My Wednesday surprise arrived right on time...
C. is in da house!
Taking another break from her school schedule, and fulfilling her need for some mountain air.
She's here in time to see the last of the autumn colors, which also captivated me a day or so ago in my own front yard.
The big leaf maple tree decided to denude itself suddenly.
No nearby surfaces were safe from the fallout...
It isn't called big leaf maple for nothing... though this is nowhere near the largest one I have ever seen.
Anyway, when C. was here last, if you recall, I got out my watercolors and paper and let her play with them. I think the experience struck some kind of creative nerve she didn't even know she had.
She returned with an arsenal of watercolor supplies and techniques that she has learned and practiced. We set ourselves up at the kitchen table and started in playing with her brand new tube paints.
I decided to try painting a picture of blueberries that I found on the internet.
She handed me a sample piece of premium watercolor paper, and I set to. That's my corner there with all the blues.... I was astonished at the difference good paper and paints made in what I was working on. Then at a certain point, when I was deep in my painting, she casually handed me this huge brush. I was in a bit of a creative daze at that moment and just dipped it in the paint and gave it a try.
It was like a revelation! I've seen videos of artists using larger brushes and thought it looked scary and foolhardy.
Turns out I don't know jack about fools.
Except maybe that I am one from time to time.
This was the end result:
Here is what I learned....
NEVER underestimate the value of good materials and tools!
This is a game changer for me. I have a few purchases to make.
Amazon will be so happy......
I teased C. and told her that when she was here, I gave her a mustard seed and she came back with.... and she finished the sentence.... Dijon mustard! :-)
Which is just a perfect metaphor. Now SHE is teaching ME.
This is made of so much awesome I can hardly handle it!
I have the COOLEST friends EVER!!!
No nearby surfaces were safe from the fallout...
It isn't called big leaf maple for nothing... though this is nowhere near the largest one I have ever seen.
Anyway, when C. was here last, if you recall, I got out my watercolors and paper and let her play with them. I think the experience struck some kind of creative nerve she didn't even know she had.
She returned with an arsenal of watercolor supplies and techniques that she has learned and practiced. We set ourselves up at the kitchen table and started in playing with her brand new tube paints.
I decided to try painting a picture of blueberries that I found on the internet.
She handed me a sample piece of premium watercolor paper, and I set to. That's my corner there with all the blues.... I was astonished at the difference good paper and paints made in what I was working on. Then at a certain point, when I was deep in my painting, she casually handed me this huge brush. I was in a bit of a creative daze at that moment and just dipped it in the paint and gave it a try.
It was like a revelation! I've seen videos of artists using larger brushes and thought it looked scary and foolhardy.
Turns out I don't know jack about fools.
Except maybe that I am one from time to time.
This was the end result:
Here is what I learned....
NEVER underestimate the value of good materials and tools!
This is a game changer for me. I have a few purchases to make.
Amazon will be so happy......
I teased C. and told her that when she was here, I gave her a mustard seed and she came back with.... and she finished the sentence.... Dijon mustard! :-)
Which is just a perfect metaphor. Now SHE is teaching ME.
This is made of so much awesome I can hardly handle it!
I have the COOLEST friends EVER!!!