The End of Brenda Swenson's Watercolor Sketching workshop

Brenda Swenson and me

There is always a champagne reception on the last afternoon of class at Dillman's Resort.  

(Thus the glass in my hand.)  

After a class is over, you are left with such a "swirl of thoughts and ideas" that it is hard to come back down to earth.  In the days just following a good workshop there are important follow-up things to do.  Putting materials away, of course, but also making a list of not only important points and ideas gained in the workshop...and looking through photos and mini-movies taken during the workshop as well as books and DVDs, and making these things accessible again in some organized way.  

I have rarely seen such an organized teacher as Brenda.  She is an inspiration to "getting your act together".  I found the 4 days an "intimate" experience in sharing her attitude not only toward art but toward life in general.  I hope to share some thoughts on my blog in the days ahead and a little of that philosophy as it applies to journals because she really gave us some "insight" into WHY she journals and what art journals can really be about.

I don't generally do a lot of "words" on my blogs ...just share photos and scans and tell about how I did them or their size or materials.  More of a "how to" blog.  But after Brenda's class I am feeling more of a need to share some of the "behind the scenes" thinking involved in art...her's and mine.  You can skip the words, of course...that's the fun of blogs.  Optional reading.  Hahaha.  So here's to a great class and lots of wonderful new ideas ahead.  If you ever have a chance to take one of Brenda's classes I urge you to.  She also teaches wc negative painting and Oriental paper collage in wc.  Both look amazing.  You will find her blog on my favorites off to the right side of this post.