OK so you are on the street, you've got nothing to do. You try that gym you promised yourself for years to go to and it gets old real fast. The young kids mostly women getting out of the house and not many people your age but there is an old timers group and you're not interested at all so that one falls by the way side real soon. So what's next all those little projects that have crept into the household? You do one or two and there are so many more to do and always changes you want to make but the hell with that after a while. You need something to do that has some challenge.
Yep been there and when they had enough of me they put together a package and out the door I went without not so much as a thank you for all those years. So what? Happens all the time and you've seen it many times but to the other guys not you. You're too important to the company, well it happens you're not that important anymore. It's an interesting feeling like the tube just turned off and nothing you can do but walk away with your little box of junk.
Now what? Well for me I found something that has worked out rather well. It's a place to go everyday and there are nice people there; the art studio. This new thing is challenging even if you're good at drawing a straight line there is so much to know. You have to study this stuff and learn new things but best of all you have to produce something while you're at it.
Painting in oils is hard to do, sounds like a sixties song doesn't it. but man is is hard for me but that's the beauty of it, if it were easy then why bother. So I took a class in the local art studio, it's a little town bunch run by a great lady who works hard keeping the ball rolling. There are classes of a dozen or so people painting and learning how to paint, some good some real beginners like me who never held a paint brush before.
So you walk in the door just inquiring and finding out if there is an opening and there is. Tuesdays from 12:30 to 3:00...sure I can do that, why not give it a try. I had to buy charcoal sticks and a drawing board some erasers and some this or that. I hit the art store, spent a few bucks and got good stuff, yep Blick art supplies is the joint to go to. Been there many times since and even got one of those little key chain things too like for Dominic's or Jewel's.
Thus I began my study of art the next Tuesday, my pencil box full of charcoal sticks that snap like a pretzel should you bear down too hard. They put me on a little stool that held my drawing board showed me how to tone the paper and set up a model a statue of a naked lady no less. Hmmmm me thinks this might be embarrassing drawing boobs with a room full of ladies and oh yes there was one other guy painting and kind of smiling. I think he's been here drawing these same curves and shapes and thinking did I draw these things too big? Hmmm what did I get myself into.
OK I'm here, so draw the damn thing. I grabbed a piece of charcoal and hit the paper with it, Just a body no head no arms just a form but its at an odd angle. Ok so get the angle right measure it, transfer it to paper just a line. Then another angle, Hmm she showed me how to measure the figure... what did she say? Ok keep going. proportions, fit the paper just right and draw what you see. Well I did that one in two sessions and it came out kind of good, at least the instructor didn't make too many corrections. It actually did come out not too bad and they all kind of looked at me as the drawing had a little something. Hmm I guess I can do this and they seem to like the result.
That's how it started out for me, nervous as hell and embarrassed as hell too at the same time. Interesting, should I continue? and I did with a face this time another charcoal sketch some Greek God with lots of curly hair and blank eyes kind of spooky. This time less embarrassed I smudged the charcoal with little points of rolled paper a smudge stick I think they call it. I found the eraser worked well too and I found I drew with that as much as with the charcoal stick. Tools I love tools to play with, used to be a carpenter and the job I'd build machines so tools are no problem, the hands were always my best asset.
Toward the end of my first eight week class I got to paint at the easel like the big kids. A color chart was first, I had to mix the primary colors the red blue and yellow to make the secondary colors and that was cool. Little circles of paint, now the secondaries like half way between the primaries and two more dots half again the color, that was interesting. When I finished I just had to put in two eyes and a smiley face on the yellow dot... it just needed that little touch. I'm not so sure the instructor had a sense of humor... but then I did and I really didn't care much what the instructor thought, I had fun with it.
Next came a blank canvas my first, I had a reference photo from the Internet a bunch of floats hanging on a wall. These floats of many shapes and sizes were on a net and the wall shingled adding texture to the painting. Man I could have found something easier to do but then it's the difficulty that your are challenged with; it's how you learn. The best part is when you screw up you just paint over it and try again, now this I can get into. Right up my ally painting, man this stuff is hard to do. But giving it a try, working out the problems the drawing only this time with a brush...
That was the first class and I've had a few others, finally choosing the director as my instructor of choice. Today I rent a studio spot and paint mostly every day. I don't take classes anymore but do go to demonstrations and attend workshops put on by the studio. I find that my style is that I learn on my own and just try things that interest me. I read and buy the books on Amazon sometimes new but used if too expensive. It's been almost two years learning how to paint and I think I'm getting the hang of it but still a long way to go.
You can see my stuff on the following web site: www.yessy.com/twohaleys
I'll be back soon with other stories on Art and painting I'd like to share soon. I'll try one a week just to keep my hand in and try to give you a feel for the art world that I know. I've sold four paintings so far one in a show we had with the Barring Cultural Art Center. the others more word of mouth than anything but two through the web site. I think I've found my new venture a rewarding one and something I can do that interest me a lot. I'd highly recommend this one although rather difficult to do it's a thing you develop over time. You learn quite a lot and the history bit is fascinating should you study the masters. I have studied just one so far; Monet his story is cool his struggle quite interesting. I painted an impression of his "in the garden" for my wife's mother and she loves it. So there are many avenues and paths to follow with painting be it oils or water color and or pastels either discipline will challenge you and drive you a bit nuts too. But then aren't the Artist there already?
See Ya
Dave
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