I made it. I finished all my work and have completed the first year of my course. It has been the best year. The Best!
It was actually one of the worst years in other ways with family stresses. However, the course and the people I have met have helped make it the best year.
We had our exhibition night yesterday. It took all day to set up and five minutes to take down. Always the way. Even in 43 degree heat, we were all enthused. We have lovely teachers and my class is so supportive towards each other and encouraging. It has been a fantastic introduction to painting, drawing and printmaking. (Ah, printmaking! My favourite!)
The painting above is my first acrylic painting based on a beautiful photograph by Jo. (Jo, you didn't know you had a red chair, did you?)
The second is a an exercise in layers and textures, based on the first painting. I took a small section of the first and made a new painting. Then took another tiny section from the second and made a third painting, above.
Ah round bald heads. An early line drawing exercise.
Then my first ever lino prints. The funny pale one is an embossed print, where the lino block is put through the press uninked.
I loved the printmaking process so much. My prints weren't always great but the doing and thinking and making was the thing.
I'm looking forward to next year so much. I have a different outlook on life, I think, because of this course, beginning to see in a different way. I'm just beginning the learning process and want to increase my technical knowledge and skill. And I want to loosen up and do more drawing and learn more.
