Progression

Back in January I posted about taking art classes this year so I could learn how to work with different media and I've been steady about taking them. First I took a watercolor class, then a drawing class and now I'm back to watercolor. I think I've learned a thing or two since I started but it's been not so much what to do, but what not to do that I'm learning...it seems to be working.

Favorite youngest son (FYS) called me Easter morning to ask if I wanted to go hiking with him. Of course I said yes and we ended up at Hemlock Crossing where I had hiked earlier with a girlfriend and Sir S. FYS loved it, took the lead and I followed along with my camera. How lucky for me to have taken pictures because his birthday was a few days ago and wouldn't you know, I needed a card for him; feeling quite brave and sure of myself, I ventured a painting of one of the photos I took. I see mistakes and areas that could use improvement, but I also see that this painting gives a definite air of hiking in the woods. He recognized it instantly and was astonished that I had painted this. I'm rather astonished myself. ~grins~

Want to see the original?

Pretty cool, yes? Love that I'm learning this media and that it's finally startling to click in my head.

Whip it up!

I'm working on a post about my word for this year, but I'm struggling with what to say and how I want to say it. Part of my plan for classes this year includes art. Art sort of scares me and I'm not really good at it, although that could be from lack of experience, however my intent isn't to be good, but to learn how to work with different media. I've already taken a pottery class, loved it, and I recently enrolled in a watercolor class to learn how to use the paint. I'm already pretty good at slopping paint around on the page, but I just know there's a way to make the paint do something intentional and that's what I'm trying to learn. But you know what's really cool thing about taking a class and needing supplies for that class? Ha! You get to sew something to hold your supplies, and though I'm not good at art, I'm damn good at sewing. Wouldn't you know that I would need a case to hold my brushes....

Too easy! The fabric was an upholstery sample I picked up at a thrift store for .50 and the seam binding was in a big box of sewing supplies given to me after a friend's mother passed away. Sewwww (pun intended), I'm pretty sure I can't beat the cost for one sweet Roll-up Brush Holder. It really was easy. I sewed seam binding on one of the shorter edges, folded the edge up 4 inches and sewed dividers anywhere between 2" and 3/4" apart to hold brushes and such. Then it was only a matter of adding a tie and finishing the other 3 raw edges with more seam binding. Voila!

I'm positive this case will make me a better painter.