Some drawings of musicians

Here are a few quick drawings from yesterday. Some musicians. I keep an A5 visual diary in my camera bag and used that more than the camera.

Art Therapy workshop

Why is it so difficult sometimes to just get into the studio and paint? It's so easy to let other stuff get in the way. I let other things get in the way as a way of procrastinating. I let too many things get in the way of my art. This or that has to be done before I can go in the studio... the phone rings... I can't find an idea... missing some material... excuses excuses.


Yesterday I attended a workshop run by an art therapist. This is the blurb:

'Processing Through Collage' will be presented by Janice Higgison. Janice is a very experienced tutor based in Tauranga. This practical workshop will use collage to create a timeline of life, tell a story, create a snapshot that reflects aspects of present life. or simply explore the process of selecting image and creating a new whole.

We created works that represented ourselves, and then how/what we want to be (goals...). The first work was to be 3D, the second could be flat or 3D. Was an interesting process and one that gave me some insight into how I might work some of my ideas into abstraction. Clearly I get bogged down in details because I like the small things. After we'd created our works we discussed them and this clarified not only the process but choices we'd made and standing back to look at my work I could see how those small details I'd put in, while important in the concept of the thing, did not need to be seen in the final idea presented. Hmm, I wonder if that makes sense. I'd made a 3D object full of little things but standing back to look there were three parts of the construction which stood out clearly and I could see how in my painting I can use this process to abstract key ideas and leave the details behind.

Long time no post

It's been weeks. I had the flu, then a few days respite, and then the flu again. Really laid low so haven't got any painting done, and I need to get on with it. I've missed the deadline for an art show because of this, and have a couple of commitments later in the year in which I want to participate so this has to change!

I did work up a few boards, priming and starting to apply paint but find I prefer canvas. It seems to "give" and be more accepting of what I want to do. There's a sense of working with the surface, whereas the board is unyielding and feels resistant.

Took my camera to a music club evening and took a lot of shots. The digital SLR has to be held up to the eye to focus, and I wasn't too keen to do that a lot - I was in a restaurant with lots of people around me, and I hadn't told the musicians I was taking photographs that night. A lot of the time I just sat the camera on the table and clicked away. Here are a couple that I've tinkered with on the computer, not fantastic but I don't post people's faces without their permission. It was a learning experience, photographing in low light (no tripod!).