THE BEGINNING

August, 2016, a friend invited me to join her at a wine and paint event at a local Italian restaurant. We were given paper plates, to substitute for palates, paints, easels, paint brushes and glasses of wine. 

The image to paint was a goblet of merlot, blue dragonflies and a moon. Not a picture I would hang on a wall, no matter how well done. So, like an insolent child, I changed the subject, chose warm colors and painted my first painting. One of a sun, sun rays, birds and a city scape. I had fun, and I gained the confidence to experiment at home!

My first subject was my granddog, Julius. The photo I chose to copy and paint consisted of a variety of light to dark tones. My only tool was a #2 pencil that I found would not go dark; however hard I pressed. So, off to Michael’s Art Supply Store where I met Chris, a clerk and art student, who introduced me to charcoal pencils. Success!

Wanting to try color, I found some colored pencils and finished my second picture of Jeffrey my cat.

 I liked the results, so, back to Michaels for a frame. There, Chris suggested I try another medium—pastels. That evening he taught me how to transfer by graphing a picture to paint-paper and started me on a picture of trees from a magazine tear-sheet. I left with enthusiasm, inspiration, and all the physical tools I needed. Again, I chose to change the picture’s original pale and dusty colors to more vibriant colors to create an autumn scene. 

After a year of experimenting with pastels, I became curious to learn watercolor. I joined Carol Ann Holdhusen weekly, in-home classroom. In five sessions, Carol taught me how to handle the paper, amounts of water, and pigments. She helped me learn what colors to mix for desired results, including shadowing. The next painting was my first watercolor, created with sponging layers of color for the leaves; and, most importantly for me, achieving the look of thin morning fog hovering above the ground.

I find that I choose to paint subjects that, in my mind, tell a story or refresh a memory. I enjoy painting commissioned pieces because they visually capture the memories important to their new owners. Painting pets of others brings me a loving connection as soon as I paint and look into their eyes. I always have thought, and still believe, that I am not a good drawer, but I did not anticipate how much I do enjoy choosing a subject and playing with color, light and contrast as I discover a way to create the feeling I hold and transfer it to paper.

After sixty full and wonderful years as a classical professional violinist, stage entertainer, traditional and then Suzuki violin teacher, I gave up my last student at age seventy. After three and a half years of painting I love moving through the challenges it presents. In pastels, the challenge is to create the color that I want by blending color. In my early watercolor learning, not feeling in control of surprise results and the “ugly stage” before adding details, was frustrating; but with practice, and time, I’ve learned to determine a result from a thoughtful, possibly tested action.

I encourage anyone who has a thought to try painting to find the courage to start. I cheer you on!