Intro to Abstraction - “Paint Like a Kid Again” (Level I)

-    3 classes for this series (1.5 hrs each)

 

 

Description:

Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” I love this quote because Picasso quickly figured out that in order to create something so radical and new that changed art forever, he needed to look inside himself to a time when art was free, experimental and playful, not following what masters had done before him. He needed to go back to when he felt like he was exploring painting/art for the first time. Picasso was absolutely right in my mind. I have found that creating my own work in abstraction, honoring how children play and create art is the best place to start. It frees our adult minds up from self-judgment and self-criticism which so often hinders our progress and creates a flood of doubt before we even begin! There are no mistakes in painting and in this class we will explore how to begin to trust your own intuition, listen to your inner voice, try something new and trust the process.

 

We all just “made art” when we were children. We never thought about what was beautiful or not or analyze why we did this or not do that etc. So we all intuitively know how to do to it. It’s in the “act of doing” do we explore, create and find the rich spontaneity that comes with painting in this unique style. The process of painting is how we play, not the final result.

 

Join me for this special introduction series to creating abstract paintings. We will begin classes with a short meditation and then I will offer different exercises to free your mind and get yourself “out of your own head” so that you have the space to experiment, have fun and to PLAY like a kid again. I will offer a quick demo to see how I work and to offer suggestions and options on how to start exploring a painting. Each class will end with a quick sharing and reflection time because receiving and hearing feedback from fellow artists provides such a unique and valuable part of the process of making.

 

You do not need to know anything about art to take this class. This class is perfect for anyone who is willing to try something new. If you have never thought of yourself as an artist but seem to be drawn to something different and don’t know how to begin, this class is for you. And, if you feel you are artistically-inclined or even craft minded and always wanted to start painting abstractly (like I did myself over 10 yrs ago), this is great place to start.

 

Above all, I have designed this class to be the perfect intro to see if painting in the abstract style is something that you enjoy and loose yourself in the process of making and sharing what you’re learning with others in the class. If it is, then after completing the intro, you can also continue to my next class - Deeper into Abstraction - Level II. Or if you would like to keep taking Level I for more time exploring these exercises, the Level I class will repeat every 3 weeks.

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Creative Moon Intention Series

- multi-class series (1 hr each)

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Description:

Join me for this special ongoing class series as we follow the full and new moon cycles of each month. We will begin each class with a brief honoring of what type of moon is being represented and perhaps set our own intention for how we feel we would like to reflect on it, either for that night or for the next couple days. Then the rest of class will be “free time” to explore what feels right for each person in the class.

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The creativity explored and expressed in this class is very individual and it is important that this time is a quiet breathing space for you. Those of us might draw, paint, journal, or collage, or perhaps even bring something to work on from home (weather it be knitting or quilting etc). Maybe the creative outlet weaves in the themes of that moon cycle that feels useful to you, something you can take home as a reminder for the next couple days. Use this time to write or collage specific intention cards or feel free to “play” in a free way to get into a flow and tap your unconscious, allowing yourself quiet space. If you are anything like me, I most often feel like we don’t allow ourselves much time to slow way, way down in midst of our hectic life schedules.

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I have personally started a recent practice of simply journaling during these cycles. Even if it’s just taking 5 minutes to jot down notes I am thinking, I have found that being aware of nature’s cycles helps ground me each month, and gives me something to focus on without feeling overwhelmed that time is simply “flying by” and I don’t have a second to catch my breath! This sense of coming back to nature, honoring and being present with the rhythms and energies of the earth and moon has been very comforting to me, and something I look forward to now each month.

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Creative Collage - Workshop

- single class (3 hrs)

 

Collage has always been one of my favorite ways to just jump in, have fun and get into the grove of creating again. I have always found it to be a very quick and easy way to work out design issues and find new ideas that pop up in my work. It also encourages experimentation and further exploration into different textures, materials, graphics and painterly mark-making.

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In this workshop, I will briefly share ideas to get started, and also a few basic design principles that may help prompt the process. But overall, this is the time to learn to listen to your own intuition and figure out what “looks good” for you, because if it does, then chances are you are right! We are taking time out of our day to find enjoyment out of simply making something with our hands, not overthinking or analyzing the “what’s” or “why’s” but finding the flow in the moment. By the end of the workshop, you should go home with a few works of abstract collage art.