Well, I can’t believe it. Our Sampling Media class at Carrollwood Cultural Center has come to a close already. Six weeks and poof…done! Where did the time go? I know. I was having a ball painting poorly (and painting myself more than the canvas much of the time) but absolutely loving every minute of it.
Last night, we came together for one more meeting of the watercolor minds. Most of us were starting brand new projects but Ellen was continuing her beautiful floral work and by the end of the evening, she’d done a fabulous job recreating the inspirational image she’d originally spotted and brought with her to class. What do you think?
I really like it.
Jennie found some pottery that she liked in one of the art books and did a terrific job adding her own take to them.
Beth arrived with a finely drawn flower and spent the two hours adding color and zing to it. I really like how it turned out.
Unfortunately, for this final class, we didn’t get to say goodbye to Bonnie who I guess wasn’t able to make it that night. We missed her and what-could-have-been with her paintbrushes…oh well, it was fun painting with you, Bonnie.
Our wonderful teacher Gainor Roberts crafted a lovely still life number while the rest of us re-discovered the wonderful wacky world of watercolor. I must say that she truly knows how to make even the simplest of objects – an apple, for instance – look crunchy and delicious.
And then there is me. Little old me. If you’ll recall, last week I didn’t have too much success or enthusiasm for the third and final medium we explored. Maybe it was just me. Perhaps it’s the nature of watercolor. For whatever reason, watercolors and me – well, let’s just say much like my attempts at combining hues on the palette, the two of us just don’t mix. And that’s okay. Because after all, the whole purpose of this experience was to do just that – experience. I never expected to walk out a painter. I only expected to walk out someone who learned a little bit about three different kinds of painting mediums and who got a chance to try her own hand on it.
Check.
And ditto!
So last night, I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself to all of a sudden – GET IT. After all, maybe I just wouldn’t “get it.” I decided instead to continue to do what I do best…play! I had fun with it and picked a subject that I knew would put a smile on at least one person’s face, my special Valentine’s… my husband.
I concluded my watercolor lesson and overall painting experience with the ultimate super subject. It just doesn’t get any bigger or better than this.
Yep, I painted Superman. Well, his shield actually. Had a ball doing it, even though I did goof the “E” a little bit. But I did my best to rectify it with a little shadow on the “E.” So how well did I fake it out? I know, I know. Not that well.
Oh well. I tried.
I’m going to miss the sights in the classroom – my messy little palette, the can of brushes (I know I must have destroyed a slew of them over the last six weeks…) and our wonderfully helpful and encouraging teacher. Thanks for all.
And I’ll miss listening in on the musical cast practicing on the stage outside our classroom door. Guys and Dolls never sounded better.
I’ll miss the smells of the paint and creativity whirring and buzzing in the room. Mmm, what a wonderful aroma.
And of course, I’ll miss my fellow classmates and the little stories we shared with each other – our insecurities as we moved along and our victories when we figured out something on the sheet or canvas before us.
If you’re reading this and you want to do something creative, try something new, explore some other part of who you are or who you THINK you are, but you just haven’t given yourself permission to do it, well, now is your chance. A new set of classes start just weeks away.
What are you waiting for? There may be an artist, a composer, a great photographer lurking deep within. Don’t you owe it to your inner artist to give yourself that opportunity?
But it’s time for a new Five to Try experience…and just wait until this weekend when you see where I’m going for the first time ever on Saturday. It’s epic. In its own funny way.
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