Monday, November 18, 2024

Mather Senior Art Classes

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October/November: Catch Up Mather Senior Art Classes

Here's my catch-up on my classes with Mather Creative Mindfulness Classes. I haven't been able to participate with them all. But here is a smattering of some of the fun and relaxing work.

Mather Senior Art Classes which are FREE

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My Creative Mindfulness Classes are really fun...each month a theme is announced and we get tips/art history, examples of some type of art/themses/techniques that can be quickly done in about 35 min.

Each month there is a theme, November is Portraits.

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Here is the Mather handout with examples. We were encouraged to select a face portrait from a magazine, artwork or personal photos. Cut it out and paste on a sheet
 of Sketchbook paper.

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I chose to work with one of my iconic Barbie photos. BMR, as I call her is a no.3 doll from 1959-60. She has the softer face. I actually followed the lines of the curvatures in her face/features to draw my first extension lines, like here.

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This is a similar photo. The free line extensions actually originate somewhere from her face. IE: the hairline, the line in the mouth, chin, eyelids, etc. I think the secret to this is don't think too much and just extend the lines in a sweeping quick motion.

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Once the lines are established, you do them in dark marker. 
The Zentangle fill ins.
  • Definition
    Zentangle is a relaxing art technique that uses repetitive patterns to create structured images. The word "Zentangle" comes from the words "zen" and "tangle".  
Once your shapes are established and the original lines are dark, you see the spaces, which you fill with repetitive designs. The fun part is to not worry about what the end result will be. The only thing I really did that directly related to the photo was the hair...surprisingly this is all very relaxing and fun, goes quickly because once you make a line or design, the rest of the space is determined.

I worked on quality sketch paper, a Sharpie, and a smaller sharpie pen with this one. I did rouge her face with some colored pencil, but restrained from adding more color to this one. Barbie does have a touch of a Renaissance collar here, but I was only extending or echoing the original shape.  This ended up inkling Elizabeth the I...but then BMR would make a great Elizabeth. There was bleed through with good markers, so I always have an extra paper protecting the next page in my sketch book.

Last Week another portrait.

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Mather Class Handout

The next week's portrait prompt. A little discussion about Picasso and how he dissected and reassembled faces in his work. Here we used a  technique where an oval was drawn for a face, then other large intersecting shapes (Oval, Square, triangle, diamond, etc.)were added in marker, then some facial features added/or not and patterning inside the shapes. We were encouraged to be free in our placements.


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I chose to work with color in this one, once all my intersecting lines were done. I had no idea who or what this person was...


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I was freer with this one, and really just played. One eye was upside down, the nose exaggerated and stretched sidewards. The planes of the face ended up being part of the loops and shapes we freely drew.

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While interesting, the figure seemed to be just floating...I grounded the head with the left triangle below the ear in dark, that helped, Then I wanted to balance the dark into the upper right corner. I started scribbling stars, we were at the end of our time, so very fast. Then I colored in those sections with a deep midnight blue.

Totally unplanned my gentleman/woman gazing at the stars became 
"Copernicus meets Picasso". 

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My 5-Below alcohol markers bleed through the paper, and here is my 'ghost' sheet to protect my sketch book. This was interesting and fun.

October's Theme was TEXT ART, again with some interesting applications. I have already shown you examples of this in a previous post,
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I think this was the most controlled example we have had this Fall, numbers and letters.

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I'm a lousy direction follower, but really try to do what the prompts are. It is amazing to see all the different results from the same prompts within the class participants. 

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A GRID, Numbers, Letters and intersecting shapes...wow!

Coming up with different designs in the grid boxes was the hardest part, but working within a short time 35-40 minutes is a challenge. I did do the frame and some of the colors after class, in order to bring out the letters and numbers...otherwise it was quite a jumble. Another fun project.


Mid-September I had a Surrealism class, which was quick and I worked in colored pencils, markers and drawing pencils.

