April 2022

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published April 2022 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Mag

​“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.” The exuberant forces of spring have arrived and can’t be contained! New growth, new life, new awakenings and new energy abound. Fresh, vibrant green leaves are dancing in the breeze. Brightly coloured flowers are cheerfully waving. Misty, muted scenery has woken up and is glowing. Animals are stirring and excited little birds are building homes for their future young. Potential painting subjects are everywhere when viewed with an Artist’s eye. Spring is an energetic launching pad for learning and discovery!

Motivated to continue improving my drawing skills, I am focused on regular practice today. Recently, I set up an area in my studio to do just that. I organized my drawing books and videos, pencils, pens and paper, in a way that encourages me to actively spend a few minutes, or a few hours at a time in training. My goal is to be able to more quickly ‘see’ the essence of my subject, learn how to interpret what I am looking at and effectively translate this through my hand, via my paintbrush, onto my canvas. Aside from working on this task in the comfortable and controlled environment of my studio, I often set up and practice sketching outdoors in preparation for plein air painting too. The ability to improve any skill includes awareness, interpretation, experience, application, repetition and analysis. Opportunities to learn, present themselves in a variety of ways as we are ready to take them on.

Springtime, when inspiration, change, and new beginnings are all around us, is a great time to take a learning Art Adventure. Plan to do something new, get to know your subject matter better, gain insights and knowledge to improve your skills, and enjoy the results of the educational process along the way. Happy Painting!