Just by Doing

I had been wait-listed for the Golden Artist's workshop "Not Your Mother's Acrylics" at the Arlington Center for the Arts.  But last Thursday, one place opened up. So Saturday I spent from 9-4  with  Adria Arch and  Patti Mollica, learning about Golden gels, grounds, and paints.

I discovered I loved things I thought I'd hate (honestly: pumice ground? Why?). Techniques that  sounded clumsy turned out to have rich potential. (Thank you, Jeanne Williamson, for bringing in your samples.) And  processes I'd found awkward turned out to be much more straightforward when you use the right supplies. Eye-opening. 

I had such a hoot I kept painting in my sketchbook between class assignments. 

After dinner I went to my studio and painted more. I am trying to take risks while calming down. I need to listen to the paint, to watch the color leave the brush, to learn what happens when colors and textures combine.

When I paint I feel frustrated,  awkward. At the same time, I feel high as a kite. I feel like I'm coming home. 

Poet Audre Lorde said,  "You get there just by doing. Your job is to keep your hand moving." Maybe I can get to the art supply store before the next storm blows in.