Lesson 11

Dear Creative friend


letting the painting tell you what it needs. While it's all about surrendering to the work itself,
it's also the quality of the dialogue in front of it. Well-chosen placement of the confident strokes gives us great satisfaction.  Then they all speakt and tell us what we really are inside.   As it is said, "How do I know what I
think until I hear what I say." In our case, "How do I know what I know until I paint"

We did grapes last week. Your students are now very comfortable in loading their brush.  They are very deliberate in executing each strokes.  You should see their focus and concentration when they paint.  Their paintings in the hall way may speak for themselves.  Enjoy it.

We don't have class this week, nor next week(Spring break).  We have 5 more classes after spring break.
I enjoy each and every class with your students.  Thank you for this opportunity.

Have a great Spring Break.

Lesson 10

Robert Genn, a renown Canadian artist in his Twice-Weekly Letter says:

"It's safe to say that too much drawing can destroy form and pattern. Fact is, paintings are best made
of patches, not lines....But lines themselves are a way to understand those patches and the
underlying forms....

Joyousbrush painting incorporate the patches approach to explore and understand.  It forces the students to rely on their mental imagery to paint.  We don't pencil in before we paint.  We paint directly on rice paper.  The learning takes place in both ways.  In realize what's in our mind, and to interpret what appeared on paper.  The understanding comes from the form, and the image in our mind produce the form.  This process connect the command center of your students with their environment. This exercise motivate students to integrate mind and hand in a more engaged way.

We painted plum blossom on Friday.  The paintings are displayed in Shallowford Falls Hall way, including mine.  So I will post another painting for your reference.

lesson 9

Painting mastery" is understanding our world and understanding
relationships. Contrary to popular belief, painting doesn't mean
splashing colors--it means seeing and reporting the forms and shapes and their relationships. Painting is a non-literary way of
looking--and the skill to put down what you see in a two-dimensional way. Painting mastery takes time and patience.

Joyousbrush painting incorporate the stroke work to explore and understand.  It forces the students to manage what they see in attainable strokes and combinations.

We painted the sun flower this week.  Each flower is composed of many pedals.  Each pedal is composed of 3 brush strokes.  The color release of the loaded brush define the padals.

Lesson 8 Frogs

The students requested to do creatures instead of the sun flower originally planned.  I decided to venture with them according to their desire.  We tried frogs.

This is the process that shows your student that what they desire and imaging bring about realization eventually. This teaches the students to form a habit of taking command of their mind.  The outcome of their picture motivate the students to conceive better, then the value comes into play.  What is better.  Painting does a lot in forming the character of a person subconsciously.  We are having fun doing it.

Some students regretted their own request because it is too hard.  Unless they are convinced of such, they will not be content following my planned curriculum.  So we did a rabbit trail for this purpose.

lesson 7 Chrysanthemum

This lesson works on the progressive strokes in releasing the color in the loaded brush.  The artist can control the shades by the stroke orders they chose.  This excise also build confidence on the students that there is not stroke that are wrong, but the preference of the artist surface defines personal artistry.  The sum of these strokes define the form.  So the students need to have the form in mind while execute their strokes.