Cath Sheard Art

Tag: Marabeth Quin

  • A love of orange

    A love of orange

    Part of the course I’m doing involves looking, really looking, at what you’re creating. What do you love, what sparks joy? Find the things you love and do more of that.

    I’m onto the second part of the course where, instead of working on 12 small paintings, you work on 4 larger ones. I was sitting at my desk contemplating them and there it was … orange.

    I added some more orange to the works, then made a stack of tissue with varying marks ranging from light to dark shades of orange.

    Then my memory clicked in. When I did my Advanced Diploma of Art & Creativity almost 20 years ago we spent a term investigating colour as a material. I chose orange. I remember going to Gordon Harris Art Supplies and the French Art Shop and buying everything orange they had – ink, paint, crayon, pencil, pen, pastel.

    I commented to my tutor, Peter A, that I wasn’t sleeping well. He asked me what orange stood for. Warmth, autumn, sunsets. Yes, but what else? Fire, danger, warning. Peter laughed and said the reason I wasn’t sleeping was because my brain was in constant alert mode.

    Back to the present. I’m excited to have rediscovered my love of orange, and to see what it does for my landscapes.

  • The rush to complete

    I’m loving the Mixed Media & Intuitive Landscape course I’m doing with Marabeth Quin. One of her tools is encouraging students to go back to each piece, over and over – considering , adding marks and layers.

    It’s uncomfortable … I’m on the 6th or 7th pass for each piece. I can feel the pull to finish them and move to the next step. I’m resisting it and staying with her process.

    Why? Because I can see and feel the change. I haven’t done the evaluation exercise yet but I’m sure there’s better contrast and brighter highlights.

    Note: these were done on thin paper, so are buckled, because they’ll be glued into my sketchbook along with all the notes Marabeth encourages us to make.

  • Refilling my art cup

    Every year I do an art course to grow my skills and refill my cup. It’s a nice way to start the year. Last year’s course didn’t work out, because I got overrun with Tony, and never finished it.

    I’ve long admired the work of American artist Marabeth Quin. Recently I found a new YouTuber, Hannah L Harris. She was talking about doing one of Marabeth’s online courses, and it’s one I’d looked at before. Decision made!

    Part of the course involves choosing a colour palette with three colours, plus black and white. Marabeth suggests some colour combinations and I swatched out 6 of them before deciding on one. Doing the swatches made me realise I prefer a palette that includes blue or teal, and provides some light brights.

    The journal I’m using to keep all the information and work in is the new Gordon Harris Mixed Media 220gsm A4 booklet. At $8 for 60 sheets I think they’re excellent value.