Watercolor Class

Deranged Egret--Work in Progress


Calm Egret--Work in Progress

One of my favorite activities in Florida is my weekly watercolor class. We meet for two hours in our community club house every Thursday morning. I really enjoy getting together with other people who love to paint and who are very encouraging. Our teacher is a professional artist who volunteers his time. Sometimes he does a short demo, but mostly he just walks around the room and offers individual instruction and loads of support. It is exactly what I need to pursue my hobby. I get big ideas, but I don’t really know how to execute them. When I get stuck, Bob always shows me a way out.

I like to sit between Jack and Marilyn. Marilyn does fabulous paintings of Florida wildlife: birds, manatees, turtles. She is truly talented and has sold some paintings. Jack was a graphic designer, I think. He is now disabled and comes to class with a full-time aide. Although shaky, he is a terrific artist, has a great sense of humor, and helps me a lot to see what my pictures are missing. He is a genius with the overall design of a picture and has convinced me that I don‘t have to paint exactly what is there in the photo. It’s OK to make some parts of a painting up for a better composition or design.

Newt is our class supervisor until our teacher arrives. Newt goes around the room making sure that everyone has what he or she needs. If we need anything from brushes to erasers, he supplies us with it from his own stash. Newt, by the way, does some very detailed and professional paintings. Most of the rest of us just struggle along and paint for fun. I know I could never accomplish what I have done without the help of this class.

Reflection in Rainberry Lake 2009