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The Mather handout and example from Joan Miro.

We were encouraged to basically scribble/fill the page, add color just free, a no subject matter drawing experience.  Drawing with images/lines/squiggles, as well as color, blank spaces and blocks of color. 

I think of it as 'Ouija Board Drawing'. Your hand is connected to your brain, whether you are conscious of it or not...so---this sort of drawing is a peek into your brain and maybe even unconscious emotions?????????

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I remember I had thought of a peacock, but then went off on a tangent with this, just having some fun with the new markers...and was working very fast. 
Too much fun!

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This one was really fast, I actually started before class and finished this later.  When I take photos of sections of these art pieces they are quite interesting blown up. I may cut this up and use it in some multimedia piece. The cool part is you can enlarge and print and reassemble...? 

Then the Automatic Drawing class started.

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During class I worked with new colored pencils (soft PrismaColor set-not quite chalk like but blendable), Sharpies, Drawing pencils, Charcoal pencil and Alcohol markers. 

 I was just having fun with the different media...and shapes, think: unintentional scribbling, LOL. When I was working, I was spinning the piece around to not rub the soft pencils/charcoal with my hand/arm. 

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And I found, I liked this piece better on the landscape side, when I look at it this way I see something entirely different. 

Mather Senior Art Classes which are FREE
Fun with shapes, lines and COLORs...gosh I love these classes.


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I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.


All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.


Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.
 Sandi Magle

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Friday, November 8, 2024

Rebuilding Fall with Antiques on the Buffet

I confess, the buffet was a dumping ground for everything in October...medical info, files, mail, pumpkins, seeds, garden folders, it was all there and even with Halloween we didn't use. 

It still isn't 100%, It needs a bit of foliage and lights there...before I take full buffet photos, but it is coming together, so let's look at some of the usual suspects.


First the decor is pretty much where it landed. My antique mirror is wedged in and a permanent fixture at this point. It was in my grandmother's attic above an old bed...circa late 1920's-30's.


 I collect unusual (cheap) pumpkins, either artisan or thrift store. 
The little birds are from Spring, I still have to put them back into the china cabinets.


I haven't used a runner this year...I plan on serving dessert here for Thanksgiving, so the bare tiles (Fall themed birds) are fine. I will add some darker candles, or put sleeves on the white ones. I love the upholstery fabric pumpkin to the right.

The key piece on the right side is this tea pot, a find this year. It's very old---


and dread of all dreads...totally unmarked. The giveaway is the handle is Ebony (steam had raised the grain on one side) as is the finial. The English ones (Sheffield) are made with bakelite handles.


This teapot design has been made in many forms. Because it is unmarked it was either not produced for export (had to be marked for export with origin early 1900's and on) or it is older than say 1900.  I have no intention of selling it so it doesn't matter, I love the design and the lines and the elegant handle of Ebony wood.


Here's a shot all by itself...isn't she pretty with that collar! 


Finally, with online sleuthing I found the same one unmarked-labeled British Colony Bachelor teapot. (so somewhere in the middle east, or India. The craftsmanship is excellent and it is great condition. I'm guessing either India, Burma, or Malaysia which would have a supply of Ebony wood.



My little wagon is frankly full of....a crowd of bottle stoppers from my grandparent's trips to Europe. One is missing a hat which I found separate and saved, not knowing what it was.


They really do look like they have been 'on and off' the wagon...LOL.


This guy looks so unhappy. They are ALL from the 1940's 50's. Carved wood probably from Germany, there are two others similar, the double one has been id'd as Italian.


Some of the corks have disappeared, I can repair that. 


The donkey is my favorite he is animated with the tail as a lever that moves his head and his ears wiggle. He's an Anri design from Italy.


These two certainly look to be German or Swiss and I need to find a new cork for it.


These are harder to find, the first one is pretty common, the fisherman is sterling, so I think it may be Danish...the Duck I couldn't find, at least it is silverplate. They need a good polish, so on the list before Thanksgiving.


