Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Abstract workshop week with artist Pat Dews, by Linda Young



This week, the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society is holding an abstract workshop with nationally known artist Pat Dews.  With Pat Dews enthusiastic teaching style and her witty sense of humor, every day has been a rewarding experience for me--someone who has never had instruction in abstract painting.  The first day we did some "starts" which I haven't even had time yet to get back to work on.

Yesterday, we were to pull out our failed paintings and put new surfaces on them in acrylic paint.  Being a transparent watercolor artist; working with acrylic paint is very foreign to me.  The failed painting I used was only a half sheet on which I had painted a semi nude impression of a goddess called Tasayac from the forests of the Pacific Northwest.   Pat Dews never works on half sheets of paper; but always full sheets and larger elephant sheets.

Here's the first resurfaced painting showing the failed one and the abstract painting created from it.  Some of the original underpainting in watercolor still remains on the right side with a bit of the goddess' shoulder.  I thought it would be fun to show you.

As a signature member of PWS, I find abstract painting very challenging, especially in the beginning when I look at the paper and think "Now What do I do with this?" But...I think it's like anything in life--you just have to keep on keepin' on...

The following digital images show the underlying painting and the abstract that was created on top of it.
 Titled "A to Z" Linda Young, mixed watermedia

The underpainting

P O Box 941
 Carlisle, Pa.  17013
 

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