Creating the Charming Cherub Class

This Sunday afternoon is bright and cheerful The sun has been shining for two days now. It is amazing how much I  miss the sunlight when the days are grey and cloudy. The bright sunshine is such a reminder to cherish the joys of each day. Whether it is a glimpse of a bright cardinal, a walk while bundled up for winter or a sip of a perfect cup of tea, savour the moments! I am taking a few moments this afternoon to give another January update on the blog. I just finished teaching Belles Nouvelles Lettres for The Gentle Penman online and I am loving the student work that is being produced. I see new ideas being explored as people really take to the possibilities of Art Nouveau letterforms. This morning I finished a V that I wanted to demonstrate in class, but 2.5 hours each class is just not enough time to do everything. The letter mixed Daniel Smith Wisteria and Daniel Smith Lavender. Rather than creating an infilled letter, I let the shadows around theletter help define the shape. The V could almost be turned toward the left to create a P.

These letters are subtle and relatively quick to do and I will continue to explore them and see what else evolves with them. As I concluded the workshop, I was asked to talk about the upcoming Valentine special edition class called Charming Cherubs. I had a few minutes to show the work that will be explored but I wanted to share a bit on the blog about the process of creating a workshop. Although these courses are presented in a relatively quick fashion, this particular class has been years in the making. Like so many of my courses, there is a root in Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts. My illumination teacher Debbie Thompson Wilson was the first one to introduce me to the possibilities of painted angels and cherubs. I would spend time perusing illuminated manuscripts to find examples I could study in detail.  I worked on faces, hands, wings, hair, folds in fabric. Each study had a lesson for me to learn and I loved trying to recapture the vision of the original illuminator. Although I love illuminated manuscripts, my heart is in the Victorian era and studies of Victorian scraps and cards will lead you to very charming cherub designs.

Many of the Victorian cherubs look more like children with wings and the illustrators had a wonderful time putting the cherubs in any settings you could imagine.

As I continued to study and glean from historic sources, I did not want to copy or re-do that which had already been done. I wanted to put these little cherubs into either flourished settings or acanthus settings. Over the years I created several miniature paintings and flourished cherubs that have found their ways to their new owners. Some were created as portfolio pieces and sold and others were created as special gifts for friends and family members. Cherub Dance was the first flourish that I did which incorporated a little cherub.

I continue to reproduce this card design even though I know my skin tone for the little cherub is far too pink. I still love the dance of the cherub. The thank you note that is included with the purchase of a Held Pen is my Cherub With Quill design. Again, it incorporates my love of offhand flourishing.

 My very first Angel of the Acanthus design was created for one of IAMPETH's silent auction. It was my first attempt at integrating a Victorian acanthus setting with the cherub.

 Evan's Hope was created for a local child who did not have long to live. Our little village here is St. George celebrated Christmas early in October for Evan. As a village, we put up our Christmas lights early and even had our Christmas parade in October so he could celebrate his favourite holiday one last time. I still get emotional when I think about this and I created his cherub design as a memorial card.

When I was asked to create a Valentine workshop that incorporated some kind of cherub design, I realized that I did not have any of my original pieces left to share with the class. I do have digital images that continue to be reproduced as cards, but it can be tricky to produce handouts when so much the original artwork is in private collections. When I considered the project for the class, I had to recognize that three hours for a class is very little to share something that I have been practicing for years. Usually, the drawing and painting of cherubs is reserved for my private students so I can take more time with some of the nuances of the designs. This Charming Cherub class will take the students through the painting of the skin tones, the nuances of the wings and will touch on the folds of the fabric, twisting ribbons and beautiful roses. The cherub is strategically hidden behind a scroll design to accommodate the restricted time frame for the class.

Even with hiding part of the cherub, this is an ambitious class to try to present. My hope for the class is that it will spark an interest and maybe spur the students on to trying to add figures into their work. I have watched private students and the small Ardington class students add figures into their illuminated letters and flourish designs so I am hoping that this will continue to happen.  Much of the foundation of the design is built up with pen and ink.

It could be left at the inked stage or brought to life with watercolour. The notes for the class will glean from some of my special Victorian trade cards and I do my best to fill the notes with lots of pathways for interested students to continue to study. Registration is open now through The Gentle Penman if you are interested in this single session course.
Years of personal study have gone into this class and I know that I will just be able to skim the surface of the possibilities in this class. But, the course notes will also really help me as I continue to teach a more involved cherub for my private students. Creating courses and workshops is a long and tricky path to navigate. I feel like I learn so much along the way. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of some of the background for the course. Each course takes so much time and research to prepare  and then it seems like it is over in a blink of an eye. But I hope the lessons and the inspiration from each course lingers on for a long time. Happy Sunday dear friends. 

