Day Fourteen 01/14/16 Thirty Paintings in 30 Days Challenge
Today's painting is a still life set-up I painted in my home studio. Several years ago in a workshop taught by Jo Ann Williams Walker, was the first still life demo I had ever seen. She had some beautiful flowers in a large vase, some fruit, a bird's nest, other vases, a blue plate and of course a light.
She took special effort to arrange "the set up" and then positioned the light and said "let's begin." I had no idea what I was suppose "to see". I never knew the importance of light and shadow until she showed us.
During this workshop she took us all to her private studio. She showed us all the books she had collected over the years and all her paintings from her favorite artists and ones she was working on for galleries. I felt like we were in a magic place. I was in awe. So inspired. Some of my favorite items were the unique vases and florals she had collected to use in her set ups. She told us that night to start our own collection and never pass up an interesting vase.
It has taken years for me to be comfortable doing a set up. But I have now done three or four and I know what I see, I know to see the shadows, to see where the light shines, to see the shapes. I am learning. And I have taken Jo Ann's advice, I now have my own collection of vases and florals that I cherish.
Thanks Jo Ann for being such an inspiration to me!
