Monday, February 22, 2010

Diving In!

Aimone Art Workshop Atlantic Center for the Arts

I hope you can see the energy and excitement coming through this photo.  I truly "dove in" to the unknown and took a risk to step out of my comfort zone and began to learn a new medium and manner in which I paint.  Steve Aimone was the coach for this week-long intensive workshop where 15 artists came together in a beautifully natural setting to just let go and paint!  There were limited directed challenges and none of my pieces are really "finished".  These are all beginnings in which we were absorbed in the language of abstraction and non-objective compositions, putting the lines and shapes on the paper with great energy and emotion.

We took part in critiques and dialogue about line, form, abstraction, non-objectivism, automatic drawing, and composite still life.  We had evening DVD's featuring several known abstract expressionists and I was introduced to some I had not known.

It was an "in the moment" experience for me; I left my laptop at home and seldom used my cell phone--never looked at my calendar.   I went with no expectations and came home full of excitement and energy and a new liberty in painting.  We shall see where it goes from here, but I can almost guarantee my art-making will never be the same.  The integration of these techniques with my present work will emerge over time.  I'm in no hurry to produce work "for someone or something".  I'm ready to just enjoy the process and learn all I can by doing what comes naturally.  However, I may eventually need to change my artist statement to reflect possible changes.

I believe my times of quiet and contemplation in the weeks leading up to this workshop contributed to my enjoying it to its highest.  It was a spiritual and worshipful experience for me being in the moment.

Check out aimoneartservices.com for further information on Steve's workshops.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoy reading your blog so much. Thank you for sharing your heart, your energetic & delightful descriptions of how your walk with the Lord impacts your art. It is truly inspirational!

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  2. Thanks so much, Beth, for your comments. I appreciate that you visited. I'm still struggling to keep this a regular posting, but I hope to get more comfortable and consistent! blessings.

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