Swimming-in-Paint - COACH'S "WOW" AWARD

Something new for Swimming-in-Paint!!

THE COACH’S “WOW” AWARD

WOW! We got talent exposed! Last weekend we finished up our first workshop. The January team worked hard. Some continued at home between sessions to produce a wide body of work around a "Single Subject". By design, the team is always made up of many different skill levels because we also learn from each other.

I believe hard work needs to be acknowledged beyond the classroom setting. After reviewing the class photos and recapping the month - seeing the progress made by the team - I felt the time was right to make it happen.

The "Jump Factor" is something that stops you in your tracks and you take notice. It often happens in Swimming-in-Paint and needs to be acknowledged. This year each month, we'll have a COACH’S “WOW” AWARD to celebrate a member’s hard work. I'm also dedicating a wall to this end in my Crossroads Gallery. Each month the wall will feature a new "Swimming-in-Paint" award winner. The "WOW" painting will also be displayed during the bi-monthly Crossroads opening. Plus, the whole gallery will be dedicated to a month long "December Swimming-in-Paint Exhibit"

The Team Member "WOW" award of the month is Mary Claire Coster for her (9) Iris paintings. Congratulations to Mary Claire for a stunning months work! It's hard to pick a favorite. Mary Claire's Irises look equally wonderful at 30 feet as they do up close and personal.....:=)

COACH'S “WOW” AWARD WINNER

RED IRIS 20x16 oil on linen by Mary Claire Coster

MARY CLAIRE’S MONTHS WORTH OF PAINTINGS

 

 

Mary Claire hard at work on her final 36x36 linen canvas

End of 2nd day

 

Mary Clare's 36x36 is well on its way to the finish line at home.

February Swimming-in-Paint intro

FEBRUARY TEAM CHAT

This weekend we start up again with a new team. The January team launched our sea trials for the new weekend (5 session) single subject workshop covering the full month. As coach, I want to help encourage and develop a structured learning process that is a bit more focused and directed to improve skills either in a classroom setting or home alone. 

Everyone who reads my blog knows I'm a firm believer of working on one painting and one concept at a time. When the energy is gone...move on! With me, a daily painter, that means a subject change (subject rotation), a simple move, a fresh start that keeps the energy going.

The first (3) weeks, including any homework (encouraged) is done on a Centurion oil linen pad (10 sheets per pad) size of your choosing. Recommended size 20x16 - inexpensive, easily stored and stretchable if worthy. The final work is on a stretched linen canvas, again your choice of size. The intent, complete the project over the last (2) day weekend and move on to a fresh idea. Perhaps adapting the process to your personal life, repeat the process.....perhaps forever.....always with the optimism of perpetual improvement.

Learn to continually step back, view your work objectively for clues to the next move until scale/composition, punctuation (light and shadow) feels right. Up close paint marks may feel abstract or very refined, regardless, here is where paint quality, brushwork, lost and found edges count most. An overcooked painting won't show at 30 feet... it will up close and personal! Painters quicksand.......may look nice up close and personal and be a turd at 30 feet! Learn to respect what 30 feet tells you regardless of what you see up close. A good painting reads at any distance, in any light, regardless of size!

Homework, one thing implied in the class overview happily did start developing, basically dedicating your home easel time too. Keeping your focus on the project during the week at home, is a very important component to the single subject workshop success.  

The last day everyone will view all their work done over the month and chat a bit about it before leaving.

BTW....might be a good idea to start numbering your canvas sooner than later..:=) I recommend numbering each canvas in sequential order to review your progress....not to mention the value of tracking your work history.