A little Oompah-pah music and you could have a party.
On the other side to balance out is another piece of silver.


This large water pitcher is Homan plate on Nickel Silver...I just like the style, the company operated from 1896-1904 before a name change. Stylistically they made some beautiful pieces. This is in need of polishing, which I may do for Christmas, but I like the weathered look for Thanksgiving.


A cutglass bowl ??? used to elevate the pumpkin...I can do better than that. A cork material pumpkin (thrift store) cool texture, my canning ring pumpkin and velvet and beading on the bowl. A sweet Czech creamer from the early 1920's. I have a pitcher for sale of the same pattern. 



Below is our doorstop which is a treasured family piece. It held the doors to the screened porch open at my grandparent's cottage in the 1950's, and the same at my parent's cottage until 1984, when he was packed away. I found him after 2012 in my parent's house when it was sold. 


He's a little dusty and worn, but original...and loved, at least after I give him a bath
'Buster' and I were close friends when I was a child,  and I used to carry him everywhere---he's heavy and has a collar and chain that attaches to the handmade house that sits on the door wedge. I freed him years ago from his chain.  He's a Hubley Boston Terrier from the early 1900's and highly collectible. 
But he doesn't eat much, so he's staying. Some things you have to be thankful for, and he's one of my favorites. 


Next is to really dress the buffet, since I have all this collected. 
It will probably change before you see it again. 
Grins, Sandi

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each AD-Free post.

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.


All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.


Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.
 Sandi Magle

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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Mather Water Color II on a new platform.

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 Mather Water Color II on a new platform.

Monday I began my second round of Water Color classes on the Mather site.
Mather is a senior platform for enrichment courses that are basically free. 
If you are over 55, by all means take a peek at their offerings. The classes are taught by Art Therapists, the sites are safe places to learn and interact with seniors from all over the country and a few overseas.
Mather Senior Classes


I was so excited to begin Water Color II...and I was all ready to work. We received a 4 page handout to print out, with the same info on supplies and basics of color theory, which is excellent reference for a beginner or advanced person. It's nice to have the basics eeked down to four pages.

The new platform, Fireworks instead of Zoom...really wasn't working well for me.
I sent info in and Mather, as well as Fireworks responded quickly. Hopefully they will have the kinks worked out, next week.



I chose a small palette, and some pan water colors I got in my easel kit with all sorts of 'student' grade supplies in it. 

I had used a couple of these colors on my Creative Mindfulness projects and thought they were better than just student grade. I especially like the mustard gold, so I planned to use that today.




The lesson for today was on a technique.  We were using was Flat wash/(wet paint on dry paper) as well as 
Flat washes on top/over existing painting layers. Building colors in layers.


We were encouraged to do some swooping lines and abstract spaces, simply painted with layers of color.  Flat wash / Wet on Dry...meaning a full wet brush of pigment on dry paper. and then criss-cross layering of the same application in different colors. 

I chose the (adjoining colors on the color wheel) analogous colors: orange, yellow orange, and yellow.  And, the (opposites on the color wheel) complementaries of Yellows and Purple.  The idea being, when using these colors, how do you get shading when painting a lemon. Purple mixed with yellow produces some of the colors you see in the earthy tones..perfect for shading on a lemon.
To me, using black is mudding, and I often use Paynes Gray (a blue/brown) based color mixed for shading. So I was anxious to try these complementary shading techniques.


I'm really liking that straight line of orange over/under the purple wash...and the mustard gold on the edge. Not having a subject was freeing to just explore the lines and swaths of color. 


One thing about watercolors is they always dry lighter and less intense. The yellow here, held it's strength, but I'm really tempted to continue playing with this page and bringing up the contrasts.


I'm loving all the tones here...you can see all the swipes I did in this yellow orange/mustard, purple arch I did here...I tend to work very wet with large brushes, I think I will try some line work on top of all this...again free to play 
and learn the medium and how it reacts to different applications.

