Years ago I read Julia Camerons’ Book “The Artist’s Way” which inspired me to journal everyday. However, it has taken me years to finally establish a weekly artist date with myself as she recommends…I have spent most of my life being too busy being busy.
Finally in the fall of 2010 it came about. Now every Wednesday morning at 11:30 A.M. I trek in my car to the north end of the city. I join a class of people…. most of whom are very pleasant seniors… the only ones not either working or in school at this time of day.
The occasional week I miss this date and I can really feel the difference in my psyche that week and in the level of my joy in life.
Every week a new artist comes in and does a demo. Then we attempt to paint something around the style of what he has demonstrated. At least that is the idea. It is a wonderful experience as weekly you get to try out new things and decide on what suits you and what doesn’t.
You also can get a feel for someone’s style and what it would be like to work with them. If it feels good you can check when they may have a class available.
Today’s class was with a man who did very loose fairly abstract work. I didn’t like his subject or end result, but I thoroughly appreciated how the result came about. In other words his style and technique. I would love to work with him. His style is very opposite to mine and it would bring about some well needed shifts in my methodology.
I haven’t painted any picasso’s yet or even produced much work as a result of this effort… just many experiments. But I am definitely learning a great deal about what I like and what I don’t.