Phase One
- Preparing Fertile Ground
- With Watercolors, Dyes, And Pastels (Materials)
- With Watercolors, Dyes, And Pastels (Exercises)
What To Expect
This is a free course in the art of making art artistically, and by that I mean painting. Yes, that was meant to be funny; stop taking yourself so seriously or you'll never make any real, meaningful art...your art.
While we're on the topic, what is art? Who cares? If you think about it too much, you may just think all your creativity away for the sake of brilliant conversation. In my experience, you need to stop thinking about art, in order to access true creativity.
 |
| Sarah Wathen, Pails and Pails of Water,The Jack & Jill Cycle, Watercolor, acrylic, marker, and pen on paper, 11 in. X 14 in. |
Making Art Makes More Art
One of the most common misconceptions about making art is that you need to be "feeling inspired" in order to begin. Yet, a more helpful way to think about it is that the act of being creative generates more creativity. Making art makes more art.
So, how do you start this process? Jump to Chapter 1. The beginning is different for every artist, but don't try to begin with a blank piece of paper, a pencil and a head full of opinions, blame, preconceptions, and self-doubt.
One of the most common misconceptions about making art is that you need to be "feeling inspired" in order to begin. Yet, a more helpful way to think about it is that the act of being creative generates more creativity. Making art makes more art.
So, how do you start this process? Jump to Chapter 1. The beginning is different for every artist, but don't try to begin with a blank piece of paper, a pencil and a head full of opinions, blame, preconceptions, and self-doubt.
Start slowly and softly, to encourage an unfolding or flowering of consciousness. Imagine, for yourself, how this would feel and fabricate the appropriate environment for you. For myself, and in this course, I will explain how I build a nurturing environment for my own work, a fertile ground with stimulating materials, space and mind-set.
How Do You Do It?
We will explore work habits, conceptual exercises and technical skills that encourage continual growth and spontaneous development of an art piece, within the artists guiding hands.
You will find that, if you follow this course faithfully, your work will mature as if it has a life of its own, and you will find immense pleasure in that natural becoming. No more hand-wringing and hair-tearing!
What Is The Real Reason For This Blog?
Making art is so much a part of life, and I want to talk about it all the time. But, frustratingly, I often find that most people that I care to talk to DON'T want to talk about art. Why?
So many friends, peers, colleagues, and family members really do want to talk about art, because art is the expression of our most basic needs and our most exalted dreams. But, for reasons too complex and too numerous (and quite beyond my expertise) to write about here, most of us feel somehow unable to be a part of the tactile expression (art) of our spiritual community
 |
| Sarah Wathen, Lace Worms, Screen print on velvet paper, 8 in X 8 in. |
We will explore work habits, conceptual exercises and technical skills that encourage continual growth and spontaneous development of an art piece, within the artists guiding hands.
You will find that, if you follow this course faithfully, your work will mature as if it has a life of its own, and you will find immense pleasure in that natural becoming. No more hand-wringing and hair-tearing!
What Is The Real Reason For This Blog?
Making art is so much a part of life, and I want to talk about it all the time. But, frustratingly, I often find that most people that I care to talk to DON'T want to talk about art. Why?
So many friends, peers, colleagues, and family members really do want to talk about art, because art is the expression of our most basic needs and our most exalted dreams. But, for reasons too complex and too numerous (and quite beyond my expertise) to write about here, most of us feel somehow unable to be a part of the tactile expression (art) of our spiritual community
 |
| Sarah Wathen, The Taking Tree, Acrylic, pastels, oil, gold leaf and marker on vinyl wallpaper, 10 ft. X 7 ft. |
So often, we feel art has been taken away from us and put into the hands of the "professionals" or "them".
I feel the need to teach about what I know of art, when a fellow mother in a children's meet-up group talks about how she used to paint often, but she doesn't even feel the urge anymore; or, when a student has no idea why she has found herself in my class, because she can't talk about what she sees but she has always loved art somehow; or, when a family member used to love art, but now never speaks of it in my presence, embarrassed because I am now a "professional".
I decided to write this blog, because after years of material investigation, punctuated with bursts of fervor and lags of boredom, and held together by the grueling search for my own voice, I actually think that I've gotten somewhere!
Maybe we can paint together, and then talk about it... asynchronously, of course, but that's what the digital age is all about!
Maybe we can paint together, and then talk about it... asynchronously, of course, but that's what the digital age is all about!
 |
| Sarah Wathen, Rip Van Winkle Counting Bichon Frisés (detail),Acrylic paint and ink on vinyl wallpaper, approx. 10 in. X 16 in. |
After speaking with so many that have experienced frustration similar to my own, or simply not even begun out of indecision, confusion or fear, I know I can help.
I know that my fellow explorers, "artist" or otherwise, can both benefit from my endeavors and further enrich my own practice, so comments from the beginner or the expert are greatly appreciated and encouraged!
Please add to this community and share your thoughts and feelings about art!
All of the images shown here are of my previous work, and I am sorry for that staleness in what is meant to be an inspiring introduction, though I have always worked in the same manner that I teach now. The reason for the old images is that I am beginning, as you are beginning, and this course traces my actual experiences in creating a new body of work that develops in real time as this course unfolds honestly. Let's call it "40 Paintings"...
 |
| Sarah Wathen, Skinny: Icons, Oil, acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 16 in. X 20 in. |
