Looking Back and finding direction

Carol and I drove home all the way on Saturday, arriving home about 10pm.  Sunday I tried to sleep in but didn't manage and finally last night I slept well and long....

So, what else did I do at the Brommer workshop? I am going to re-post the images I put up on the blag before because I now have better images which show more of the subtlety of the work.

This image is a play piece.  I had done the water color and collage and set it aside the first day.  Then decided on Thursday to play with a pen and see what happened.

I have a collection of practice calligraphy papers from either China or Japan.  They are on washi and are great in collages.  In this picture you can see the layers of papers and paint. This is done in watercolor on the second day.

Another watercolor done on mat board. This was done on the third day.

Another watercolor, also on mat board  which has been enhanced with gold pen. This utilizes old account ledgers. This was done on the 3rd day.

A very simple watercolor collage using heavily textured washi.  This was done on the fourth day.

A collage done in acrylic with a great deal of texture. This was done on the first day.

Another collage, also done in acrylic, this was done on the second day.

This collage utilizes paper from an old map and is also done in acrylic which was done on the second day.

A much more subtle image of trees done in watercolor with a printed paper. This was done on the first day.

A collage done with papers altered with citrasolv and the background is done in macecious iron oxide.

A watercolor collage done the first day.

Another watercolor collage done on the second day.

This is one of my final pieces and is larger done on mat board which was done on the last day.  

A watercolor collage done on the first day.

A watercolor color collage done on the second day with gold ink

 

What you are not seeing right now is a flower collage and also my landscape collage.  I have altered the landscape again and am still thinking about it.  We will see if it shows up.

So today I got the collage portion done on five new works.  It is really exciting to be hyped up about what I am doing again.

Lessons I learned from Jerry;

Do my own work.

It doesn't matter how many styles I want to work in, do it.

Have fun.

Work on composition first.

Different artists see things differently.

I have the freedom to create.

Some people see things simply and others complexly.

There are lots of ways to paint a rock or a flower.

None of those ways is the "right" way.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice some reality in order to make the painting better.

Painting evolves...don't stop the process.

Explore, try, experiment and  grow.

I spent time talking with Jerry and during this time I realized that I have been striving to do work as good as other people's, you know, those at the top.  I am not at the top and I have decided that I will not end up at the top.  I am a good artist and like what I do and my vision of things.  It is quite alright to do my organic work and my geometric work, both different styles but both still me. I can work in as many styles as I like and it is still my work.  My voice will come through no matter how I work or what medium I work in.  I like to teach and should teach more often.

I don't need to constantly strive to make something new.  Do what I enjoy doing and keep at it. I don't need to listen to other people (a hard thing to do). I can give up all of the goals that other people set for themselves and just be happy with my work and my way.

Best of all, Jerry helped me to see that my work is good and it is my own.  There is room for improvement and that is called growth...onward Liz!