After our recent family sadness, Christmas in the desert gave us time for much needed R&R. We made no advance plans allowing each day to unfold. Our first sunrise promised sunshine and warmth.
Down time for me, meant plenty of opportunities for artwork. I was able to take in a class with my favourite local award winning artist, Diane Morgan, whose subject for the afternoon was a close up of hydrangea blossoms.
The others elected to spend time at the pool in the heat of the healing sunlight. It struck me one afternoon, while painting alone at home, I was missing important family time. So I packed it all up and joined them.
One of daughter M’s Christmas gifts was a set of German coloured pencils, as I was hoping for some creative time together, however M arrived prepared with her own larger art lesson. She led us in an afternoon of acrylic pouring. It’s messy, quick and satisfying.
I found an online tutorial on using coloured pencils on black paper, which is producing a far more subtle version of the previously mentioned hydrangea. C kids me that it’s a version of the black velvet paintings of the 70’s. I doubt the tutorial instructor was even born then.
I’m going to finish it for a different kind of drawing, then try it in vibrant pastel pencils.