Flower Workshop Spring 2010

Flowers,Flowers and More Flowers Watercolour Workshop 2010

It's a wonderful feeling this morning to sit and type and know  who is reading my blog this morning. A virtual wave is heading your way as I type! Following this weeks three individual day workshops I have met some fantastic people, shared techniques, loved watching everyone paint during the sessions and enjoyed  terrific company during the lunches and evenings where laughter filled the air as well as some interesting conversations. These weeks fly by far too quickly. Many look forward to them for so long and yet no sooner have you picked up a brush than you are making plans for the next years courses and  find yourself  talking about bookings and places which seems far too early.

 Examples of Spring Flower Brushmarks and Colour Flow

Throwing colour on paper as part of a warm up demonstration. This could connect to be a fabulous painting but the aim was to look at the inidividual flowers and  choices to  be made for each as shapes.

Yesterday was a full day purely on painting flowers. In my popular Watercolours With Life workshops many subjects are covered. My technique is a simple approach to painting absolutely anything at all minus the use of a preliminary sketch.. Each subject is studied first and then a way to bring it to life is discovered by choice of colour, brushmarks and placement of pigment.

In all of my sessions I always encourage individual creations. In a world where we see so many fantastic artists who have already discovered their own style I aim to emphasise originality bringing out the very best inside each artist attending. There is incredible exciting diversity in the room rather than everyone staying with the same subject and then producing paintings that all end up looking exactly the same. So for the brave photographer who booked a place and walked into my day two session the whole experience should have been  really daunting! Instead they amaxed me with how well they followed every single demonstration and  very quickly picked up the thinking and creative process. I am always thrilled and fascinated with feedback and comments at the end of the day.

It's fabulous to hear  someone who says they normally hate painting flowers mention they have now fallen in love with daffodils or anenomes! Or discover the person who was terrified of figures now feels they are just simple patterns created in a  composition of vibrant colours.

It is very brave to throw away a pencil and not have lines to guide you while you work for the  first time in your life. Especially if you have been working with fine detail for years. The enthusiasm in wishing to work loose with expressive original results is overwhelming. All I can add is that  I feel as excited today about working this way as when I started quite some time ago. Exhilarated,joyous and free.

You may think after three full days of demonstrating and  running workshops I may be ready to take a break or rest?  You will of course be wrong because I am so  inspired by all I have seen and shared I am so eager to paint today. Everyone who has flown to be here leaves  to return home or see family and friends tomorrow whilst they are in UK. So today a  small group will be coming to my home to paint quietly together with no tuition. Just peaceful time to express our passion for watercolours amongst friends who over time  have created a bond that goes far further than  simply sharing holding a brush.. The weather is looking wonderful so this may be a day to paint  en plein air!

I am looking into an annual art event which I will share more about at a later stage starting in 2011.

I wish this week could start all over again. But there is always next Spring which is going to be very special  which for now is under wraps but I cannot wait!

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