Painting with Fabulous artist friends in St Francis Bay. It was great having two days together to splash and pour and out of the chaos came some wonderful paintings. Read more here:
Ann seems to always create magical and mystical paintings
Christine, Cookie, Heather and Gesina
Ann, Helga, Joy, Cookie, Christine, Berto and Lynn – (Heather not in the image)
A painting that was just a nothing can turn into a something
It is a fun challenge to take a painting that was just a lot of nothing and then add more to it and see what happens ….
Step Two – using corrugated cardboard print some hut walls
Just keep adding some fun stuff
Add colour and be a little bit reckless
Add some negative shapes here and there
so then I had to fix it a bit but it got worse … what’s a person to do except carry on making more reckless brush strokes
Some lifting to restore what I had destroyed and then a cup of tea
find some people in the shadows and pull out some highlights and negative shapes
a bit of cropping to cut out some of the tree disaster and ink pencil work, some lines and loose goose brush work
All in all a fun little painting that could have been discarded at any point but it was fun to push it as far as it could go. Looking back I see there are some moments that were good before I over played them – but if we played safe we would never learn.
Go ahead and have a fun time – take an old painting and make some huts and shacks – they don’t need to be perfect works of architecture.
It was a wonderful day with much splashing and banging to achieve glorious luminous first washes.
Irene Brand adding more lovely details to her beautiful beginning piece
Our idea was to paint beautiful houses and huts in glowing colour and build the painting from this base.
Sadly we only had one day and we were not able to complete the paintings but the beginning was just thrilling. I hope to reconnect with these wonderful artist and bring this painting to its completion.
Two beginning paintings with luminous washes
Thank you Fay Keevy for getting the Methodist Church Hall in JBay so that we could have this open and well-lit area for our creating.
Thank you to Christine Chapman for linking in all the St Francis Bay Artists and a Big thank you to all of you for bringing such a delicious spread of numsies for our lunch and tea.
Fay Keevy and Jenny Dawson
Thank you to Irene Brand for fetching, carrying and helping me to set up and give me a place to sleep in between the art explorations. I am SO Blessed with Delightful Friends.
Inspired by a call from Fiona at Destiny Magazine, this workshop grew from the idea of finding a beautiful location in my home town of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. Featured in Destiny Magazine was the workshop – Experiencing Life Creatively – A Journey to Inner Healing which was also inspired by their call.
November 16th, 2013 was a wonderful day of art at the Country Crescent Hotel in Plettenberg Bay. we thought we might be able to paint outdoors in the beautiful surroundings but the weather had other ideas. Luckily we had the use of the small conference room.
Cathy Henderson started her first step into her glorious future in water colours.AND this is what Cathy created …. WELL DONE !From the blank page to a beautiful work of art.
Sue
OliveLynne
Pat and MeganMarie
SarahChristineRachelleCathy
And the art that came out of this group was just amazing. Many of this wonderful group had not painted before and some had not painted for many years.
Monday 4th November was an early start for me and my husband Bobby as we left Plettenberg Bay in the “wee” hours to get to St Francis by 9:00 for a full, fun day of water colour painting with friends.
We only just got there in time as we had to travel s l o w l y – because the car had just had a new engine put in it and this day saw its maiden voyage.
As we arrived a room full of lovely artists were unpacked and ready to go with creative explorations. It was a little daunting walking into a room full of people – lots of hugs and then we began.
Many thanks to Christine and Heather for getting the group together and thank you to Robyn, Marlene and Donne’ for coming all the way from Port Elizabeth for the day.
Beryl and Lynne. So glad you are ready to paint again Beryl. Enjoy every moment.
to
Paulene and Pippa creating magic.
Christine and Ann – just let it flow.
Donne’ and Kathy – magic happens when we release our anxiety and need to control the flow.
PE Artists, Donne’ and Robyn do it in style – this was like a workout x
Keeping our creative muscles fit!
Marlene created a beautiful painting.
Step by Step beginnings of reflections Exploring lots of fun techniques. Glenda’s glowing scene in the making.
The Lovely Group of Artist at the St Francis Bay Water Colour Workshop – Reflections
This is a painting I did a long time ago for a dear friend and looking at it now there is so much that is still lovely and yet my own art journey has taken me much further along the creative and exploratory pathways.
For May ShentonScene in South AfricaFor Summers
The painting above – For Summers – was created on the deck of my friend’s home in Durango, Colorado and it is the view across from their home. The intriguing aspect was the sense of light that flittered onto the vegetation and seemed to illuminate the distant homes.
If you are ready to use your watercolours in a fun, new and dramatic way, then this workshop is for you.
