Painting Class

 Here is a very late post filled with finished works produced in my painting class this last winter semester. I learned to work with oils, stretch canvas, make my own wood panels, and various painting techniques. The above triplet is a portrait of author Franz Kafka done three ways.

Above and below are two grasaille paintings - studies of light and shadow.

This one I've named "Chairries" and it is a fusion of two different artists' styles, colors, composition and techniques.

Many classmates seemed to really like this bird collage. My teacher encouraged me to frame it, but first I need wall space to hang it....not much to go around in this little apartment.

 This simple apple still life might be my favorite of all. Figuring out how to paint the shaft of light while working in the studio at midnight was a surreal experience. It felt God-like to create light in the darkness.

 This last one was an exploration of layering techniques. It was interesting to me that in the process of layering and stripping paint on a panel, certain symbols for my life started to emerge unintended.

The apple represents choice

This honeycomb pattern, which actually happened by accident, represents my new home = The Beehive State.

The plethora of "4" is the new number of humans in my family covering up the old number of humans in my family. 4 is a very dear number to me. 

Part of the panel has a dark glaze over it, contrasting the lighter portion. Life has definitely taught me the difference between light and darkness. Both have their purpose.

Learning all I did in this class has encouraged me to paint more when I eventually get the time. Right now I am in the middle of my ethnographic field work studying the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museums which is a 40+ hour a week job, with late nights and semi-attention deprived children. 

One day, I will paint again. A girl can dream, right?