expressive florals

Florals class re-cap

E X P R E S S I V E F L O R A L S 2022

My Expressive Florals summer workshop included a week of 3-hour sessions painting together in the Drawing studio at Bemis School of Art. A small group of artists gathered daily to learn new techniques, explore the tried and true, move in new directions, and lean into their creativity. My approach centers on meeting the student where they are in their journey and help them progress. Take a look at the warmup exercises we did before painting on the canvas.

This is my demo painted on newsprint. First a coat of clear gesso, random drips of acrylic ink, water spritz, let it dry, then add lines. This is intended to help students loosen up and become familiar with floral subjects.

Here is a look at student work for the warmup exercise.

Students painting the finishing touches on their Expressive Florals

Painting expressively exudes happiness. By looking at these paintings you know what I mean. A dose of happiness is something we could all use these days. At least it is my sentiment, and when I look at these photographs I am reminded of each student, their eagerness to learn, their hard work, and focus. From beginner to the more experienced painter, there is always a takeaway from a workshop. First and foremost, I encourage leaning into your style. The way you load the brush, lay it on the canvas, mix colors, experiment, and the images you are interested in painting, are all unique to an artist. The photos I have shared tell the story completely. Each artist has a unique style and taking a workshop opens the door to honoring your creative intuition and learning to trust those instincts.

It was my pleasure to spend a week with this group of students. They exceled in every way!

A painting by Rose, workshop student.

Quote to ponder

A friend shared this quote with me, she said…”All you” I sure hope so!

As creatives…. let’s live this way.

Floral Workshop Re-cap

E X P R E S S I V E A N D B E A U T I F U L

We just finished my Expressive florals workshop and it was filled with talented and creative students. Take a look at their work and see how creative intuition takes center stage throughout the process.

In this painting, the clear tar gel application is visible as a first layer, see the swirls behind the lilies? On the first day I like to warm up with acrylic inks dropped onto gesso coated newsprint. The organic shapes are then transformed into blossoms, and one section is abstracted.

This artist used stencils in a fresh and creative way. If you look closely you can see a layer of stencil design in the background.

Artists at work in the Bemis studios…painting F L O W E R S.

Works in progress…whenever I take a workshop, my paintings are never complete at the end. There is a lot to learn and experience. Sometimes the finishing touches come at home. These paintings are well on their way, full of vibrant color, and great shapes.

Kudos to this amazing group of ladies who learned new techniques, created beautiful paintings and moved forward on their creative journey. It was my pleasure to spend the week with you and I hope our paths cross again one day.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Expressive Florals, a workshop for the beginner or advanced artist at Bemis Art School. “What lies behind, what lies ahead, are tiny matters compared to lies within.” Emerson

My heart is about helping you tap into and discover your creative intuition, that which lies within. Once it starts to happen, your whole world takes on a new glow. And as my 86 year old father wisely says, “when you are green, you are growing..” Let’s keep growing together. When you take a class at Bemis with other students, in the historic studios which have been around for over 75 years, it is truly a special experience. Hope to see you in class one day.

Blooms at Bemis

Expressive Florals at Bemis

Expressive floral painting is all about discovery. Letting your creative intuition lead the way and learning to trust the path. This painting was done by an experienced artist and the focus was painting with a palette knife. It was a new pursuit and look at his success! We started with a layer of clear tar gel and beaded gel medium, by Golden, dribbled and scraped across the canvas. Using clear tar gel medium is one of my signature starting points as an instructor and the outcome is always successful. It brings a subtle element of texture to the painting. The added beaded gel medium by the artist was stunning on this floral painting!

The clear tar gel is easily seen in this photograph and it added a layer of interest to a lovely painting. The application is unplanned, random, and free flowing. After seeing the great results of adding the medium, this student said she would like to add more clear tar gel to her canvas next time. Sometimes taking a risk, moves an artist in a new direction and the process opens a door to new sparks of creativity.

