I must admit that everytime I type the name of my workshop, I change it slightly. For awhile it was Sr. Illustrata's Journal, then somehow morphed in my mind to Sr. Illuminata and sometimes it's Artistic Miracles and sometimes not.
But whatever I call it, the point is that it is a big, hefty, luscious, juicy, ripe peach of a book that my students cannot wait to paint, embellish, emboss, gild, and collage. I'm itching to paint right now just writing about it.
Aren't these beautiful? They are all so different and reflect the personalities of their creators.
My favorite part of a class is when the students gather and talk about their inspiration for the work, the backstory of why they chose this particular class and what they are trying to express. These words are always so tender and so very hard to articulate aloud to a roomful of strangers, but I've never had a class where anyone hasn't received full affirmation both for the idea and for the courage of the person who often is "coming out" as an artist for the first time.
I could not get enough of the luscious colors that everyone was choosing. This is a page in Kathy's book about the lake house that her grandparents owned when she was a child.
Is it just a coincidence or were the students influencing each other's color selections?
The most exciting part is watching the imagery emerge as the artists work through their themes.
And this class was filled with a lot of sharing of stories, laughter, and artists helping artists, and women supporting each other in their dreams.
Even the inside covers of the books were embellished and painted, with beautiful embossed paper that Kathy donated to the class.
Everyone learned the joy of Quinacridone Nickel Gold!
As a teacher, I always believe that I am an educator and a facilitator. I can show techniques, discuss style, critique composition, but there is always that indefinable je ne said quoi that you hope to both instill in and draw out of the student that melds their mind, heart, and hands together to produce work that they were intended to do, but didn't know before they walked in the classroom door. Here, it was the random placecard with the number "6" that I put at this seat as a bit of ephemera that inspired the theme of her book, starting wtih this rich, tactile, gorgeous collage.
It's hard work, this business of creating. I am very conscious of the student experience, starting with hauling all your "stuff" on planes, trains, and automobiles; justifying the expense; arranging for coverage at home and work; and then just getting into the classroom and settling down and facing the blank page while everyone looks over each other's shoulders.
But sometime mid-morning of the first day, everyone buckles down and begins to work and the room grows quiet as hands become busy and you can feel the shoulders loosening, and the faces relaxing, and the conscious mind slipping into neutral as brushes dip into gel medium and paint.
Everyone gets comfortable and finds their space.
And the miracles begin!
And look at all these happy artists and one (goofy) teacher! These ladies were so eager to learn and to travel the journey of Sr. Illuminata. They really embraced the concept of releasing the artist within from the confines of their "cloistered" lives.
I enjoyed teaching this class so much that I am offering it again in March in Danbury, only this time it will be three days - there are a lot of spreads we didn't get to!
Thank you, ladies, for a wonderful weekend and don't forget that all you promised to send me scans as you complete your books!
