New Canvas

I've gained a couple of new art students this week. 

There is much latent excitement found in unopened paint tubes, soft new brushes, a pure white canvas.  Young faces were filled with wonderment when they realize that they are going to use these "real artist" materials for the first time. 

We began violently.  We killed the white in our canvas with blue watery paint.  It's messy now. It's dirty and imperfect.  (Do you know how hard it is to begin painting on a white canvas? It's so perfect. What if you "mess" it up?)  Too late for us.  We've killed the overwhelming mass of nothingness and perfection.  Things can only get better from here. 

We quietly and carefully gather objects from around the house, we create a composition of odds and ends on the kitchen table.  Hmmmm-ing.  Turning that just right.  Moving this a little to the left.  Ok. Ready. 

We sketch.  We lightly glide our chalk over the canvas.  I want them loose.  I want them to pull and push and give and take.  I want them to search and find the line with their chalk, in rapid motion.  Perfectionists, beware! Not for the lighthearted, this.


I think we're all looking forward to our next class.  Bring on the paint.