It is a privilege to be on staff at Bemis teaching art! The joy is overwhelming and I am so grateful for this opportunity. And now with the Colorado College alliance, it is a top tier venue in all aspects. My students are talented and creative, with an eagerness to learn and push their art in new directions. Sometimes we just need to trust that still small voice that says, “This might work…what if I try it?… YES!” It is all about fine tuning our creative instincts and honing this skill is a life long process.

No matter ones age or background, artful expression brings a unique experience to life. The time melts away during class, and before we know it, two hours have flown by. It is such a gift to ourselves to slip some creative time into our busy lives which are full of obligation and domestic chores. Making time for art in any form whether it is as a maker, or an observer never comes back void. Life is richer because of the experience!

“Nobody sees a flower-really-it is so small it takes time-we haven’t time- and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” Georgia O’Keeffe

Making time to paint…opening our eyes to see the beauty in a flower…letting our creative intuition be the guide…holding a brush…finding just the right color…stroking the paint on a canvas…seeing the image unfold…tweaking, highlighting, darkening, pushing ourselves and our art in new ways. We are never done, we are always on the climb, looking for new vistas, navigating the frustrations and rewards, each time reaching a different level. THIS is living a creative life!!! Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment and share your thoughts about the creative journey. I would love to hear from you. We learn and grow from one another. Cheers…hope to see you in class one day!

Expressive Florals Re-Cap

Student work from my Expressive Florals class. Close up of blossoms painted with bold brush strokes, and texture.

The first layer was clear tar gel, applied loosely across a blank white canvas. You can see slight traces of it in this photograph of a student’s painting.

I taught the class in the painting studio of the historical Bemis Art School at the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. You can see the top of the FAC in the window. Lots of space, individual easels and natural light made for the perfect setting.

Before we start painting, several weeks are spent warming up to the shapes of blossoms. This exercise was done in an art journal; layers of text, paint glazing, patterned tissues and then completed by painting a flower as the finishing touch.

Each student has a personal style. As an instructor I aim to encourage discovery and allow a student to develop their unique creative expression. Each of us is wired with creative intuition, we just need to learn to trust it. This only occurs by actively engaging our creative muscle. My class, Expressive Florals is a safe place for students to discover their creative language. It does take time, but just look at these amazing paintings, some students had never painted before! When there is no pressure, or focus on perfection, we find our natural FLOW. And when we move out of our comfort zone…that is when the magic happens.

Text can create a lovely layer in an expressive floral painting. Take a look at what his student created. She hand wrote meaningful words on a piece of thin drafting paper and added it as a layer. It was a beautiful and bold addition to her painting.

To start with a blank canvas can be intimidating no matter how long you have been painting. With the first layer of tar gel, then a light blue grey underpainting, the canvas is no longer blank. We also add big blocks of neutral color, and then sketch the blossom image with charcoal on the canvas. This helps break the ice and eases the pressure of beginning the painting. Also several weeks of fun and useful warm up exercises in the art journal help set the stage for a successful painting.

Pushing and pulling color is part of the process. In other words, darkening and lightening areas to create pops of color. Expressive painting is a “loose” process, quite different than a botanical painting or the wonderful floral still life paintings of the Dutch Masters. In my class we paint from photographs, and also I bring in fresh flowers for inspiration. We are not trying to paint every nuance of the blossom in Expressive Florals. It is more about expression, brush strokes that come natural and interpreting the blossom in a personal way.

Stencils….yes! I love to encourage the use of stencils, a serendipitous layer that adds interest but does not detract from the florals.

My demo painting from a magazine photograph.

Please join me for Expressive Florals (A 41). Next class starts 3/1/18 to 4/12/18, Thursdays, 10-12pm. Register at Bemis Art School at Fine Arts Center at Colorado College.

coloradocollege.edu/fac

Bemis@coloradocollege.edu

Hope to see you in class!!! And even if you have taken it already, come back again, there is always a new expression waiting to be discovered.