Find Your Joy Taster Course with Louise Fletcher

I've begun the Find Your Joy Taster Course -- a free online class offered by abstract landscape artist, Louise Fletcher.  The assignments are exciting to do, and they uncover so much within me -- what I like, what I don't like, how I feel about failure, why I paint.  

The instructions for the painting above were to take a 22" x 30" sheet of heavy paper, tape off the edges and tape off 6 "windows," and then paint as if the whole paper was your canvas.  For our palette, we were to choose one each red, yellow & blue plus black and white.  Then we were instructed to set a timer for 30 minutes and paint what felt good.  If it didn't feel viscerally good & make us happy, we were to stop and choose some other approach.  

Louise said to act like Kindergarten children and simply play with the paint.  Let go.

I gessoed up my sheet of illustration board, squirted out some paints, and let loose.

Holy cow!  The experience felt fully engaging, empowering & joyful.  I loved the sensation of swirling the brush thick with paint over the illustration board.  Bright color contrasts and quick scraping back with the brush handle felt natural and expressive. I fell in love with this form of painting.

I recommend that you check out Louise's YouTube page here and her website here.  Watching her YouTube videos has helped me shape my own art.  Maybe it will help you too.

New Classes for the New Year -- Welcome 2021!

I think we're all ready to turn the calendar page to January and say goodbye to 2020!  Why not add some creativity to your new year?  Join me for these online and in person classes offered through the Community College of Beaver County, in Monaca, PA.

You can read more about them online here: https://www.ccbc.edu/arts

Live Online Class:

New! Introduction to Drawing via Zoom

Start off the new year by learning a new skill and develop your ability to draw in this guided class. Instructor Betsy Bangley will lead you through a series of activities designed to help you learn how to capture the world around you with a pencil on paper.

Play with art materials to find out how to make a variety of shades and line types, move on to sketching everyday objects, and build up to exploring perspective and textures. Discover a new way to express yourself and embark on an art adventure! 

Upon registration you will receive a Zoom link and list of materials.  Your email address must be included upon registration. 

Date: Mondays, April 19th – May 10th, 2021

Cost: $64 + $10 Lab 

Sessions: 4/Hours: 12

Time: 6-9PM 

Room: Zoom Online

Code: ARTS01603

In-Person Classes at the Monaca CCBC Campus:

New! Pastel Landscapes
Capture the fresh drawings of spring through pastel painting with instructor Betsy Bangley. You will be surprised how quickly you can lay down the colors of spring on a small landscape painting. Learn how to mix, blend colors and practice laying out small landscapes. You will build up to creating vibrant landscapes outdoors, weather permitting.

There will be no class on April 3rd.

Date: Saturdays, March 27th - April 17th, 2021

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $59+ $15 Lab
Sessions: 3 Hours: 9
Room: VFC, 3007
Code: ARTS03401

NEW! Making Hand Stitched Books
Craft your own personalized journal or a book to give to someone special. Join instructor Betsy Bangley for a morning of unleashing your creativity.

Date: Monday, April 12th, 2021

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $33 + $13 Lab
Sessions: 1 Hours: 3
Room: VFC, 3007
Code: ARTS03301

Creating Calm Through Art Explorations
All human beings are artists. Discover your natural creativity to help create calm in your lives. No previous art experience is necessary! Play with watercolor paints, create vision boards, and give yourself permission to try new art explorations to see where it leads you. All materials provided.

Date: Saturdays, May 1st - 15th, 2021 

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $59 + $36 Lab
Sessions: 3 Hours: 9
Room: VFC, 3007
Code: ARTS03202

How to Register:

To Register, call CCBC at 724-480-3575.

OR

Copy and print the above registration form and mail it to:

CCBC Admissions & Registration

1 Campus Drive

Monaca, PA 15061

OR

 Register online here: https://my.ccbc.edu/ICS/Continuing_Education/

Happy, Healthy, Artful New Year!  

I hope to see you in one of these classes in 2021!

Collage Creations, Week One

I love the way that creating with collage opens up opportunities to mingle materials and images.  I once used to try to create "perfect" collages and artworks, but I have come to realize that getting in the neighborhood of "good" is far more productive and satisfying.  Yesterday, as I taught Collage Creations online, I spread out my materials and just let my eyes fall on interesting pieces to use -- postage stamps, book pages, maps, pressed plants, etc.  Later, I was happily surprised by connections I saw within my compositions, and it reinforced that I can trust my intuition.  That's the best thing about art for me - the after-effect of peaceful reverie and contentment.

Here are some collage post cards I created during class yesterday.