Black, White & Red All Over

I love to share my art skills and teach others, so I was definitely in my element last week in Portland. The one-day class I taught (titled Black, White & Red All Over) was great fun filled with 11 enthusiastic participants. We were all there to spend the day drawing and making patterns to create art. I was delighted to see how everyone in the class took to this method of making art so easily. But why not? In our early years we all start drawing and doodling, although I do not choose to use the word "doodling" in my creations.

Class Work

Starting Shapes to Fill with Patterns

Making Patterns

Patterning on Subject Matter

Some Finished work

King of the Couch

                 A Different Subject Matter

I began this newer method of making art after the Holiday Farm Fire burned down our home over a year ago. I was drawing trees and inking in burned bark. As life began to return, I started adding plants and birds to my burned woods. 

But before my workshop, I thought I should try a different subject matter to encourage my class to look beyond what I do, and so I used our cat for the subject matter. I was happy to show how the same technique could be used in a variety of subject matters.

My Demonstration Piece

For my demo I returned to my burned forest theme with an owl as the center of interest. During the day, I worked on the piece between times of giving each participant some individual time to talk about their work and answer questions.

By the end of the day I had finished a painting featuring a lovely owl flying through the burned trees.

Suzy's Owl

One of the class members decided to purchase this guy in flight. I signed it and christened it "Suzy's Owl." He will find his way to Sun River!

Why Owls? 

I have been thinking about this lately. I have heard owls hooting through the night, but have rarely spotted one with my eyes. Yet they seem so lovely in my fire inspired art. 

"Owls represent wisdom, knowledge, change, transformation, intuitive development, and trusting the mystery. They are tied to the spiritual symbolism of “death” which brings about new beginnings with a higher understanding and evolved perspective. Owls can show up when you are being asked to listen to your intuition." Gleaned from the internet.

"Change, Death and New Beginnings" seem to apply to my life of the past 15 months. The Holiday Farm Fire brought a forced change, death to our home, landscape and plant-life, and New Beginnings as we forge ahead with a new home and regrowth of our beloved McKenzie Valley. 

Happy Holidays to one and all!

The Star of Hope