true as the day wore on and they discovered new ways to put shapes on paper.
by Susan
Lunch again at the Union Hotel pizzaria with the red checked table cloths, sketching by candle light. No one at my table could help me spell panini, pannini, panninni? (Definitely not #3) so I just made a stab. There are too many perfectionist little notions that can get in the way of our freedom to create, and there’s just not time for that! The menu might have helped, but by then it was gone!
We moved out to a perfectly positioned picnic table with a view of Howard’s cafe and a white church steeple. Soon we were approached by a man looking for the Obama Bake Sale. One of the students said, “No, we’re sketching for Obama” and the man went away very pleased.
My demo of the cheater’s way to do perspective without understanding a bit of it, wet-on-wet backgrounds and colorful shadows with bounced light. (oh, and permission to draw lines that aren’t very straight)
Again the day ended with me wanting to take all my new friends on a sketching trip to Europe with me. Now there’s an idea. . .
Karen Mason has led me into your woods. I have just been viewing your weekend sketches with students and find your approach delightful. I haven’t picked up a tool for over twenty years but the time has come to reinvent myself. I am an octogenarian with memories of having been
blissfully engaged in art; at the American Art Academy in Chicago we worked for a whole year in black and white before venturing into color and then we were obliged to do color charts and wheel. I enjoyed that oddly enough. I’ve kept some of my art work in my move to the Bay area just to remind me that oh yes, I guess I did do that and why am I not doing something again? I think I might benefit from a bit of freeing up. Rather rusty and out of it now. I live in Walnut Creek and have a son in Berkeley; if there is a way to connect with you in either of those places, I would find it exciting. What basic supplies you would expect a student to bring to a class would be helpful. I can get some of the hesitancy out of my hands before coming to a class, if you say what might be a sensible approach and with what supplies. Just for the record I am mobile and able to assess and appreciate instructions. Cheers. Jean(ette)
What a wonderful, refreshing approach you have. Enjoyed visiting your sites. Would like to venture into the sketching but need to know if that can happen in Walnut Creek? My longer message may have reached you, not sure. So here is my backup stab at the computer’s willingness to cooperate.
Jeanette, Thanks for your nice comments on my blog. I got both comments and would love to connect with you. I have not done any workshops in the east Bay since I moved from there 8 years ago, but I come to the area about once a month, and would certainly consider doing a sketchbooking workshop there, preferably in Berkeley (of your two locations). So we shall see. Any chance your son would like to do some wine tasting and drive you up here for a day workshop?
Oh it sounds and looks like so much fun ! You are the best of teachers!
Susan, I read your blog at least 3 times a week, but have been remiss in replying. Your site restores me in some wonderful way. The images just make me happy. Maybe I am letting my eye draw through your capable and inspiring hand. I see the image and am well pleased. Speaking of inspiration, this workshop looks completely fulfilling. Thank you for putting your work and your thoughts out into the world for all of us to share and be renewed.
Isabelle and Gayle, two of my favorite Muses. You inspire me as well and soon both of you will have blogs (Isabelle already does, and Gayle is inches away) and spread the inspiration even farther!