- As a painter, I make a better quilter.
- Big white canvases scare me.
- Being the only beginner in a 3-student class is very intimidating.
- Painting is hard work.
- I can not create with someone standing behind me watching.
- I can survive 3 hours a week of humiliation and still go back for more.
- Let your brush do the work.
- Painting with a palette knife can be a liberating experience.
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| My instructor really liked this still life of random objects that I did with a palette knife on day 3. He told me that I wasn't experienced enough yet to understand some of the good things happening in this painting. I'm still confused. |
- I babble and giggle when I'm nervous.
- I don't know who my influences are.
- Other painters are nice enough not to laugh at your creative missteps.
- If I could do it again, I would take more Studio Art and Art History classes in college.
- People can tell by your brush strokes if you are confident. I shudder to think what my brush strokes say about me.
- Don't get too precious about your work.
- Don't think, just paint.
- Mixing paint to make the color brown is tough.
- Every painting has the color brown in it.
- Buy brown paint.
Midway through the 6 weeks, I realized that, sadly, I don't appear to have a hidden talent for painting. There were moments when I mixed a color I liked or accidentally made an effective brush stroke, but I think painting, like any other worthy endeavor, takes a lot of practice. With three kids, a busy life, and my little quilting habit, it may take me a long, long time to become a better painter -- not to mention, I'd still like to try rug-hooking, stained glass, the piano... But I'm still happy I took the class. There may not be enough time in my life to be good at everything, but hopefully there will be plenty of time to try it all. The medium and the end result don't really matter as long as you keep on creating.
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| This, at least, is recognizable, but I still have to add the wick. |