End of April 2010

This is one of 14 mixed media collages I worked on this month while at Kanuga Watermedia Workshops in Hendersonville, NC. After doing a presentation for attending students and instructors Monday night, I had 3 days to just paint. I was provided with a large studio in the grove across from my new friends, "the girls", aka Allison and Elizabeth, and near the classroom of the fabulous art instructor Mike Bailey, from where the laughter (real and faked), punctuated the silence. Given the generous work area, I lined up blank canvases and drew simple space divisions with vine charcoal. With vigor, my acrylic-loaded brush splashed color chords into designated areas. After painting 4 or 5 canvases simultaneously, I put them in the sun to dry while working on the next group. Once during this rotation, my canvas count was off and I suspected "the girls" may have kidnapped one. (I thought there might be retaliation for my "borrowing" something from the raffle bucket.) But my suspicious nature was mistaken...I had merely messed up counting to 10. Anyway....after the painted backgrounds dried, I glued papers, transfers, stamped patterns, and drizzled Venetian Plaster over the color. And now I am back in Colorado and will soon be back at my Taos studio ready for the slower process of resolving these many beginnings into completed statements. As I contemplate the textures and shapes created, like analyzing a dream, I will discover a theme or a flavor to enhance. Often times the placement of my favorite symbols, trees, birds, houses or a human face or figure, will suggest a metaphor or a context of meaning. Juxtaposing abstract and more literal images entertains me, I think it offers mystery, (the literal symbols seem to connect me and pull me "into" the composition). Sooooo will this featured abstract composition be resolved after days of trial and error? Or will a few well-placed, significant shapes quickly find their places? Stay tuned here for the rest of the story. What will happen? I'll let you know.

Meanwhile....aside from the art-making, I have been learning and implementing more social media. I have a fan page on FaceBook....look for Joan Fullerton Art, and click on the "like" button to get in the loop. I am also planning to do some summer workshops. What a wonderful antidote to the solitude of the studio! I intend to lead students toward better composition, reveal new techniques and materials, and help them find their way to personal "content" in their art. It is so great to be around creative souls who like to "play". July 11th to the 16th I am teaching for Taos Art Experiences. And I will soon post workshop dates for my small (only have room for 6 students) in-my-studio-workshops. Life is supposed to be fun! Join me.