Seasonal Rhythms

September is spinning by so quickly and I know this is my third post this month! Autumn is pensive but productive for me. I am working on my 2023 teaching schedule at the moment which is very full and will offer some long term study opportunities to my private students as well as a small online class. I will keep you posted on the details. But registration is now open for my fall classes. A Time to Refine will be this weekend through Acorn Arts.  This is a very different presentation for me as I work more on techniques and polishing skills and share some insights that have come from different inspirational sources. The preparation of this course made me realize how deeply I am affected by each season and the different rhythms they present. The sounds and smells of autumn are so different than the spring and summer. Walks take me through falling leaves and I hear the crunch of the leaves as I pass by. The nuthatches and their special song is the most prominent in the garden. I haven't heard the evening song of the robin for weeks now. The first bird in the morning is usually a blue jay and the last bird at night even as it gets dark is a cardinal. There are no more pink blooms in may garden but the leaves are changing colours and my orange and yellow marigolds are still blooming. Inspiration informs our work! I feel like I am being flooded with inspiration as I continue to do research and study for upcoming courses. One of the explorations of the offhand flourish has been a metallic grisaille technique and adding some subtle detail to the metallic with watercolour and coloured pencil. It takes much longer to build up the grisaille with metallic but the effects are so interesting. We will explore this in Time to Refine. 

Something as small as an acorn can bring so much delight with a bit of gold leaf and the pointed pen. Although I am eager to share this class, it is an advanced class. If you are looking a good foundational class in offhand flourishing that provides the opportunity for exploring seasonal rhythms with a sense of the fanciful, I will be teaching The Festive Flourish for the Gentle Penman next month. This flourishing class will take you through the basic strokes of offhand flourishing while leading you into more complex flourishes. When I started out in my flourishing journey, one of my greatest joys was creating a different Christmas flourish for everyone on my card list! I kept this up for years until my card list got too big but the practice was wonderful. We will even explore a larger flourish that can be reproduced as a Christmas card. The magic and joy of offhand flourishing can take you down the most wonderful path. 

In December, if you want to journey with me into the Enchanted Meadow at The Ardington School, I be delighted to share this dry brush watercolour illustration technique for you. There is a bit of drawing, gilding and painting involved in these miniature paintings as well as lot of imagination and opportunity to indulge your whimsical side. I will add a bit of a seasonal twist to this class but these meadow creatures can be part of any season. Even if you think the drawing part might be beyond your current skill set, I will be sharing design strategies with you that are easier than you can imagine. 

 My hope with this December class is that you will be able to go forward into the winter months with painting projects that bring a sense of joy and delight to a season that can sometimes feel dark.

I know there are a lot of classes coming up and there are so many wonderful classes for you to explore online. I appreciate your support so much and more than anything, I love to see the sense of joy and peace that these skills can bring to your life. The Enchanted Meadow has brought out so many whimsical stories and ideas from students. I see their skills skyrocket and surpass anything that I could dream or imagine. Back to your weekend dear friends! Thank you so much for reading, for sending emails and sharing your friendship with me.