Friday, November 20, 2015




often you do not realize you have a particular style,

a unique way of inhabiting this world, a manner

of applying paint until you attend a class or workshop

where the instructor has a different way of 

approaching things.  that is what happened when

i took katie kendrick's layers of movement class at

studio creshendoh.   


katie does not approach a canvas with a

subject matter.  she might use a reference image as a starting 

point but other that using a few lines from that image will abandon

it altogether and take her next que from the paint itself.  she works

in small sections applying paint, looking at the transitions between the

colors and lines and then moves to another small section.  at a point she

will stand back a distance to see what is forming, still unaware of a direction 

for the whole piece.   i feel katie has an innate trust in the process.  she stays 

with it until she feels it is complete.  


i found that while i often start a piece without a  subject in mind, 

i work on the canvas as a whole, not in small sections.  i didn't

know this about myself until this workshop.  i thoroughly enjoyed

experimenting with this and found it freeing and allowed me to focus intensely

in the section i worked.  normally, i freely apply paint and focus at the end

when an image or subject appears.   


i am grateful and admire art instructors 

who have the ability to teach what they do.


do you attend art workshops?  do you find them of value?  how do you

stretch your skills?


i am posting today with my creative friends 





24 comments:

  1. Nope... whatever i do is allll me....lol Hugs! deb

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  2. Hello Irene,
    this is a wonderful and very expressive picture what you have done in the new style but I like your own or old style as well and I like your drawings and sketches. Ok I like all :)
    And to your question: I like to learn by myself and from books and learning by doing more because I love calm when I'm painting and worshops are often very loud and a lot of people can talk and paint at the same time and I can't that at all.
    Have a nice weekend
    Beo

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  3. First this is a wonderful painting and I love seeing you with it. Learning who we are as artists never ends does it. I would love to attend some work shops but they are not readily available here.
    Have a wonderful weekend

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  4. a beautiful painting Irene. Not easy for me to take in person classes and so I learn through books and online classes along with connections to so many inspiring artists on blogs. You look so happy -glad it was such an inspiring class for you!

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  5. Beautiful work, and I love the idea of trying new techniques. I never get the chance to attend workshops, but experiment a lot alone. Have a good weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Hello Valerie, Experimenting along is sometimes the most important and most fun! Thank you for visiting. xo irene

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  6. Love that picture! Very interesting technique to just work in small sections. I'm like you: working on the whole canvas until I see something emerging. I love doing workshops, online as well as in person. I always get so much inspiration from watching other people create and play and being surrounded by people who "get me" ;-)

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  7. what an interesting concept, working on little areas and developing them. i love workshops.... life is for learning!!

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    1. working in small areas helped me to focus in a different way and let go of thinking of the outcome. really, you are looking at color and texture. i found it freeing in many ways. thank you for visiting, moray.

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  8. Always fun to be in a class with you Irene, as you know I am a fan, and this was another great workshop. Always learning, right?

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    1. yes, we continue to learn and i love being in your creative space, jacki.

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  9. It is so interesting to see other people's styles. What fun you must have had in the class. I loved reading your post- it was quite insightful.

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    1. hello erika, seeing other people's styles and approaches helps to expand my own and gets me out of my out comfort zone. i love it!. thank you for your lovely words about my post. ~~ irene

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  10. Your new techniques are looking pretty good Irene. Have a great week next week.

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    1. thank you, gloria. i hope you are feeling more comfortable on IG. it takes some time but i find it well worth it and a lot of fun. ~ irene

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  11. You are so correct. I often am surprised when someone mentions my "style" because I do not know that I have one..

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    1. hello faye, i definitely think you have a distinct style. i could pick your art out of a line up of artist's work. i am a fan and look forward to seeing your weekly posts. ~ irene

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  12. What an interesting post and a very interesting way of making art, one little bit at a time.
    A workshop has to have a very special teacher to be useful, I think. This one looks to be a marvellous one.

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  13. Wow wonderfully put Irene..I tend to watch things emerge from the paint unless I'm being contrived. Interesting that she only works in small sections! Your painting is lovely...I always love your style! I tend to watch youtube videos but even when I use the techniques I always revert back..

    Hugs Giggles

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    1. hello giggles, youtube videos for art techniques is a good idea. i must try it soon. thank you for you supportive words about my style and for visiting this week. ~~ irene

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