A first step towards "thinking BIG when it comes to our art!"

Over the weekend, at Crossroads Art Center, the team stepped up to the "BIG" challenge. The team completed its very first 3-day workshop about "Thinking big when it comes to our art". Our large format workshop was primarily developed to push the team beyond a safe space. I'm not sure they knew what to expect.

Realization hit home Friday morning when they were greeted by some very large white canvases....yikes! Only momentarily........ it was fascinating to see how fast they jumped in! 

The team had some canvas to cover if they hoped to get to the finish line Sunday. At first glance, subject selection should play a major role, but in my mind, less important than learning to work more from the shoulder than the wrist, as in conducting an orchestra. Learning how to follow the rhythm of our subject, something that takes time to develop intuitively.

Most important for me, as a first step, making sure their paint brushes where full of colour to get the job done, medium to make the paint flow effortlessly and not waste paint in the process. They learned a few tricks on how to do that too.

As painting coach I urged the use of long broad deliberate strokes. This was a wonderful opportunity to exploring energy painting, moving with the natural lines of our subject - stepping back to observe progress and adjusting our progress. Working towards the ultimate goal, intuitive painting......it requires some confidence and space to do it.

 TWO BASIC STEPS

I break a painting down into two (2) basic, important steps - how it looks and feels at a distance and how it looks and feels closeup and personal.

First step, make sure our paintings composition and punctuation (light and shadow) holds up at 30 feet.

What we see close up is not always how a painting looks at a distance. Often things we can't see close up are important at a distance. These should be built upon and not lost to insipid overworked passages. Insipid is always trumped by style and colour. My feeling, if you can get it to work at a distance, the easier part, you'll be forgiven for the touchable part because it will come with time and painting...... meaning lots of painting.
 
Second step, how our painting looks and feels close-up-and-personal. This in my mind is the most important part of a painting after composition. Developing good paint quality, lost and found edges with beautiful and effortless brushwork with a wonderful broadband colour range. The challenge of any artist.....and why we paint.

A DEMO, THAT'S NOT A DEMO

Like the team, I choose a subject to paint too, not as a demo, but a large studio painting executed over the course of many days.....or as long as it takes.

If they "copped" a glance, it demonstrated how I developed my concept (established before I picked up my brush). How I break my subject down, establish break points, continually work toward a cohesive movement, a connection between each of those so the eye moves naturally throughout. It requires using paint efficiently, not wasting paint. Moving with the energy of the moment which gives a painting movement and life - accomplished by continually taking breaks to check it out from a distance. Then going back with renewed energy to take advantage of what I saw. I also hope this painting demonstrated how effective energy painting from the shoulder is. 

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Incomplete 56x48 oil on full gallery wrap linen

COMPLETED IN THE STUDIO

Claiming the High Ground 56x48 oil on linen (10-6-16 canvas 1091)

Sunday, the last day, displayed the teams varied ideas and approaches and it was a thing of beauty for our first timers. It really did move at a very fast pace! I have to say, it was a positive painting experience seeing this group plow through, achieving very remarkable first time results! And, had fun doing it!

LUNCH & GETTING IT DONE SHOTS!

This says it all!