Things are going really well here. On Thursday, I worked and worked away and got a lot done on painting, that really made me happy because I am almost done with my third painting. That is really exciting for me too because I worked so hard on it, and every time I look at it I realize how much I actually like it, so that is a good thing. It is a reflection of a Greek column and a flower.
The painting after that that I'm doing is a calla lily with two leaves. It is a really good painting as well, and it is actually starting to develop into something. The next painting is a painting of very abstract things. The only part of it that is really an object is my hand. I like it because it is just a painting I am doing to play with the paint and see what I can do, so I really like it. I started my Impressionism painting today, and it just turned out terrible.
The paintings I have been doing were with what is called the earth palette. Basically, I have been using yellow ochre, burnt sienna, black and white to paint. It DOES work and you can even get blue and purple from those three colors. The painting I am working on now has an entirely new palette, and it is just driving me up the wall! I don't understand it very well, and I am horrible at mixing the colors. I managed to get most of the painting to look really nice, but one of the most important parts of it is just a mucky purple brown color. I didn't like that. It is a painting of flowers on a chair.
The flowers came out very nice (except that I was painting poppies and they look like roses) but the chair is the UGLY part. Also, I kind of figured out how to mix color in the very end, but the background is hot pink. I'm going to have to just keep adding layers of paint on top I thing because what I have right now (at least on the chair) doesn't work very well. But I'm working on that. Also, I have a sketch drawn for another painting of a boat! In the future, I plan to copy a Greek vase painting, paint my boat, paint a church dome and do a tree and a Greek city landscape. I'm excited for them all. After that, I will come home and buy all of the paints I need to just make some incredible paintings at home.
I took my first two paintings off of their stretchers and got them ready for the ride home! I'm excited about all of the photography that I'm doing now. I have now taken a lot of photos, but I have to finish developing them and making contact sheets and everything. As soon as I see them I will know what I think about them, but I'm sure that there are some things in there that I like. I'm excited about doing my portfolio of black and white photos. I also have another 500 or so digital images that I need to sort through and decide what to work on. It is going to be real cool to bring them home (I may only print a few of them here though because it is really expensive).
Yesterday, we had a guest come who did some lectures. One of them was on the mummy portraits that were painted 2,000 years ago by Greek painters and the other one was her take on a painting that they have in London that is supposedly fake. It was really cool to listen to her talk as she was very knowledgeable.
I spent most of the day yesterday with my Greek friend here. She took me for a 2-mile walk and we found some really nice spots to take photos. On the way back, we were teaching each other Greek and English. We walked by the shop of a man whose photo I wanted to take. She turned to the man and said in Greek, "This girl passes by your shop every day and wants nothing more than to make a photograph of you." He smiled and was very kind. I hope the photo comes out, but if it doesn't I can always go back and talk to him in Greek myself!
Last night we had a mid term exhibition and we each talked about how we had improved as artists.
Today, we were supposed to go on a hike with John, but he wasn't feeling well so his wife put us on the bus and sent us off to another town. We scaled a very steep mountain and it was really fun.
I liked coming home though because I have gotten a lot done since I got back. I fully cleaned my painting studio, and I know don't have to think about my painting work until Tuesday at least (but I'm having so much fun there I will probably do more before them). It was fun though and this man stood outside my studio and watched me paint and stretch canvases for several hours. He was fascinated with me. FUNNY!
I did some work-study work then and here I am writing. After this, I am going to go eat dinner and then go to an art opening. To make a very long story short, one of the Greek ladies here made a video of our school making our earth works, and she is showing it tonight. And then after that, I am going to go to a concert in Greek. That should be fun! And other than that, there is just generally a lot of work/play.
Chris,
It is so wonderful to get your e-mails, and now read your blog! I am so, so happy for you. I want to come and do what you are doing so badly now. Maybe I should once I have a little more of my work turned over...we will see if that can happen. Today I am working out in the country close to a house that my Uncle just bought, it is a fantastic day here in Missouri. It has really been beautiful, but I am sure it does not even compare with the sites that you see every day! It was great to read about the burrow in your e-mail. I think it would make a great print for putting in my new house/condo in the bathroom, maybe you could make some prints and I could buy one from you or barter for a sculpture. I am planning on driving to Oregon next week, and then the following weekend I go to L.A. for a real estate seminar and following, I am going to mexico for 3 weeks to learn the jeans trade. That is what I am up to, but I mainly just wanted to say my postulates are with you, and I am always so happy to hear and read of your adventures.
Much Love,
Erik
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