Finishing up the Art and Soul recap

I wanted to share the finished pieces from the last 2 Art and Soul classes, Freedom to Create with Jesse Reno and Wabi Sabi Wax with Serena Barton. 

In Freedom to Create, I really had to stretch my own ideas of how to create art.  We started with no particular subject in mind and just immersed ourselves in the process and let the painting talk to us.  For the first portion of the class we didn't even pick up a paintbrush....we used our hands.  I enjoyed that tremendously, but it was strange how mentally challenging it was to pour so much of your own thoughts and symbolism into the work.  When we had a foundation of color laid down with our hands we examined it for areas or portions which emerged as a focal point, then we painted out the rest.  It is a raw, primal way of creating and is very much more difficult than I thought it would be.  Here is my work:

and the other:

Funny how I managed to make something very primal and raw in construction still end up feeling whimsical, lol.  Something tells me I didn't quite "stretch" enough. 

And the last class was Wabi Sabi wax.  I had looked forward to this class since we signed up, since I was so intimidated by encaustic.  I'm so happy I took Serena's class, because I had such a major epiphany.  I feel much more confident with the encaustic medium.  Confident enough at least to have fun experimenting at home and trying to improve my skill.

Here's my work from the encaustic class:

and these ladies:

I framed the last two today and gave them to a friend as an anniversary gift.  She seemed to really like them (yay!!).

I hope to go to Art and Soul again next  year.  This retreat fed my creative soul so much.  I have been inspired to create every single day since I've been back.

In other non-art news, we are buying a house.  I am excited, but it is at the time in the process when we are getting inspections done, evaluating the inspection results, etc.  I'm trying not to become emotionally attached to the house, but I do like it very much.  If everything works out (we have some concerns about the inspection results) I hope we can close by the end of the month. 

That's all for now....gonna go see what all my blog friends have been up to.  :)

-Joy