Grandidea

A Beginning

I always thought I would be an artist. But when I got to junior high school, choir and orchestra were scheduled for the same period as art. I never took it. I sang, played viola, ran track--by high school, I thought I would be a paleontologist, biologist, maybe a doctor. The only art class to fit my schedule was jewelry making.I stopped playing viola,trying to play guitar, sang madrigals, had begun writing. I concentrated on writing papers and pre-goth poetry. Went to Gustavus majored in science, changed my mind, science and education, changed my mind, art and writing, changed schools. Graduated with far too many credits from the University of Minnesota with Bachelor of Science, in Advertising and Design. Along the way I took some great life drawing classes, design courses and sculpture. Then worked as an advertising copywriter on a typewriter! Later worked in PR and communications. Moved to Venezuela, wrote for local economics and business press. Moved to Canada, worked in advertising, then marketing, then in fundraising. Got married to a handsome Canadian, had three beautiful babies and started painting.

I finally remembered painting was what I always wanted to do.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

I've been away from my brush. Madly taking classes to get back into the mood and into the groove. It finally clicked and I have built three paintings in four days. I'm frustrated with the surfaces. The change of thin to thick paint just happens to me, I don't plan it. I need to figure out how. Fun class on portraits with Klaas Hart: did a colorful rendition of Jeffrey, our model. I'm thinking maybe I should try a few landscapes again...