Giddy With Antici...

...pation.

Mom and I start our painting class with Aimee Erickson at Multnomah Art Center in a couple of days. Last term we made the tragic mistake of waiting a few days after the catalogs came out before attempting to sign up for her class. We landed somewhere around 15th on the waiting list.

This term we were ready, we considered camping out in front of the center the night before registration began, but instead we just showed up a few minutes before the door opened. We got signed up and immediately started paintings to work on in class.

So often art teachers can be like so many yoga teachers*, using teaching as an excuse to show off what they can do, rather than encouraging the students to cultivate their own talent. Aimee was strongly recommended to us by another teacher at Multnomah Arts Center, Leslie Anderson, also a very good teacher and not at all a show off. Aimee has a way of coaxing trepidatious students like myself into taking chances with their work, often with surprisingly happy results.

I have actually just finished the last painting that I had started while in Aimee's class. The most valuable lesson she taught me was not to be afraid to keep moving things around in the painting. Sometimes, she explained, painting over something gives you a wonderful quality which you would never have created otherwise. Of course, my mother has given me similar advice time and time again, "Just paint over it!" But somehow every time my mom said that, I saw it as losing something in the painting. The way Aimee put it, it was a way of gaining something in the painting.

A few days ago, mom pointed out that some toes, which I had grown very fond of, were not working because they were too spread apart (she had to take her shoes and socks off to prove it). Although I did have to piss and moan a bit, I was much less reluctant to simply paint over them and start again than I would have been a year ago. They work much better now, thank you Mom, and Aimee.

I actually do make a mean apple pie.

I let go of these toes.

*If you want a yoga teacher who is as good at teaching yoga as Aimee is at teaching painting, look up Jim Gillen at http://stillmovingyoga.com/. He also teaches at SWCC.

Cross Pollination Reception

Hello All!

Mom and I will be at the Cross Pollination Reception at the Multnomah Arts Center,
showing the three collaborative works featured in this blog Friday, August 5th from 7pm - 9pm.We would love to see you there.

It's First Friday in Multnomah Village, so there will be other interesting events taking place as well. DebbieTay Comedy Hypnotist will be performing at Multnomah Arts Center, The Geezer Gallery will be showing the exhibit Living in a World of Design: Architecture as Raw Material,
with music and wine.

Multnomah Village also has lots of great food to choose from. I recommend O'Connors and
Thai Herbs. Also, Fat City (one of my favorite breakfast spots) stays open Friday evenings serving spaghetti, kids eat free. You can also find Mexican, Vegan, wine tasting, and bar food in this tiny, little village of super awesomeness.

This is the third of our collaborations, Relief Springs. I won't go in to who started this, who put the finishing touches on, or any of the twists or turns it may have taken. Having given the play-by-play of the last two paintings, we prefer to let this one stand on it's own. Of course, if you are curious, you can ask us Friday evening.

ac·cept·ance

   [ak-sep-tuhns] Show IPA

–noun

1.

the act of taking or receiving something offered.

2.

favorable reception; approval; favor.

3.

the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory. 

 

Just got this note from the woman putting together the Cross Pollination show for Mult. Art Center.

 

Hi Cydne and Sherry,

 

Thank you for submitting your work for the August juried show at Multnomah Arts Center.  I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to exhibit.  A letter with more details will be sent next week.  In the meantime, have a great weekend.

 

Yours,

Jaye