AN ARTFUL DAY

The GCWS program guest/artist yesterday was Trish McKinney and she rocked the room!  Great stuff, great sharing, great techniques (using natural things like leaves, grasses, feathers, etc. in our paintings), good information and discussion, and, above all, Trish's reminder to us that Content is your Communication of Ideas, not technique :) 



We all know that, but we sure like to learn every technique we can, don't we?  And Trish's technique looked like such fun we all were itching to try it.  She uses fluid acrylics and acrylic inks in condiment bottles and sprayers full of water on watercolor canvas, pressing, stamping, working organic materials into the painting and canvas as she goes, using pieces as resist, then saran-wrapping it all to dry before sharing the Big Reveal = where she peels off the leaves, grasses, etc. and shows what is left.  Then, working on that to tone down, push and pull pieces, and thinking about her composition rules, she creates a beautiful, flowing, organic-looking painting that shares her message with us about nature and its beauty. 



I'd definitely recommend bringing Trish back again sometime in the future - for another program or for a workshop.  You may want to check her out and what she has to offer for your art group or club!

And I was so pleased that 3 of my 4 students came as guests :)

But wait, that's not all of my artful day!

In the mail, a large envelope addressed to me from an address I knew - but what was it?

I think someone is hinting to come paint with grandma again!  This lovely artwork is from my granddaughter, the Artful Alaina :)  It made me smile so big to see her work and read the little note inside thanking me for her art supplies :)




Don't you just love getting arty gifts out of the blue?  I do!

And now back to the art room - I have a whole day without anything else I HAVE to do so I'm painting!  How about you?  Are you doing anything artful today?