Preparing for an Adventure

Remember the feeling you had the night before the first day of school every year?  You know, that butterflies in the stomach, a little excited, a little bit jittery feeling of anticipation?  At least that's how I felt.  I was one of the kids who absolutely loved the beginning of school each year and I have to say it's kind-of nice to be feeling that same anticipation at this very moment as I prepare my studio space for my next adventure.

Bloom True, an e-course by the amazingly gifted Flora Bowley begins next Monday!  (A big thank you to the huz for enrolling me in this course as a Christmas present.)  I'm not sure why I feel a little nervous.  Okay, well, maybe I do know...Just look at the subtitle on Flora's beautiful book, Brave Intuitive Painting:

Let Go.  Be bold.  Unfold.

Hmmm.  Am I really ready to do that?  Oh, I so want to be brave.  Recent events in my life have left me feeling a bit fragile.  Making art is an emotional process for me and lately I'm hesitant to unleash too much emotion at once.  Hopefully, though, I will just relax and enjoy five weeks of fun, creative exercises with a very inspiring artist!  I also hope this course will give me some new tools and encouragement to express what is in my heart in a very unique, surprising way.

One challenge that I am really looking forward to is working big (well, at least big for me).  Since I naturally tend toward smaller, very detailed pieces I am excited and a little intimidated by the size of the three canvases required for the class.  (Painting surfaces must be at least 24" X 24"!)  If all goes well I may throw caution to the wind and splurge on a really ginormous canvas as the course progresses. That would be such a stretch for me.  Maybe it's time.

I love the new painterly vibe around here.  I've temporarily stored some of my jewelry making tools so that I'll have less distraction and more room to move and I have all my supplies gathered and ready to begin on Monday.  I've never worked with fluid acrylics before.  I'm really looking forward to experimenting with them.

I hope for lots of beautiful days like today during the course as I love to work with windows and doors wide open or, better yet, outside!   I love it when these guys hang out at my studio door.  That's Deisel in the sweater.  He's only three years old but he's a bit of a curmudgeon.  (I really only said that so I could use the word "curmudgeon".  It's one of my favorite words.)

Of course it is only January and Texas weather is highly unpredictable this time of year.  February will probably bring some very cold days, but a girl can dream, can't she?

I'll keep you posted on how things are going and I'll try very hard to swallow my pride and post my progress even if it's a little bit not-so-great!  I hope you have something new and exciting planned in the near future.  Learning new things is a great way to build confidence and nurture hope...something I think we all could use more of every day.

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