Di Massey, Art Educator/Artist

This summer I have been blessed with a private watercolor student, Di Massey.  I say blessed because Di is a lovely person and has an instinctive knack for watercolors.  She's a twofer!  As she has taught elementary, middle school and high school art students, she has picked up art principles, adding them to her inborn abilities- she's raw talent, ready to take off.

One of Di's cat paintings.  First made for a friend's bathroom, Di found she loves repetitive patterns and uses that for her fabulous kitties. 

Although she has taught art, she hasn't had much time to take art lessons for her own enrichment.  Di has poured much of herself out for others.  I'm tickled that now in her life she has a chance to learn some techniques that will help her grow her own creative reservoir. The bones are there, all she has to do is flesh them out with new skills.  It will be fun to see where her thoughtful and creative mind takes those skills.

The background on this piece is fabulous, especially when you look closer and realize it was made by the simple method of laying plastic wrap over a wet wash of paint and letting it dry there.  

I think there are many people who spend much of their time and energy in their professions while inwardly feeling a mostly unmet need to express themselves in personal ways.  I have felt that way myself many times and I suspect I will again.  Finding balance between work and the studio is probably going to be a life-long quest for me.  Somehow, I don't think I'll ever find a perfect, permanent balance.  Instead, I will learn how to be more accepting of the day to day events that come along with the flow of life and how to work creatively among those events.

Today's exercises: underpainting.  The two on the left were underpainted with complimentary colors, while the right apple shape was painted with an underpainting of black.

Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that if all I had to do was paint, it would become boring to me.  Too much candy and not enough salt.  Variety gives spice to life and yearning to be creating gives it more flavor when those hoped for hours come along.  The not-so-fun times make the fun times- well- funner.  (Sorry)  

Di's love of pattern is a natural for zentangle designs. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Alice