Today the air conditioning was still in a struggling mode, there was a bomb threat at the downtown courthouse, and finally a very suspicious package delivered to one of our lawyers on the square. With all the commotion and confusion on the square...the fire departments, sheriff and police departments plus homeland security professionals were all on special duty in the heat. Luckily nothing dangerous was found and the persons went home early so we had a very quiet afternoon in my steamy studio. I worked with a simply wonderful young artist who brought in a painting she previously had started in another program...and yet the colors appeared to be flat and well she was not satisfied. The composition was good and the subject was a bird in the branches on a grey day. We worked with watercolor pencils to make a study of a feather ... I had found several samples from a past issue of National Geographic magazine to choose from. Rachel has a delicate touch and a strong focus and I have to say her sketch gave her the skills she needed to transfer her marks to her brush strokes. She mixed the colors to add dimension to the subject ; the bird from her memory. Then I asked her if she felt brave today and she assured me she wanted to try to liven up the sky line and tree bark with further development of designs with tissue collage. Painting with bits of paper in a free flowing manner ...which she seemed to really enjoy this process. Then she added a luminous shimmer to this mixed media with iridescence to add the reflective quality she was working for. All in all two hours later ...despite the heat and humidity Rachel had transformed her painting. She is visiting her grand parents in Houston, TX next week so I asked her to check out the Houston Center fro Crafts and Arts and their wonderful museum if at all possible during her stay. I have a young man tomorrow and well just wait and see what we have planned!!! Enjoy Rachel's wonderful process and progress. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart
p.s. Cassidy Limbach has a very colorful exhibit in mixed media canvases in the central gallery...check it out if you are downtown.
Love the tissue collage at the top. That young gal certainly brought some sparkle to that painting! Fauvism, yes, my desire is to be a wild beast, or maybe it's just the five wild beasts with fur that live in my house! LOL...xox Corrine
ReplyDeleteThe collage is a creation piece I am creating for a young couple who are getting married on Saturday. I will prepare their centerpieces for their rehearsal dinner on Friday with a theme of pink roses and blooming greenery ...wish me luck in the heat of the afternoon. Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart
ReplyDeleteMary Helen, thank you for your prayers and continued concern. Nothing was accomplished yesterday...a continuance and a change of venue since the child resides in TX, so we're back at square one, but Dana is strong and has many friends and unfortunately, just my honey and me to represent her family, since her maternal family are supporting the other side. 500 years ago that woman would have been burned to the stake!! How such evil and hatred can prevail from a mother to child...hard for me to wrap my head around that.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful and hopefully cooler weekend.
xxxooo,
Georgina
Also love that tissue collage, and of course, as always the smiles!
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic artwork! I love the tissue collage! It's fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThe bird (which was just terrific to begin with) was given life with your help! Love the feather also!Great work!
Mary Helen, what a testament to you as a teacher! What a lovely feather as well. Makes me want to get out some watercolors and colored pencils, oh and some tissue paper too!
ReplyDeletewhat a lot of chaos going on around you, bless you for keeping it all together and what a great teacher you are!
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