Baby steps in learning to dance.....

As the face in my painting seems to express...learning a new dance ( or in my case, learning to paint ) can be painful. Just when I think I'm "getting it"....I look at the photo of my progress for the day and I see how far I have to go.   I know that I have to loosen up...free myself...express myself....dance!   But right now I can only go through the motions.  I tell my sculpting students all the time to be kind and loving to yourself when you are learning something new.  I need to take my own advice. :) But I do see progress.  I am learning and loosening ....and I do enjoy the process.

The class and the technique I am studying is by Shiloh Sofia McCloud.  She teaches a specific way to paint and so at least that gives me a bit of a road map.  I love her paintings!

Marie Howell is another student of Shiloh's and she's only been painting for a year.  I'm very impressed!  The painting style is full of symbols and is visionary, and is a perfect match for me.  Marie had seen my art at the Chalk Farm Gallery and had sent me an email.  She mentioned that she was learning to paint with Shiloh and so I went to the website and immediately signed up for a class.  Marie then asked me if she could interview me for the Cosmic Cowgirl's website.  Marie just posted the interview on her own blog, "A Rite of Passage in Paint" and next Thursday it will be on the Cosmic Cowgirls website.  My point is......it's a small world and we all need to learn to dance!

Evolution of an intention...

I've wanted to paint BIG bold painting for years but I haven't known how or where to start.  I received an email from a woman who had seen my art work in The Chalk Farm Gallery and she mentioned Shiloh Sofia McCloud and how much she was learning about painting from her.  I did a search and found out that she gave classes just 30 from me. So, of course, as serendipity took over...she was giving a one day class the next week. I signed up and now I am on my pathway of paint.  She teaches a method of painting that is easy to follow. In class we were to write down one or two words which were our intention for the day and my words were REBIRTH and EXPANSION.
And so I began my painting......with no idea of what I was doing...but when I stepped back and looked, it appeared that I had painted a tiny blue alien coming out of a vagina! LOL  Poor little scared thing!   So I thanked her for appearing to honor the birthing of this desire and then I painted her out and this Lady showed up.  Still quite hesitant, though.

 

 ....so I kept painting.....

and today this Lady showed up.  Still far from my vision, but I feel like I am moving forward.  Those are hummingbirds represented in the painting to honor the little hummingbird that flew into my studio to visit me today.  Tomorrow I will paint more and we will see how this evolves.  Meanwhile check out Shiloh Sofia McCloud's artwork.