Oh, beautiful summer. I met a new painter this week; new to me but known to many others. Her name is Flora Bowley and you have to check out her work. When I learned she lived here in River City and was also teaching at Squam this fall I contacted her and arranged for a painting experience in her studio.
She has a wonderful big studio in a warehouse downtown. Along with 9 other women I painted 2 30x30" canvases in one day under her direction. She is a wonderful teacher that I can wholeheartedly recommend; please see her work here and check out her blog.
The two big wild whirling dervish paintings you see here are merely stages in the unfinished pieces I started. Gosh I love painting with abandon.
This is another wax piece that is no more but I do like the way this shot shows the deep carved lines. Like a drunken butterfly this week I've flitted from one happy art-making experience to the next.
Last weekend I sat through 5 hour long demos at the big encaustic show at the Lake Oswego Art Center. This is Jeff Schaller above, showing us how he paints his realistic wax paintings. He is really funny too. His first salvo was to look back in that mirror and ask, "does this mirror make my butt look big?" ha ha.
This whack a doodle journal page was the underpainting that turned into this ...
Demonstrating that it doesn't really matter what goes down first because it's going to change.
I'm so excited for the 4th of July. I feel like a helium balloon that's been untied from an anvil. A big contrast to the heavy experiences of the preceding months. I'm starting to look ahead and ask myself what I want to do next.
One thing I'm looking forward to is having more time in the studio and to attend the meetings of the local encaustic group. I miss that stimulation.
On this page you can see several friends; dear Jen cutting arugula from her sweet garden for our lunch, Flora Bowley painting in her studio and friends Tabor, Dayna, Nikki and Stephanie relaxing at a cuban restaurant after a strenuous (?) session of painting together. Dayna posted more pictures of the day on her blog. How good it is to paint with friends.
Delphiniums in my garden; here's to summer and all the good things that come with warmer weather. Big breath. We do what we can with whatever we have. We seek the good things that bring us pleasure. We seek them avidly. xo
16 comments:
Dear Judy - so glad to hear you sounding so insired and filled with forward looking. Funny what a few warm summer days can do for us Portlanders. Feel free to wallow in it and enjoy your 4th of July!
What a wonderful, uplifting post. So pleased you're feeling inspired as we all get a treat.
judy, its wonderful to see and hear your enthusiasm ! you are over the hump! great. lucky you to be where so much is going on! enjoy it all!
These journal pages are SO awesome!!
Lots of wonderful things going on for you, and coming from your brushes and pens and sweet smoky wax. Glad you are so happy. xox Corrine
We have Judy back! I am so glad and so uplifted by YOUR enthusiasm. Hugs to you!
Judy, your journal pages are so enticing ... I can't wait to be under your guidance next week. My blank journal awaits ...
Judy, Nice post, I notice the comment "Capitalism is killing the planet"
Yes it is....
Have a happy 4th and keep smiling.
Gina
Abstracts, you're talking my language, love the feeling of abandonment when working on an abstract. Thanks for sharing your fun week with us.
How wonderful - we feel the same today. You got lemons? Make lemonade. Incidentally I love the picture of the girl with the great big iced lolly!!! (popsicle for you guys across the pond!)
I love the colours in the swirly painting. It sounds as if you have been having a lovely week!
Judy the pages are wonderful and I'm so glad to you are feeling better! I'm intrigued by your use of photos in your journal... do you print on plain paper and then just add them in with gel medium or whatever?? I love the feeling they give to your pages...Happy 4th!!!
I'm so glad to see/hear you're feeling so uplifted - it's evident in your writing, painting & pages
I look forward to hearing more about your encaustic play.
Oh I am jealous - the colors are good enough to eat. We finally have summer just starting today - yay!
oh how wonderful see painting with abandon.
and the journal pages are wodnerful, so much vibrancy and layers.
Thanks for pointing out this wonderful painter. I love her colors.
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