Z is for Zoom

It is the day before Thanksgiving and their is lots to do.

I have little time, but I am determined to be creative every day (for this challenge, cooking and decorating the table does not count.) So, last night I grabbed what was handy on my work table - pink construction paper (rough stuff) and my Caran D'ache.

 Since this is Z day, I was running Z ideas through my mind. I remembered learning to write a cursive z in 4th grade. I thought then, and still, that it was the most beautiful letter. So, I used Shaprie to write big swirling beautiful flowy Z's large and small in every direction. To add contrast, I threw in a few zig zag non cursive Z's as well. And a few more nice lines to break up the space.

I find that my favorite crayons are quite wonderful on the rough surface of this cheap paper - so I colored each shape to see what would appear. The texture really added to the effect.

This image came together so quickly that I had time to pop it into Photoshop to play. I think the abstract and vibrant results are a great way to close out the alphabet. Tomorrow, we begin again.

K is for Kitchen Art

Kitchen art, for me, usually refers to a bowl of fruit or teapots or other cozy images that suit my favorite room. This piece may work in someone's kitchen, but it was created in mine.

One of the techniques I revisit from time to time is monotype printing. I have modified the more traditional approaches I have learned in classes and books to meet the needs of my senior students. It is so easy and so fun that I do it for myself whenever the urge hits.

But, because this method involves water, and soaked paper and spoons and a rolling pin (!) I find I do this best in my kitchen on the big counter under the lights.

This piece began as a drawing in caran d'ache neocolor watersoluble crayons on acetate. It is printed on wet cotton paper 9x12.

 It is always interesting to discover which details transfer over, which ones get lost, and how the changes effect the overall piece.

C is for Creativity

 “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” ― Albert Einstein

Once again, Einstein has just the right words to express what I am thinking, and what I am doing in this challenge, in my studio and most of all, in my classes.

One of the biggest issues I confront in my senior classes (ages 73 - 102) is the oft repeated comment, "I'm no artist." Somewhere in their lives, so many (older) adults I meet have been convinced that they "can't even draw a straight line." As if that matters.

So I remind them, that art is not about straight lines (though they can be nice.) Art is not even about curved lines (though they definitely help.) It is not definitely not about getting everything right. So I bring them great art to look at. For the lesson I am writing about here, it was a slide show of images of Georgia O'Keeffe flowers.

I draw for them so that they see how it it done. I bring color and ideas, and I remind them every week that art is about fun and pleasure and experimentation. Art is NOT about perfection, or coloring neatly, or impressing anybody but yourself.


And then we make art -

The two flowers at left are my practice for a simplified lesson on Georgia O'Keeffe flowers - the idea was to fill the page and work large. We used Caran D'ache crayons on canvas board, and outlined with sharpie to make it easier for some of my older students to see clearly. After we colored, we used water to create a painted effect.

But creativity IS contagious. When I got home, I had the urge to continue playing with these large flowers, but to add lines with my well loved set of Prismacolor markers. The flowers at the top are just one of the pieces that resulted. This was so much fun, I did it again the next day, but this time, with my Young Artists. More about them later.