Atmospheric Watercolours
Demonstration and Book Signing Event
New York
2013
Last night I gave a talk and demonstration for the Art League of Long Island in New York. My visit last year was quite dramatic in that my last day on Long Island was when Hurricane Sandy was about to hit. Here I am a year later and one of the first artists to arrive last night had flown from Canada to meet me, and will be attending one of the two workshops I am holding here this week.
Soon the room filled and as happened last year, there was standing room only at the back. I love looking at a sea of smiling faces when I give these demonstrations. I am fascinated at the obvious interest and enthusiasm that is so evident. Every single tip and detail is keenly observed and received. I am passionate about this medium and my excitement level is always at a high. Especially when new colour combinations of pigments create incredible patterns as happened last night while I was working with Perylene Green combined on paper with Quinachridone Gold. That was a magical moment for everyone in the room including me. But I don't want this blog to be about the demonstration. I am writing to share how each of these art events enrich lives. Mainly my own.
We often take for granted our daily happiness and routines. Each time I give a talk I always meet unique people who have experienced so much. Experiencse they quietly share with me during breaks in the art events. One lady last night had taken up watercolour after losing her husband. Soon after he passed away she sadly lost her daughter too. This lady had shining eyes as she told me how her discovery of working in watercolour was changing her life. She held my book in her hands and told me how much she was learning from it and how much it was helping her. These are moments when you want to simply reach out and hug the person in front of you. For what they have been through, are dealing with and have overcome.
Next I met a lady who had sent me an email last year that I will never forget. She had wanted to meet me then but couldn't. Due to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy she lost everything including her home. Twelve months later she is still getting her life back in order regarding the rebuild. Can you imagine losing everything in that way? How devastating the impact of Sandy must have been. When I first read her email I sent a gift package of DVDs and my personalised brushes. As luck would have it she is booked on my workshops in Long Island this year so we finally met last night. And it was a very special moment.
When we, as artists, give demonstrations I am sure the people in the room attending believe that they are the ones' gaining information. In reality I find it is me that gains the inspiration. My heart is continually touched by the brilliant people that I meet who, over time, often become firm friends. Like Patty from New York who I met here last year and whom I will be meeting today on the first of my workshops.
How lucky I am to travel and meet such incredible people. All from sharing my love for watercolour. The invitations are flooding in for my new book launch in USA in 2015 and that is going to be one incredible trip!
All of my workshop are fully booked for 2014 but I will keep my blog updated of all demonstrations and art events coming up.
Its ,time to leave for the Art League of Long Island and see what today holds!
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