Through The Keyhole

Food Photography @ The Pantry

I took a food photography class taught by Ashley and Gabe Rodriguez at The Pantry At Delancey.  It was such a lovely day.  I went for the lighting and styling tips. 

I also learned a bit more about my camera and photography equipment.  The best part though might have been the delicious lunch and meeting all the Seattle area food bloggers there.

 

And the props.  Oh, I love the props.  It requires thrifting.  What could possibly be better?

I had to pick up a few lovely treats while I was there.  Who doesn't need a Weck jar with long Madigascar vanilla beans hmmm?  Or a bit of delicious olive oil?

Check out my class mates.
Hannah Morgan http://www.panaceafood.com
Galen & Kim Maynard http://www.kitchencollaboration.com
Alex Wu http://www.yumsandloves.com
Rachel Dedrickson http://www.foodpearl.com
Stephanie Thompson http://www.twicecookedhalfbaked.com
Dawn Klinghuffer http://www.firstlookthencook.com
Hannah Cordes http://www.bluekaleroad.com
Amy Lechner http://www.cookbeautifully.com
Jennifer Love http://writemyselfahappyending.blogspot.com/

On a related note check out this lovely bit in the New York Times 

Bloom True Seattle

I don't know how to paint but I very much want to.  It was on my Mondo Beyondo list this last year to learn more about it.  Also on my list was taking a workshop with Flora Bowley.  I had the great good fortune to be able to take Flora's "Bloom True" workshop at Teesha & Tracy Moore's Artfest Annex last month in November.  What an amazing experience.  I love learning techniques that I can make my own, incorporating into my own style.  I'm not at all interested in learning how to make a copy of someone else's work.  Flora's teaching style turned out to be perfect for me in this regard.

What really resonated for me was the curiosity and gentle open heartedness with which she encouraged us to approach our work.  The frosting was a quiet moment of gratitude, a bit of yoga, wonderful music, and fabulous classmates. 

Work in progress 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

It turns out my camera and I weren't exactly seeing the same thing during the workshop.  I was having so so much fun.

Work in progress 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

The same painting, day 1 and day 2.  It's evolved even further and I think it may be finished, less Flora like, more me.  I'll share another time.

Work in progress 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

Work in progress 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

Second painting, day 1 and day 2.  This one is giving me fits.  Evolving but I'm struggling to bring back the parts I like.  Lots and lots of struggle.

I was finding it difficult to keep hold of what I learned so I've signed up for Flora's online class that started last week.  The challenge is carving out time for the assignments.  It's been a busy couple of weeks around here.  And I'm feeling pretty fried.  I need to get past that and break out the paints.  Soon.

Posts from class mates can be found here and here and here and Teesha's is here.

On Being A Beginner

Being a beginner sucks.  I really dislike not knowing how to execute the image I see in my head.  Some days I'm more patient with this then others.  Today is an impatient day.  I lack the technical skills to do what I want to do.  It's part of the process.  Thankfully I know now that if I keep practicing and learning, I will develop the skills to do what I want to do.  This concept has always made perfect sense to me when I wanted to learn something physical.  I have only recently come to understand that it's true for learning a creative skill as well.  For a very long time, I believed the art I appreciated from others was born of talent.  I didn't understand it was actually hard work and learning.  Practice and studying.  Knowing means I don't have to give up.  It only helps a little bit with feeling frustrated and demoralized. 

I found this video from Ira Glass encouraging.

 

Thanks must go to Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough of Get Your Paint On.

Get Your Paint On Week 1

 
11" x 17" acrylic on paper

I haven't been able to make any local art classes work in my schedule in a long while so I've decided to try an on-line class this summer.  I've enjoyed the classes I have tried and I've been anxious to learn more about painting with acrylics.  I signed on for Get Your Paint On with Lisa Congdon and Mati Mcdonhough. This is my first piece.  This was meant to be an underpainting for a different sort of work.  My son kept swinging by the table as I reached this point telling me it was finished and that I needed to stop working on it before I took it too far.  This after he told me it had great variety but needed some emphasis.  Uh, he's 8, soon to be 9.  Apparently he's been listening to his art teacher at school better than I thought.  It may still go on to become a different sort of painting but I'm leaving it for now.