Come and explore flow, texture, granulation and techniques that bring luminosity to your art. Set yourself apart from the safe paintings and feel the thrill of creating unique art.
The workshop will consist of four sessions – one session a week.
Small group for more attentive tuition – so you can expect to fly.
Each session will last three hours and we will break for tea and sustenance.
For those who are ready to take this workshop please confirm with payment in full R720 for workshop consisting of four sessions. As the participants will be limited payment will guarantee your spot. For sessions missed please note that these will not be “made up”, so plan to commit to the full workshop for full benefit.
Contact Joy at 079 180 7639 or joytruscott@gmail.com
Workshop Dates:
Tuesday August 21st, 2012 – Times: 10:00 to 1:00
Tuesday August 28th, 2012 – Times: 10:00 to 1:00
Tuesday September 4th, 2012 – Times: 10:00 to 1:00
Tuesday September 11th, 2012 – Times: 10:00 to 1:00
Happy Days! Thank you to all the participants and also to Lynne and Chris Hattingh for arranging for the use of the Ski-Boat Club. This was a superb venue with inspiring views. Also thank you to Heather Funston for getting the artists together and for the delicious eats we all shared and enjoyed.
The two days took us on a journey of highs and lows – the aspects of struggle than come with any new learning. It would be easy to simply watch participants work within their realm of known comfort, however, this workshop asked that the artists suspend self-judgement and allow for the unexpected. The delightful 80 year young Eva Taylor displayed enormous courage in working in this new style and her paintings bloomed into artistic expressions. I heard her saying “I am going home now”, and then a surprising happening occurred and she played some more. It was a thrilling and daunting process and I am so proud of all the artists for trusting the work and their creativity.
Heather made us divine Quiches for lunch – thank you xEva getting some encouragement from Ann – and that’s what friends are for
Valda Barratt managed to create a masterpiece painting in the true flow of ease. I think that most of the artists were surprised to see how a painting can grow into beauty and depth of interest.
Valda’s Painting
I am hoping that this group continue to push all aspects of their creativity in the creation of their art work. The difference in an artistic creation and a painting is that element of creativity; the unexpected that can never be repeated, not by anyone. It is the moment of feeling and being; allowing the flow and serendipity; the adjusting to the work in moment by moment awareness.
Valda began tentatively and graciously, allowing each wash to move and flow. The layers clung onto one another and created the luminous work that just seemed to appear from the soul of Creativity.
We create magnificence when we let go of the small, prescribed and manufactured painting and open ourselves to live in the realm of possibility.
Magic Happens
The method of granulation is so thrilling as each effect is the result of the properties of the paint – the opacity and translucency.
As each layer flows over the other the most incredible effects become evident.
No one in the world could ever produce this painting. Each painting that is loved into being is a spark of the Truth. We are the Lovers of the Creation and so we paint.
Fay Keevy or should I say, Fay-mous, my treasure Friend, got the concept immediately and in style true to her own, produced the marvelous effect in moments. I love the way Fay just does. No hesitating, no fear, just boldness.
Thank you Fay for being my chauffeur too.
Fay Keevy – the fast artist. Fay just “gets it” x
Let It Flow – Life is full of surprises when we Allow – Let Go and Let God
Lynne Hattingh understands this work and it is her ability to allow for this flow that has been instrumental in her creation of wonderful art.
Lynne’s beginning painting – glowing with life
Maureen was new to water colour painting so this was a big step in bravery. It was thrilling to watch her bravery. The lack of constricted previous learning was helpful in allowing Maureen to just enjoy the adventure with no preconceived ideas. Maureen just loved watching the color and movement unfold.
Maureen captured magic
Maureen’s incredible painting
The process of creating the density and luminosity with the granulation technique depends on the colors one chooses and the way in which the paints are applied. This technique is a fabulous way to create texture and interest in landscapes.
Luminous beginnings for a landscape using the granulation technique. Colours used were yellow ochre, sap green, purple lake and dioxazine purple
Ann Andrews opened up to the idea of the creative flow work and the translucency that developed in her work was delightful to see. What is so exciting to see is the way the washes change moment by moment.
Glenda worked with the idea of flow and the process was just a tad challenging as the holding on and waiting for the effect to “happen” makes the artist stay with the process and not run ahead trying to find a defining form or “picture”.
Glenda just allowing
Glenda being brave and holding off “making a picture” and allowing the unique effects to emerge.
This is the magic of Flow – when we are being our True Self we too Flow with the Creativity of Life
Beautiful, unique work.
Sample of granulation technique by JoyHouses by Joy Truscott