Category: Creativity

  “Playing it safe can be the riskiest choice we ever make.” Sarah Ban Breathnoch It’s that bold stroke, that unusual technique that you would never have found if you hadn’t dared to take chances, that can make the difference between a nice painting and a fabulous one. Sure, there will be the ugly ducklings – but that very special painting may be waiting just the other side of boldness too. Give yourself permission to try something new and daring with your painting. One good way to do this could be to sign up for the upcoming John Lovett painting course. Lots of new ideas and approaches there! 

  “If you don’t begin, you will never know how much fun you could have had. You can learn to paint!” Cheryl O Do you have a creative spirit that is longing to be expressed? New painting classes are starting October 1st, and true beginners are welcome! Come have some fun with paint – you will find the atmosphere relaxed, encouraging, and helpful in lots of practical ways. After teaching for 15 years, I know that you can learn to paint, even if you are not sure of that yourself. Both afternoon and evening classes are available. Check out the line up here – scroll down once you are on the page: Art Courses with Cheryl O   

The art class that will give you a strong foundation in understand colour and colour mixing is beginning Thursday October 3rd – your choice of afternoon or evening time slot. Learn why some colours make mud, and how to avoid it. Learn some favourite colour recipes and where to apply them. Learn about classic and modern palettes, and how to create a creative and dynamic colour palette all your own. More information here: Art Courses with Cheryl O (Scroll down when on the page.) 

For my artist friends: 

 

I think that every artist experiences this… the mind that won’t turn off. You can hardly look at anything without analysing the values, shapes, or colours. You ponder exactly which mixture you would use to try to match the colour in the sky. You are chatting with someone and find yourself momentary distracted by the lovely shape of the shadows along their cheek line. It means that you find something interesting to see almost everywhere – the negative space between the branches of the tree, the shape of the shadows cast from a plant in a waiting room. I went through a period a few years back when I felt that I would like to turn it off for awhile, and just veg, but that rarely happened. Mostly these days, I go with the flow and simply enjoy the constant visual feast all around. How about you? Do you experience the restless mind of an artist forever analysing the colours and forms of the world? 

So many dynamic techniques are covered during the Wet & Wild Week that most of us go home at the end of the week with a number of paintings on the go. Today’s featured painting by art student Shelley Mercer is one such painting. Shelley began with a wet flow of colour and after the first layer had dried, she saw the hint of flower shapes. Many adjustment layers later, the painting was really shaping up in class, but not quite done. When Shelley sent me the photo of the completed painting, I just loved it, and I thought that you would enjoy seeing it too. Don’t you agree – it’s lovely! “Tulips” by Shelley Mercer. 

It’s called “En Plein Air” and it means “in the open air” referring to taking your paints and canvases out there and painting. It became very popular in the late 1800’s. This was the time of the impressionists, and Monet was a pioneer and advocate of this practice. What are the advantages? Among those who really love this practice, there is the love of the elements: wind, sun, and good old fresh air, and the feeling that experiencing them first hand while painting the landscape in front of them helps to give a truer interpretation of the scene. Plein air enthusiasts also are up for challenges – the primary one being the fact that the light changes as time passes. There is some urgency in getting the brush strokes down to capture an elusive moment in time. That can be a good thing – it helps avoid fussing over details. Most of all, it’s fun. With a comfortable lawn chair along, what’s not to love about setting up in the garden or on the beach, enjoying the day and trying to match some colour to what you see? And not to worry if you don’t have a standing easel. If you work smaller, many painters are content to have their watercolour paper or canvas in their lap. For those of you who love to do this, and for those who may never have tried it but would like to, I am offering a 1 week Painting on Location class from August 12 to 16. We will choose from a number of different beautiful locations in and around London. The classroom at Hillside Church will be available for any inclement weather days. Here’s the link to all the information: Cheryl O’s Art Courses.  Would you like to join us? 

Here are just a few of the amazing paintings that were done by students during the recent Wet & Wild Painting Week. Aren’t they wonderful? Painting by Sonny Steinburg Painting by Mary Ellen Young Painting by Carol Meredith Painting by Shelley Mercer Painting by Teri Hranka Painting by Claire Pridgar 

There is something lovely about a shared pleasure. Life’s joys are often more full when experienced with a friend. Although I have wonderful friends who partake in various parts of my life, today I want to talk about art gallery friends. Art gallery friends understand that the pace that you travel through an art exhibit is completely unpredictable. They know that if the art is good, at some point likely one masterpiece will reach out, grab a piece of your heart, and leave you standing there absorbing in silence for awhile. They walk on, saying, “I’ll be in the next room”, and leave you in peace – and you do the same for them. Then at other times while looking at a painting together, they are willing to state completely honestly which paintings speak to them and which don’t. We have fun exploring why. And suddenly, standing in front of a piece of art, you are seeing it through someone else’s eyes! So thank you to my art gallery friends – you know who you are. Thanks for your patience and for sharing the joy. You make my life richer. (Painting by Cezanne.)