For the first time ever, I got to experience what the joys of being in an art studio, or art commune, or whatever, might be. Instead of being a teacher or lecturer or a student, as I have many times, or laboring alone in my room, for a day I was an equal, a partner in a relaxed, casual art setting. It was wonderful.
To start the ball rolling, I approached a young lady I have known since she was in kindergarten with an oil painting illustration job. She has some painting experience and a knack for it. I told her that I would help her get started on the project and guarantee that she would meet the client's needs. My client was happy with the arrangement and agreed to give her a reduced fee for the work. The young lady came to my home studio today and we spent a very relaxed, happy four hours, she blocking in the colors on my easel while I worked on a Christmas book I wrote and am illustrating on the computer. Family members came in every so often to add comments.
I had a great time. The lady and I joked, told stories, caught up on news about friends, listened to some Weird Al Yankovic songs, and ended the day watching Youtube videos by the jazz band Jive Aces. We each made some great progress on our projects, and with all the jazz tunes we played, by the end of the day I was dancing on the ceiling. Still running the tunes through my head.
I was really impressed with this lady's skills; she says she's not a people painter, but her work belies that. She admitted that she was nervous and intimidated at first but she jumped right in anyway. I give her great credit for chutzpah.
As usual, I won't be able to work in my studio again until next weekend, but I gave her permission to continue the project even if I'm not there. She's an ice dancer and just got her EMT certification. Whatever she puts her mind to, she can do. I wish her very well.
If that's what the collegial atmosphere in an art studio is like, I'm all for it.
Jive Aces on Youtube.
Weird Al Yankovic on Youtube.
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