lesson one

see it over here too

i'm so happy that i decided last week, at the very last minute, to sign up for mati and lisa's "get your paint on" class! i recently realized that it had been far too long since i just painted for me, for fun, without worrying about the buyer, the gallery the show deadline etc. i declared that february would be MY time to spend in the studio just painting, enjoying the process and getting back to a place of relaxation and inspiration. no more stress or deadlines, a little break, just for me, to refill, to play, to just be... just for the month. i thought that this class was the perfect way to kick start my month and force me to follow through. i'm happy to report that so far, it's working!

today's painting was based on the quilts of gee's bend. i used this book for reference, as i've had it on my studio shelf for a couple of years, meaning to make a painting like this, but never finding the chance. finally, today was the day. it was refreshing to work in a new-to-me way... i studied the quilts in the book, sketched and mapped out my ideas before i began and then spent a couple of hours painting in the studio early this morning while ada napped. fueled by coffee and bright winter sunlight, i felt renewed and inspired. i needed that for sure.

this is the first assignment of the 5-week class. i'll be sure to share with you my other projects.

after spending the better part of this last year writing about how to paint and teaching techniques, it certainly is a welcome change to be a student instead! i love learning, exploring new ideas and challenging myself. it feels good for sure.