Thursday 27th August 2020
At the age of 87, Michael Angelo said “I am still learning”.
Admittedly I have a little bit to go until I reach that age, but I would most heartedly agree with his philosophy about learning!! In saying that, I daresay that I wouldn’t be quite as enthusiastic if you asked me to learn maths!! I suppose we all enjoy learning subjects we are interested in – maths isn’t one of them, but as I am a self-taught artist, there is still so much more I want to learn about mixed media and art in general. Learning from the experts is one way to achieve this.
So, this has been a busy time learning from the experts through Zoom meetings (thank goodness for Zoom!). Someone I admire tremendously is an artist called Louise Fletcher. She has taught me almost everything I know about painting abstracts. Her approach and her passion for art is so contagious that I just want to keep on learning every day. Her abstract paintings are based on the landscape in the Yorkshire Dales and are amazing.
Since my last blog David and I have visited the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, Co. Durham which I could thoroughly recommend. Owned by John and Josephine Bowes, he was a wealthy English gentleman who was shunned by high society and his French actress-turned-artist who became the love of his life. When there we were very lucky to also view a special art exhibition of Norman Cornish (1919 – 2014) who was a renowned artist/miner from Co. Durham.
Back to the new normal – my latest abstract (above) is painted in acrylics and mixed media – I’ve named it “Well Red” and it can be found in my Online Shop/Gallery, along with all my other paintings and acrylic pourings. I really hope you like it and you will see where I found the title!! In actual fact I painted this in landscape and not in portrait as you see here, but my husband photographed and saved it in portrait – one of the great wonders of the world that abstract paintings can sometimes look good any way you look at them. This picture actually started out as something totally different, which didn’t quite work out the way I wanted, but I am really pleased with the way it looks now as I decided to introduce some mixed media. I would be really interested to know what you see in the picture because it’s amazing how different people see different things.
I am not sure what is in store for this coming fortnight, but if it is more painting and more learning I will be one happy bunny. I hope you have a great fortnight too.
Please leave a comment or get in touch – it really would be lovely to hear from you. Enjoy living in the nowness of now.
Best wishes
Lyn x
Lyn, this approach to learning is certainly working for you judging by the results of your efforts. A quote that came to mind (apparently Isaac Newton used it in a letter) is “standing on the shoulders of giants”. Doing that will always allow a better view of what’s around you and you can be inspired by what you see.
Well done!!