Studio days...

Pictures taken and shared on Facebook by Kristin Steiner

So my nerves were still edgy and I was really struggling to settle them.

Our Classroom is in the monastery, upstairs... good lighting and just such a beautiful peaceful place to work.  We started each session with Misty doing demonstrations.  She's truly incredible to watch teach in person.

I have taken quite a few of Misty's online classes but this is the second time I have got to sit under her teaching, in person.  And it really is special and such a privilege.  That together with sitting along side other incredible artists who I love and admire.

Misty's demonstration

My take on it...

Misty started our time color.  Wow this wasn't easy stuff.

She taught about mixing colors, complimentary colors and working on solid backgrounds.

This is my take on the grey backgound.

I brought this reference with me from home.  I have drawn her before in graphite many years ago but I always wanted to paint her.  I never in my widest dreams would I ever have thought I would get to paint her in Italy.  Understanding color is not easy for me.  I didn't study art and I see with Corks studying art now through the years - how color and understanding it is engrained all the way through.

It's something I want to and need to grow in and I've known this for sometime.

Misty's photo...

 The view from Misty's desk.  Isn't her desk incredible.  Beautiful Lorraine and Robin and I admiring Renee's superb work.  Camilla listening to us chat.  Annie admiring John's beautiful piece.

The painting at the top of Misty's desk - the guy with the red coat...  Blue and OrangyRed - Complimentary colors.  And a Red background... (I hope I remember that correctly).

My take on that demonstration... I loved this color palette a lot.

Blue backgrounds...

She's really remarkable, right!

Having incredible fun in Misty's Office...

Seeing that come to life... WOW!!

Profiles and monochromatic...

 Everything Misty did this week was to lead us to our final piece... a Icon.

We had to draw one out in Graphite, free and intuitive and add elements that we had seen from our surrounds.  Then an accurate measured up piece.  I wasn't completely happy with mine, I would like to still go back and finish that assignment.

Then there was this assignment was to take 4 magazine elements that Misty gave us.

She then showed us how she does this and how she puts a piece together.

It was tough going but an incredible way to learn put compositions together.

It is definitely something I would like to grow into and practice more.  This was a completely new concept for me.  We scribbled away in our Fabriano journals that Misty gave us.

I used stabilo and water here to try and put ideas together.

I found the studio time very tough this time...

I know it was my own fears.  At times, my hands couldn't stop shaking and I didn't know why I was in such a state.  It was upsetting me.  The only conclusion I could come up with was that I usually paint in the privacy of my own space.  So I make my mistakes in private and without anyone seeing and I guess there is security in that.  I was completely out of my comfort zones.

And my abilities were being challenged.  As much as this was uncomfortable and my fear was tangible - I know it's out of these places that we grow the most.  Which is ultimately why I was here.... right. 

It was only when I got home did I realise that something had actually shifted in me and the place you could see it was in my work... and that shocked me.  I couldn't understand how come... After much reflection and talking it out... I ultimately believe...

Showing up each day in spite of our fears = change.

It also made me realise that I need to work more with other artists so that I can not get complacent in my comfort zones.  I've already made two painting sessions out of town with two fellow artists for the year ahead.

Great lessons learnt over these two days.... physically, mentally and emotionally.