A few months ago, I attended a watercolour workshop from fellow mixed media artist, Julie Morris Art. I knew not much about watercolour but in one afternoon, I had learned lots, had a great time and came away thinking maybe I could be brave enough to hold my own workshop?!
Art has a great way of highlighting your personal shortcomings and mine is a lack of self confidence and fear about putting myself out there. I’m introverted and easily stressed so the thought of me holding a workshop filled me with dread, but there was also a little flutter of excitement. I’m pretty much self-taught (as some others have felt compelled to reminded me!)… so what could I possibly offer people wanting to learn?
Well, in recent years I’ve really enjoyed painting for myself, making my art about having fun again and trying to unpick all those things people have impressed upon me over my time as an artist. I’m learning to listen to myself.
So I thought, maybe I could offer others a way to explore their own creativity, build confidence in their own decision making and create something truly unique to them through ways of mixed media and colourful expressive painting. And what better subject than of their very own four-legged friend!
Months of planning (and sleepless nights!) went in to designing a course that people would enjoy as an experience, but also learn some from and end up with a finished painting to take home.
I locked in a date and offered my prototype workshop to a select audience. I was actually amazed that so many people were interested in taking part! I even had a list of folk who couldn’t make that date but wanted to know when I was planning more!
The big day arrived and three eager but slightly apprehensive students arrived. In true Anj style, I was running around like a headless chicken, stressing about meeting people but I needn’t have worried because they were all so lovely that I felt quite relaxed in their company. They were also great “Guinea pigs” because each were at a different stage in their art journey; one complete beginner, a crafty hobbyist and a digital artist.
After introductions and talking about our pets, we got stuck in to drawing out our animals and blocking in. We covered how to convey our pets character through collage selection, colour choices and ways to apply the paint. Lunch time arrived and unusually for Scotland, we’re in the midst of a heatwave/drought, so we sat outside and ate home made wood-fired pizza, courtesy of our excellent chef, Steve!
Back to painting and we started adding in our pets features, refining our brush work and tying in the background. It was great to see each pet come alive on the canvas!
To say I was proud of each of my students is an understatement! The canvases are big, at 20x20”, or 20”x 16” for the portrait ones, and can by quite daunting, but my students ended up creating some amazing portraits, all with their own unique twist and meaningful additions.
“We were given everything we needed to create artwork that felt both personal and unique. This was the first time I had ever gone to an art workshop. I loved my experience and would love to try another one!”
”I thoroughly enjoyed my day, including a lovely lunch in the sun with home cooked pizza. We were well looked after in every sense, and I went home both inspired and with a fabulous painting!”
”First time doing something like this. Anj was great at explaining everything down to the canvas we used, how to mix the paints to get the colour we needed and also had the patience to help us achieve a very professional portrait.”
There is still some refinement to be done to the course, as it did run over time, but with the help of feedback from those who took part in my prototype, I have restructured the itinerary to help keep the workshop to schedule and I can’t wait to offer the next Paint Your Pet workshop soon!
