September Challenge

Helloooo September!

This is the part where everyone says things like "Where did the summer go?" or 

"That summer sure did fly by!"  

And I have to confess that I've said it myself the past week or so.

We had a few family functions, traveled a lot and spent some time at the beach with our kids.

But I also have to tell you that I am never really that sorry to see summer go.

Maybe it's my younger school kid self or my former teacher self 

but, to me, September always feels more like a new beginning that January 1st.

I welcome that cool, crisp air coming through my windows and yes even the occasional snow fall.

I begin this "New Year" by taking part in the Leslie Saeta 30/30 Challenge.

Leslie invites artists from around the world to paint 30 paintings in 30 days.

Now I must tell you up front that I have entered this challenge in years past and failed miserably.

Mostly because I am a very slow watercolor painter and a bit of a perfectionist.

Both usually serve me well but not a good combo for this particular challenge.

 So now I am going completely off the rails and heading in a whole new direction.

"Christine"
Mixed Media
8" x 8"

I was an art teacher in grades one through eight for 10 years at a little private school in Philadelphia.
And there were so many projects I worked on with the kids that I thought,
" I must try this as a grown up someday."
So that's my theme, such as it is, to take some of my own kid art lessons and rework them as a grown up, kind of.

The illustration above is my daughter as a little girl (my all time best model).
It is a combination of Gel Medium Transfer, Collage and Acrylic paint.

I will work in this process again over the course of the month and share
the step by steps so that you can try it.
There will also be some printmaking, book arts, oil pastels, collage,
basically all my old teacher bag of tricks.
The idea is not to make a group of masterpieces but to rework some
old ideas as possible jumping off points for other future projects.

I have also started a new large watercolor still life using an iconic kid object as my subject,
of which I will reveal the finish at the end of the month.  I hope.

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm biting off more than I can chew here.
I hope you will follow along to see if I make it, yikes!
If I miss checking in for a day or two,
don't worry Ill be back, just having a little crazy time.

Any teachers out there following me?
I'll be happy to share my lesson plans, just contact me.