I hope they get all the performance kinks out of the system by next Monday, but I can't wait.

Hope this leads to some Happy Watercoloring.

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each AD-Free post.

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.


Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.
 Sandi Magle

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Fall Kitchen Tour!!

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It's Still Fall in our HOME!

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We didn't decorate much for Halloween this year. I started Fall in early October because of having surgery in the middle of the month. I didn't want to have a huge change to make.

I pulled this thrifted tray out to set this vignette on my counter. Basically all I use this counter for is to unload the dishwasher. I'm blessed with tons of counter space and a large island where all the prep and cooking goes on.
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I'm still dealing with plants that haven't found their homes yet from outside. The long enameled pot is a French Fish Poacher. The pumpkins and gourds are a mixture of Faux and real, can you tell which is which...lol.  A blue jar filled with dried Dill and a stack of heavy stoneware plates,  and a Fall towel hide the empty banana rack. Gourds dried or Faux.

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Our everyday dishes are in this cabinet. I still have to rearrange the top shelf when I am comfortable on a ladder. And I have to wait until Hubby is home.

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The cabinet is a bit messy, but this is what works for us. This photo tells me this cabinet needs some attention. Many of the dishes are thrifted and I see my Tulip plates (center back) are still up from Spring. Hmmmm? 
Normally I add a few color pieces for seasons...I still haven't found my Fall ceramics tote???

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Our little white buffet is covered in a thrift store woven tablecloth. It has a 70" round  Hearth and Home tag, and still had folds in it from the original packaging. A steal at $2.00. I gravitate towards plaids for the Fall and winter holidays.

The long squash is one of 6 we grew, very delicious---was some sort of Illinois variety that my friend gave me seeds for. 

The white pot holds a lemon grass plant from outside. We will see if it sprouts again or not. It was so dry outside for 8weeks and now we have had 3 days of rain.
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This is quite a mess, as I have a large pot of Rosemary, a Hummingbird plant. 
On the far end is my curly willow plant from the pond. The frogs disappeared soon after I removed this, I think they liked hiding under there.

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Pigs and mushrooms and gourds, and even a gnome are here and there. Way too much, but it will change a lot as  I get more organinzed. These plants take up so much space and the kitchen has the best light.

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Curly willow, an Oxalis (left), a spider plant designated for my bedroom, soon. 

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Fall is sparse here, but i mixed our German flasks with a Danish brass (drinkers) plate (the noses are rubbed off from so much polishing), my Grandmother's Friar Tuck Cookie Jar, and one lonely pumpkin. LOL. A few bits of fall toned dishes and pots.

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Here's the main kitchen problem...Herbs and all my Mandilla plants that are still blooming like crazy.  I set up a temporary plant stand to give them all the light they demand.

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This kitchen window is a southern exposure and gets the best light in the home for plants.

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With the rain the third day...I actually turned on the lights above the windows. They are woven in a Eucalyptus vine and I haven't needed to use it. But, with daylights savings done and the rain, it's been so dark in the afternoon the warm lights are welcoming.
My dining table has a Walmart plastic table cloth on right now..I have lots of messy projects to do...and this is perfect for right now. 75% off, so $2.00, and I love that their seasonal cloths are wide enough for my large table. 

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Our large Enamel platter holds one of our garden pumpkins and some squash the rest is Faux. I elevated the pumpkin on a bean pot.

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The other side has faux cabbage, a real pinecone, and faux Tomato, mixed with gourds, real dried and faux
On the back end is my favorite Fall candle.

WELL, that is unplanned Fall in our home...a bit of this and that from one tub of Fall stuff. It's taken me 6 weeks to get this far...I can't even imagine doing Christmas.
I'm not sure we are even doing Thanksgiving.

Do You Use Real or Faux
 Decor in your Home?

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each AD-Free post.

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.


Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.
 Sandi Magle

OldNewGreenRedo

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