Art and Soul Virginia - part 4

Jesse doing his demo
Jesse had tons of stories



Joy took the class with me. Her finished paintings are fabulous!!!




My painting at about the half-way mark. Still LOTS to go!!!






This is one which I finished in class. It's called I Have A Voice.

I started working on this one last week. Still not done but at the moment I call it Bear Hugs.

I finished this one last night. It's called Pachyderm On The Serengeti.

Day 4 was the whole reason I went to Art and Soul. Day 4 was the Freedom to Create class by Jesse Reno.

I stumbled upon Jesse Reno years ago in my beloved Raw Vision. Jesse's online bio said he was last published in Raw Vision in 2004. Have I been following Jesse's work for that long? It's quite possible. A time or two a painting of his has shown up at Slotin's Folk Art Auction where we are regulars (who have supplied 50% of the artwork in our house!!!) I check into his website on a regular basis. When I discovered he was teaching at Art and Soul this year I HAD to go!!! Just for his class.

I've been painting on and off since my teen years. I painted in my teens but it was easy to leave behind when I joined the service and started moving around alot... not like sculpting which I always feel lost without when I go too long without making something. The painting urge I was able to satisfy thru the years with drawing, collage and art journaling. I just started painting again about 7 or 8 years ago.

I've always felt slightly disconnected with the whole painting process. Detached. Removed. I just didn't loose myself in my paintings the way I do when I'm sculpting with clay or working with found object or assemblage. I did always enjoy painting but it wasn't that whole meditative experiance that I love most in art.

The first moments in Jesse's class and I felt that connection to painting again. Is it the whole primal process of painting almost entirely with our hands? (We didn't even pick up a paint brush until over 1/2 thru the 6 hour class!!!) Was it how he walked us thru the section on letting go of expectations, like a guided meditation? I can't say. Maybe a little of both. But since his class I've really felt the painting itch in a way I never have before.

Today at lunch The Man said my paintings had taken a very sophisticated turn lately. He is my biggest fan! But His words really touched me. And though the subject matter is still very child-like and whimsical, I too can see the sophistication He's talking of.

And it makes me very very happy. :)