teaching kids

A few weeks ago, a friend of a friend, asked me if I would come in and teach her grade one class some art? Of course, how much fun is that? Well, it was LOTS of fun.

The teacher had just been given some easels that her father had made and she was thinking that her class could go outside and use them.

Being spring, there are trees everywhere full of beautiful green foliage - still so amazing after the winter barren that we get for so long here in Saskatchewan.

So, what I did was take in a bunch of pictures of paintings of trees - to show the kids that trees doing have to be brown and green - hey, they dont even need to look like trees!!




These are two of my favourite pics - especially this second one by Gustav Klimt. LOVE it. Anyway, I was soooo excited to see the stuff that the kids made.



But what blew my mind is this one by this amazing little guy.



I cant tell you how amazing it is to have presented this artwork to these kids and for them to have seen that trees dont have to be straight or brown with green on top. And perhaps that will brew away in their little brains and they will think that you dont need to follow convention in art - hey, you dont really need to follow it in life.

What feels right to you? What makes you feel good? What do you like?

As for me, I LOVE TREES!

trees!

If you look back you will see my post about the dark moon tree. The sketch that I drew in the dark. Well, I was hooked on that image of the tree enveloping the earth, protecting it, carrying it = and I wanted to draw it again. This time with lots of lines and details.



This is the work so far - all without leaves. I have always drawn the bare limbs of winter trees - I dont know why. Easier perhaps? Anyway, this one now has leaves on it = in an abstract way that lends itself to the ink pens I'm using.

I might try this tree again - with more detail on the leaves... we will see. But first of all .. this one. I'm really loving this tree.

Enjoy.

my little exhibition

This is me at my little exhibition. I was a bit embaressed to bring my honking big slr camera but my dear friend Mandy snapped this with her phone. ahh, where would we be without the cell phone? Anyway, ta daaaa. Here it is, hanging on a wall!!

And now, it is at my place... will have to find a hook strong enough to hold it up!

now, off to watch the hockey!!

another little ditti

This Friday is my first art exhibition. Well, there was that one when I was a kid. The Dandenong Art show - I remember a certificate and going to see my art on the wall in a large gym somewhere. I had done a pastel piece and someone had touched it and then rubbed their dirty finger on the matt frame. Lovely!!!

The pieces for this exhibition are framed though. Phew.


The first one is my long chakra piece. It is massive now that it is under glass.

The second piece I entered into the exhibition was this one:


But after spending all my cashola framing the big bertha up there, there was no way that I was going to be able to frame this one as well. I know Monika, you are soooo right. Find the frames first.

So, I took that advice and nicked a frame from one of my kids photos and painted this little number. I am so enamoured with the sap green colour of spring - the same colour my beloved tree ferns are. It always inspires me to paint the heart chakra. And then there is that, who cant love the heart chakra?



So, this is Anahata, the second piece going into the show.


Dont you love that green?

And for those of you in Saskatoon - Friday and Saturday at the Refinery.

See you there!!

Love.

painting in the dark

The other night, the night of the dark moon, I took up the call to paint in the dark. A friend of mine (my elvish friend who I have painted for before) was calling people to paint in the dark to see what would arrive without the direction of light.

I crawled into bed with my sketch book in hand and my ink pens and some coloured pencils. I chose six colours from the chakras.. but was sure that most of what appeared would be the explorations with that ink.

This is what became...



I had been thinking of drawing a tree all week as we got ready for the night to arrive. But I didnt want to influence what came out - I love to draw trees and have done so for years. I have my way of drawing them - I didnt know if this would help or hinder the process.


Anyway, I sat in bed, turned the light off and closed my eyes. I let go of my intentions and opened up to the dark moon and let what wanted to come, appear on the page.

Funny enough, a tree did arrive.. so I let it become. What was new to my idea was the way the roots went downwards to envelop and cradle the earth.



I turned the light on when I was done, and fell in love with the image. It is haphazard and so much more about the process for me, but it inspired.

This is the sketch that I drew last night with my waking eyes - still seeing the image that inspired the first piece.


And this piece ... well, I adore. It will become more I am sure.


A larger detailed sketch with every leaf and all the shading. I cant wait. I can see it now before my eyes.. just waiting. You know, for all of that uninterupted time that a mother of three gets!!


lol.

have a beautiful if not cold, day.

Namaste