Paint Mojo was so much fun!!!

Hi pals!  Holy Moly!  Where is October rushing off to?  Eeeek!  It's slipping between my fingers!  Today I'm snuggled up warm and cozy in the family room, getting caught up on paperwork and "computer stuff."  Took the doggies to the dog park to run...and it was COLD out there!  They are predicting snow here in Iowa tomorrow....ugh!  I'm so not ready for that.  Not before Halloween, please!!!  Well, I've been meaning to share some pics from a recent outing I had with my dear friend, Erin. 

In early October, we attended a Paint Mojo workshop with the wonderful, fabulous Tracy Verdugo!!

The class was held in the lovely countryside outside Spring Green, Wisconsin.  (not far from The House on the Rock)  Rolling hills, fresh air, and a REALLY fun group of ladies ready to get down and dirty with their paints! 

It was an amazing, eye opening experience for me, with several uncomfortable moments that I had to push through.  We worked a lot with symbols that were important to us, and learning to create how a "feeling" looks in paint.  It was very intuitive, and took some bravery!

These two sassy ladies were our table mates for the weekend, and we had SO much fun with them!  Vivacious Viv!  I found out I had a lot in common with her, as we both have creative businesses.  We are so used to producing things for other people....making things that sell....that we often forget to make for the sake of making.  Creating for our own enjoyment, without an end result in mind.

And Vanessa the art fairy joined us at our table too!  She was prolific!  She completed six paintings that weekend!  I marveled at how free and crazy she was with her painting.....and she let me borrow her Montana paint markers....now I need to buy THOSE!!!

 

We started by putting symbols on our canvas that had meaning for us...using paints, and various mark making tools...including this stamp that I carved out of foam.....oh, and I used my hand too! 

 

 

Lots and lots of layering....turning the canvas constantly, and not getting too attached to anything we've already placed there.

 

 

This is me, in my painting overalls (my favorite thing to paint in!) at the end of the first day!

It was so hard to stop!!!

 

 

The next day, we spent some time as a group, doing show and tell, and talking about what we saw in each others paintings.  That was a lot of fun!  I ended up working on something abstract, which is unusual for m.  I started covering different parts of the canvas up...revealing and adding value to the lovely layers I had created.

 

 

And here we are, at the end of the workshop, with our pretty much finished pieces.  I still want to tweak mine a little bit...but for now, am enjoying staring at it now and then.  I don't think I want to part with it....so will hang it in the living room.  This was such a GREAT weekend, and I was so happy to share it with Erin, a true blue friend whom I always enjoy spending time with...and it's fun to be with like minded individuals who get excited about the same things.

 

 

Tracy was a fabulous instructor, and I would gladly spend time with her in class again and again!  So inspiring, so warm, and so much FUN!!!

 

 

Tracy has a new book coming out!  You can pre-order it on Amazon HERE! 

Check it out!  You won't regret it!!!!