Saturday, November 14, 2009

Snow scene - A Workshop With Sterling Edwards

12" x 16"
Arches 140# CP

The workshops have been absolutely outstanding -- but the days are running together! LOL

Thursday's class was with Sterling Edwards - and I LOVED it! (This painting is too large for my scanner, so I took a photo - so I apologize for the quality of the capture.) We had the best time! Sterling offered four classes - this one, a more traditional approach to watercolor, a class that moved into semi abstract, and classes in abstract painting. I find myself on the 'rim' of moving toward less realism, but oh my heart sings with traditional methods! Still - his approach, using his signature large bristle brushes, a lessening of detail, and a 'direct approach' really appealed to me. I really want to do more paintings like this - they went quickly, had the variation I love, elliminated the 'fussing,' and yet just enough detail to make me happy! I was so excited to finally learn how to let go of my small brushes, that I painted another scene yesterday morning so I could reinforce what I was learning!

He was offering another class I really wanted to take, but I was called to a Board meeting and had to miss it. I've invested in a few of his DVDs to keep moving in this direction, and I'm really excited about it! I understand he has a book coming out later this year by Northern Lights.

We spent yesterday -- all day -- at workshops, and crawled home, thankfully without the pounding rain, well after 9 pm. Our class today begins at 9 AM, and it's an hour ride to the workshop. The week has sped by, and I will be sorry to see the workshops end and Judy return home.

I saw some of my Raleigh friends at the Trade Show - everyone with armsful of paper, paints, brushes, canvases - and their talk filled with new ideas. This week has been a huge gift.

I'm off to shower and get on the road ... Have a grand day!

6 comments:

Joan said...

This GLOWS!!!! I love it!! I'm jealous that you're taking such wonderful classes. I would like someone to teach me to let go of my small brushes if I could get an effect like this. It is beautiful!

Pat said...

Ah Oh, workshop envy!
The painting is great. I love that you have already done a painting outside of class. And, how did you fit this into your already so busy schedule? Brava!

Teri said...

It is a beautiful painting! I need to investigate this artist's DVD.

Connie said...

Beautiful! So good to see you having sooooo much fun!

Ivona Hrvatin said...

This is spectacular! And it looks really fresh...

Lorraine said...

Amazing what you did with big brushes -- I love it!! What a fun experiment and what a lovely painting. Glad you are having such rich experiences at Jerry's annual extravaganza. Wish I could have been there with you but I was there in spirit!

We attended a breakfast for Rand Paul, then his health care Town Hall meeting, and then went to a robotics competition outdoors where young people competed with the little vehicles and robotic arms they'd constructed from a kit. Wonderful fellow Liberty group people who sponsored and paid for this so middle school and high school students could learn and compete in something besides sports, which is king is KY. -- So we enjoyed art of a different kind.
Hugs,
Lorraine