Here we go - another Monday afternoon and it's 1:15pm. I've done this similar drill, at various locations, I don't know how many times, but it always gets my blood pumping. I walked into a dark, unlit studio space. No one was around. I flipped the light switch on, and the fluorescent lights seem to jump with the voltage now going through them. I put away my painting bag and remove my winter coat. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I take in the faint whiff of the oil paint used in last week's class as a few of the paintings were left behind. I look at them one by one. I began filling the glass jars with paint thinner and set them in their now familiar places. I then ripped out palette paper from the new book I purchased and the sound echoed off the walls. I placed them around the table along with the paper towels.
When I finished, my students ambled in - well, almost all of them. It turns out that one of the participants preferred watercolor and that this "oil thing" just isn't her cup of tea. That's okay in my book; at least she was honest with me as well as herself. Once everyone settled in, and began smearing paint, my newbie Mary Lou, (remember her?), just sat there. I meandered over to her and gave her some sage advise a mentor gave me a long time ago; "The wonderful thing about oil paint is if you don't like something, you can always paint over it. Take this apple, for instance - you mentioned last week that it didn't look right to you. If you take yellow and white, you can paint over it and blend things into the background. Then, redraw the apple the way you would like it to look."
"Well, alright then!" She smiled, began mixing colors, blended out what she did not like, and painted in what she did want. I suddenly had one happy painter! I slowly walked around my other students, answered their questions, and offered my advise when asked. Unlike last week, I was total hands off and ego free... well almost.
Back to my newbie. For a few minutes, I stood quietly behind her and watched her create. I was also attempting to figure out what she was trying to accomplish as I had no idea. Then it finally dawned on me - she was replicating everything in the photo from the window ledge, shells, and the curtain. However, with her brush strokes as well as her color choices, it looked more like an abstract design. Her painting was becoming more interesting than I could have ever imagined. So much for keeping things plain and simple! I hung out with Mary Lou for a bit more as my other students were doing just fine and I only had to field one additional question about colors. It was about 15 minutes before class ended, when my stubborn newbie warmed my heart when she mentioned she was really glad I came to teach her over the past few weeks. That right there, my friends, is what it's all about. It's not about the money, or flaunting your expertise; it's being a grateful mentor.
3 o'clock came all too soon, and everyone seemed to reach a comfortable point where they could stop for the day. Time to call it done, at least for this week. I felt the same way... until next Monday.
Until next time,
Jill
This is the painting that a student started, but dropped the class. In my opinion, it was a beautiful abstract work. I'm encouraging her to keep it.
The "studio" cat.
One of the paintings done by my newbie, mary lou.
The apple painting, also done by Mary Lou.
Water scene; in progress.
The start of yet another masterpiece!
