It might be that I structure my week with just enough variety that I don’t have to watch paint dry. How did you do this week — any creative breakthroughs?

There’s nothing like watching an instructional video for the third time, having left too long between viewings! I have finally finished lesson 2 of my online watercolor class, and will be happy to move on from variations on the color wheel. But it’s certainly good practice to start there, as a comparison to other media I’ve tried, and eventually loved.

While I enjoy digging into a topic, and try to find at least one workshop a year, I do have lots of other places I learn from. Here’s one, from Judy Woods, who paints freely and abstractly. Another is interviews with creatives that appear weekly: The Creative Independent. So many options out there, published, or just from conversations! Where do you find tidbits for creative input?

Viewing

I try to track exhibits I want to catch, but I don’t always make it by the closing date. Here’s one I did, at Or Gallery: The Seventh by KWÍKWI (Lauren Brevner and James Nexw’Kalus-Xwalacktun Harry).

The way the pair of artists combined their visions and honoured their respective cultures was beautiful.

But I still missed a few, including openings I could have made — arrghh!! I need to think about how an idea becomes an actual appointment on the calendar, rather than just an intention. I don’t like leaving everything til the last minute. How do you manage events that span days and weeks?

Meetings & Making

A particularly fruitful session of a bi-weekly art group had us contemplating what our daily practice looks like, and how much it needs to adhere to a schedule. Is the daily part important? What about making art? How wide an umbrella of activities does that cover? How much schedule, regularity, and variety do you need? Any time I talk to other artists, I get such a wide range of options & possibilities — I love it!

And once again, SLMM studio hours helped me putter through several options in developing my Aerials series.

I feel like I might be getting a richer sense of depth as the layers combine. I’m also thinking about balance in the palette so that one hue becomes the majority or default, allowing the others to shine better. Or, that’s the thought, at least! How was your creative week?

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