Saturday, September 15, 2012

Surface push and pull

 Trying to get the kids, through this painting assignment, to SEE the plasticity of acrylic paint and how shapes and colors can move by their own tension. If a still life is rendered as a flat as possible, how does it move?

 If they can accept the idea that two lines... two colors, can move... they can see that painting a canvas opens up a world, whether with realism or with an abstraction.
They can work in dialogue---I always ask, when they ask me a question o what the painting needs next--- if they ever hear voices in their head. Some do. Some say they don't.
Look harder then, and listen!
It's only paint!
 How mysterious the small places can become!... How playful the edges! I want to hear their brushstrokes and their breathing as they work with total absorption. The challenge for me, as their teacher, is to set the stage and get them in the zone with in a 40 minute class.



2 comments:

  1. A lovely project to encourage students to look/think/see outside the box. I love your request for the them to 'look harder and listen'...

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  2. great exercise and great Artwork as a result!

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