May You Flourish

 The first 10 days of the New Year have flow by and I am back in my regular studio routine of teaching, working on commissions, painting and shipping pens. No complaints! I am thrilled to have the work and I love seeing what students are doing and how they are growing. When I ship out pens and write a note of thanks to my client, I sign each note with the phrase "May you Flourish!" As a former florist, I know that the root word of Flourish can mean " bloom". I delight in watching others flourish and blossom on their own path. The floral world for me was always filled with such beauty. Each petal of flower is precious and when I handle them, I try not to bruise or damage their delicate beauty.

They are unique and one of a kind even if you get a dozen of the same flowers. I always appreciate their individual beauty. The calligraphic world is very different from the floral world but from the time I picked up the pointed pen, I was trying to merge the two worlds together. I love flourishes that blossom and bloom. I love wandering over a page with pen and ink and seeing what ideas emerge. The process of flourishing for me is like thinking on paper. Although the strokes are simple and now very familiar to me, each design is one of a kind and has that same delicate nature as a flower. When I flourish with pen and ink, I enter into a place of quiet peace. I am undistracted, calm and filled with a sense of wonder and appreciation. It is very difficult to to explain. When I teach, I try to tell my students about this sense of peace but this is something that has to be understood by each person. My hope is always that each student "will flourish," and find that sense of quiet peace.  There are so many ways for you to study and learn flourishing techniques. There are many online classes, in-person classes and tutorials that you can find. Take whichever route is most comfortable for you. This year, I will be teaching a few flourishing classes and The Ardington School will be presenting two of the first. A unique opportunity this year, and also an experimental way of teaching will be the Flourishing Club through  the Ardington School.

 The hope of The Flourishing Club is to share some of this quiet peace and have you integrate flourishing into your daily routine at least for a few weeks. There will be a variety of flourishes explored and I hope to see students take the flourishes into unique directions. 

See what happens. See what emerges on the paper. And see how you grow in the process. Nature Sings will be presented in March.

Ardington School classes are kept small and allow me to interact with the student and help nurture skills along the way. 

This is a class that was launched to highlight a grisaille technique for flourishing. It is rooted in the beauty of nature and anticipates Spring with butterflies, bunnies and florals. It's a breath of fresh air as we pull out of a grey winter. White underpainting can give spectacular effects in the flourish.

 I am still amazed and surprises at what happens on the paper when I flourish  using the grisaille technique.

 Although I have been playing with offhand flourishing for 20 years now, the flourish still teaches me, amazes me, and fills me with the same appreciation I have for a beautiful flower. If you would like to ask me any questions about these courses please reach out through email. I would love to encourage you on your journey and help you to flourish and grow. I firmly believe that Flourishing is easiest of all pointed pen skills to learn and is the key to unlocking confidence and letting go of the fear of a blank page. May you truly Flourish dear friends in this beautiful new year. Sending hugs!

The Practice of Peace

 As I open a new calendar page for a bright New Year, the word that I have been pondering is Peace. As I close out a year and think about the year in front of me, I do a bit of reflecting. I am not good with resolutions or making lists of what I want to accomplish. I try to be mindful in my daily tasks and set reasonable goals for each day. When I begin to work at my desk, I take time to appreciate the work in front of me. It is a blessing to be able to work with my hands. As I was painting the little blue birds on their glittering vines, I was aware of how peaceful the process is for me. Many students and friends have written to express the same thoughts about working with their hands. One friend, remarked that she was looking at her hands as miracles when she saw what was emerging on the paper. Whether you knit, embroider, sew, write, draw or paint, what we do with our hands can be a source of wonder and peace. This year, there are many tasks in front of me that can seem overwhelming.That may be why I am so reluctant to list them! But every time I pick up the pen or the brush, I am finding peace. I realize that when I teach my classes, I am trying to share that same sense of peace. I think what is more clear to me than ever is that we are striving to bring excellence to our work and improving areas that we want to work on. But as we do this, rather than taking a deep dive into the faults that are there, look for the joy in the process. I have stated many times in my blog posts and in my classes that I am a very slow learner. I have failed so many times and looked at work that appeared to be making no progress at all. But there are moments when I can feel skills strengthening and I can see visible improvements. Everything happens in its own time.  My first class this year is Belles Nouvelles Lettres hosted by the Gentle Penman online. Registration is open if you would like to join the class. 

These drawn and painted letters have a peace of their own. Rooted in Toile de Jouy fabrics, French inspired colours and a dash of Art Nouveau influence, these letters combine simplicity and elegance. They have been a pure joy to explore and I can't with to share some of the discoveries I have made with them.  One of the colours that has been so enticing is Eau de Nil. I have been trying to recreate this glorious colour as it goes so well with lavender, pinks and blues.  Even if you think you can't draw or can't paint, there will be something for you in this class.  If you would like my updated 2023 teaching schedule, please send me an email.  Happy New Year Dear Friends.  Welcome to 2023 and the possibilities it will bring. Keep practicing peace!