Welcome to Polly's Blog

Welcome to Polly's Blog
Watercolour, humour, this and that

Thursday 27 February 2014

ABSTRACT & TEARS ON MONDAY

Tears on Monday, because our class of 20 years has come to an end. If I hadn't 'clicked' with Marion, the teacher, I probably wouldn't have still been painting.  This wasn't a follow my lead/demo type of class, but a gentle persuasion type of guiding class. Marion has the most brilliant eye for colour, tone etc etc, just as a good teacher should.  She gave me so much and changed my life.

However, Marion does like her abstracts and I have tried over the years and given up or rebelled or whinged.  As I knew the class was approaching it's end I decided to be a good little girl and do some abstract (but I still whinged).  The idea was to use in your face colours, no white (last one there was white - naughty me).  (3 in your face colours)

Just plain squares the orange original pink but painted over with orange complimentary colour to blue

Tuscan hillside,sort of

I've called this Spot the Rabbit

The final painting. Entitled Viola!  Painted over Gesso (a la Jane Minter) then scaped over the top with sandpaper to bring back the white and the words stencilled in.  There you are!
We are all still keeping in touch occasionally by the way. Marion is going to critique what we have been doing on our own. Oh, and we will be having wine and food too, sounds good to me.

Thank you Marion  and my lovely Arty Farty Friends for all these fun filled but educational classes.

15 comments:

  1. I would love to be as highly regarded as Marion by my own group and the groups I visit.... sounds like she has been a wonderful mentor and friend. I know she hasn't converted you to abstract but at least you've tried and for what it's worth I really like the Tuscan Hillside and Voila !! It's good that you are going to carry on meeting... change is usually good but not change like this when you will miss something so much and has been such a part of you life....might be a moment for you to have a bash at running some sessions!!

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    1. Thank you Judith. Only 19 years to go and you may be regarded as highly!!!! It's been a 'special' 20 years. Will be looking to open new doors ..........

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  2. Oh NO….. and yet… you are so lucky to have had a mentor like this for all these years. Very nice abstracts you've done here, I really like the orange and blue one, Auburn University fan I suppose :-)

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    1. Yes, I know how lucky I have been. Trust you to bring a twist of humour to my tale of woe!!

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  3. Unfortunately ( or fortunately , depends ... ) everything has an end , but I am sure you will fly high all alone in your creativity ! You can be proud of your abstracts ,reallyl great , but I specially love 'Spot the Rabbit' , so much 'Polly style' :-))

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Jane. Your paintings sometimes teach you too. But if I do abstract it will be without a safety net. Glad you like them.

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  4. Sounds like you all enjoyed getting together. You will just have to do it a little differently from now on. I am not much of an abstract person...I have difficulty thinking that way, but these look really nice.

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    1. Thanks Joan, we had a lot of fun but were deadly serious about our work. My head isn't programmed for abstract but I did try hard

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  5. Dear Polly, twenty years of practice, to paint in class, along with a teacher are a life time .... I hope the friendship will continue and also the meetings, but I also hope that you meet more closely yourself as a painter, outside from a group. . There is also the time to work alone to meet new expressions of themselves in the artistic field.
    Your abstract works speak of expressive vitality as all your work with watercolor and Brusho.

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    1. Rita, thank you for your wise words.My problem at home is I can always find something else to do or a book to read. I have now got a new lovely largish table to work on so I can leave my work all spread out so that if the mood takes me I can shut myself away and paint to my heart's content. Glad you can see something in my abstracts which I will not destroy, as they are a memory now of our lovely class and my struggles. :)

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  6. Ciao Polly,
    sorry for late, but it is my style...
    Very nice works...give me happyness .
    The compositions are interesting and beatiful.
    (I can't find the right words for my bad english..)
    Ciao, abbracci, Floriana

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    1. Thank you for looking at my blog. I understand your english very well. I had a look at your blog and I like your work very much and have added you to the blogs I follows. Ciao. Grazie Floriana

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    2. Floriana - I see that you are Aqualinga!!! I already follow your blog

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  7. that's very kind of marion to carry on looking at your work and the groups work ... i'm sure you will miss the art group esp after 20 years ... great work and exploration Polly ...Tuscan hillside reminds me of my home and hillsides here

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    1. We have been so lucky finding Marion to guide us on our way. The picture is very loosely based on Pienza where I went for an art course.

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