Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published in Nanaimo Magazine & Voyager Magazine - April 2016
It was a snug fit in my suitcase but I was able to squeeze in my watercolour paints, pencils, ink pens, and lots of paper. I flew to Toronto for a week long education training session. To stay inspired and to add balance to this otherwise left brained activity, I planned to exercise the right side of my brain too - the artistic, creative side and to experience a brand new Art Adventure!
Since there is never enough time to do everything, thinking ahead, I prepare for opportunities I call "creativity on the fly." As soon as I arrive, I set up an artistic space in my hotel room and fondly lay out my art supplies. I always bring along a new art magazine for additional inspiration! I am now ready for play at a moment's notice!
Sometimes the view from my hotel window is superb: a painting waiting to be captured, as it was when I stayed in rural Manitoba: a thin ring of crisp white snow delineated the edge of an empty grey parking lot, save one abandoned, old, red pick-up truck, from the long dark furrows of newly turned soil, gently curving to and fro in an eternity to the horizon; black soil soaked by winter snow melt with glistening blue mirrors, frozen puddles reflecting an endless cobalt sky, with the odd rare muted survivor tree patiently waiting for the warmth of spring to awaken it. I digress ... I'm in Toronto ... the view from my window here is of a lovely courtyard garden, alas, still in slumber, quietly waiting for spring too!
The highlight of this Art Adventure was connecting with my dynamic friend, fellow artist and colleague, Micki. In collusion, Micki brought with her: Schmincke oil pastels and alcohol ink. It was an evening of bold experimentation, exciting exploration, surprising discovery, and the production of a lot of interesting abstract art, with tons of laughter and fun, and Adventure in Art!
Published in Nanaimo Magazine & Voyager Magazine - April 2016
It was a snug fit in my suitcase but I was able to squeeze in my watercolour paints, pencils, ink pens, and lots of paper. I flew to Toronto for a week long education training session. To stay inspired and to add balance to this otherwise left brained activity, I planned to exercise the right side of my brain too - the artistic, creative side and to experience a brand new Art Adventure!
Since there is never enough time to do everything, thinking ahead, I prepare for opportunities I call "creativity on the fly." As soon as I arrive, I set up an artistic space in my hotel room and fondly lay out my art supplies. I always bring along a new art magazine for additional inspiration! I am now ready for play at a moment's notice!
Sometimes the view from my hotel window is superb: a painting waiting to be captured, as it was when I stayed in rural Manitoba: a thin ring of crisp white snow delineated the edge of an empty grey parking lot, save one abandoned, old, red pick-up truck, from the long dark furrows of newly turned soil, gently curving to and fro in an eternity to the horizon; black soil soaked by winter snow melt with glistening blue mirrors, frozen puddles reflecting an endless cobalt sky, with the odd rare muted survivor tree patiently waiting for the warmth of spring to awaken it. I digress ... I'm in Toronto ... the view from my window here is of a lovely courtyard garden, alas, still in slumber, quietly waiting for spring too!
The highlight of this Art Adventure was connecting with my dynamic friend, fellow artist and colleague, Micki. In collusion, Micki brought with her: Schmincke oil pastels and alcohol ink. It was an evening of bold experimentation, exciting exploration, surprising discovery, and the production of a lot of interesting abstract art, with tons of laughter and fun, and Adventure in Art!
