Monday, January 12, 2015

Its perfect timing to play with hot wax when its 2 degrees out!

Come and join us for a special workshop on Sunday, January 25th from 9 - 3 PM to learn the "Art of Encaustic Painting" .... the cost is $75 includes everything. More information below about this fabulous winter workshop!

Encaustic Painting 101
Sunday, January 25th  9 AM – 3 PM.  $75. Includes materials .
What are encaustics? How do artist’s use encaustics? What is the history of encaustics? Learn this, plus how to layer, fuse and make a variety of marks in this seductive medium. Learn painterly approaches plus how to etch and scrape into the surface. Take your flat collections such as your drawings, collected papers, pictures and embellish them into the wax! Leave with two small finished paintings and artistic inspiration!

We will also briefly touch on proper studio ventilation, wax safety, and how to “finish” their artworks in terms of framing and care. Class time will be divided between demonstrations, individual work time, and discussion. Encaustic Medium will also be for sale. TO REGISTER: Email helene@helenefarrar.com or call (207) 485 5691


Friday, January 9, 2015

In 2015, Let Your Inner Artist Bloom!


Here are some beginning thoughts on how to create a culture of creativity for yourself and/or your child in the new year.

Let go of ideas of perfection. Give perfection up.  And give yourself permission to meander. Record ideas. Doodle.  Open the door and leave the house. Go to the museum. Go to your local art gallery and spend more than one minute looking at each art piece. Take a walk outside.  You know that Art doesn’t occur on its own. You have to get moving and open your eyes. …..Kids make what we perceive as junk, but they have it right. They are having “experiences”. Process drives them not what happens at the end. We could learn a lot from these little people.
Start sketching with a pen and carry a little blank book with you everywhere. Don’t let something in your head be lost again. And say goodbye to erasing. Draw more lines, cut more shapes, listen to more music. Erasing is bad for the paper and bad for your soul. It tells you that what you are doing is not good enough. Shut those voices down. Now get moving. You have a lot to do. It is going to be a year where you've been creative. Yes, it is!