I'm pleased to discover I could explore this theme of quilts/patchwork quite a bit more.  I just can't stop thinking about other ways I could have taken it.  Looking forward to the rest of the class a great deal.

Sabrina Ward Harrison Workshop

Recently I attended a workshop with Sabrina Ward Harrison, organized by Angela Ritchie of ACE Camps.  It was more retreat than workshop and was just exactly what I was hoping it would be.  Held in the gorgeous historic Shuey House here in Seattle.  I was fortunate it was local.  Women traveled from all over North America and Argentina.

There was moving poetry read aloud, John O'Donohue, writing exercises that transported me to my deepest self, art making, laughter, spilling open, beautiful messes made, fabulous meals shared, a gorgeous house, cherry blossom snow, a call to Australia, artists discovered, beautiful photographs and artwork to purchase, stories, stories, and more stories. 

Other posts on the experience. Go here and here and here and here

And one more here.

Eclectic Thought

I've managed to photograph some of the work I did in my Eclectic Thought art class last weekend. The class was aptly named. After struggling the first day trying to sort out what I should work on a friend mentioned that this instructor usually asks that students complete three pieces. Needing some sort of direction, I latched onto this. I didn't know what I'd do but I committed to myself to complete three pieces. In the end I nearly completed two and have a good start on a third and left with my brain brimming over with ideas.

Images from the sketchbook I kept in class.

This last image are the ideas for the third piece I'll be trying to finish this week.

The first book developed without any sort of plan. I've never worked without a plan and I think it was an important step.

When the book was nearing completion, I'd felt it was looking too "tidy" and I thougth it needed some darkness and chaos so I was considering adding ink. I was conflicted about it though as I didn't want to "ruin" what I'd done. Hearing this, the instructor challenged me to pour ink on and then respond to whatever happened. It was precisely what was necessary on many levels.

The second book was in response to an exercise to list 10 ways to draw. I considered only applying a pen or pencil to paper to be drawing. It isn't something I'm practiced at and I haven't enjoyed drawing in this way. In just a day I realized how I'd limited my ideas to the conventional. This little book is a record of 10 ways to draw. Here are a few of my favorites.

sewing

embossing & scorching

rubbing & drawing with wire

I couldn't be happier with the outcomes of this workshop. I've taken classes to learn techniques. I don't enjoy completing projects that are designed by other people. I have never completed a project as designed by someone else. This is the the most productive I've been in a class and I think it's because the focus was not on a project or learning technique. It was taking my own work to another level and not being attached to outcome. I understand now why it's so important not to fall in love with what I'm working on. That attachment keeps me from pushing through, from responding to what's happening in a piece. In effect, the work doesn't realize it's full potential and neither do I because I've stopped the flow. The challenge will be to remember this, especially when I'm frustrated.

Changes

It's been a crazy month. Debbie has settled on going to school rather than find a job. She was accepted into a worker retraining program so most of it will be paid for. She'll likely also be able to continue to receive unemployment while going to school. She is so excited about it and I'm thrilled for her.

I finished my jewelry/metalsmithing class and just finished a 4 day mixed media workshop that was meant to help attendees find their language. It was amazing to be in a single class working on my own art for 4 days. I've never had such an extended time and came out of it feeling energized and focused. My instructor was Larry Calkins. An amazing local sculptor, painter, photographer. I'm considering taking his encaustics workshop next quarter.

I worked on two books and one hanging piece. I'll try to photograph them today. I also learned how to make prussian blue ink and milk paint, how to use a wood burning tool for encaustic painting, how to make acetone transfers onto multiple types of surfaces including enamels, and I'm sure other things I'm not remembering.

I swap with Swap-bot!

Thanks to Jane Wynn I found this fun swapsite called Swap-bot where you can sign up for all types of swaps. I signed up for a holiday ornament swap. I've participated in an ornament swap for the last 3 or 4 years but am not part of the online group where I did that so I'm thrilled to have found this. (aargh! I can't figure out why the swap logo isn't working. I'll try again later with it)

Here's my theme song these days.