The Magic of Mud

This week I opened classes with some questions "How do you know when artwork is finished?" and "How can you turn a mistake into a happy accident?".  So much of being an artist is reflecting on and reacting to the process of creating- before, during and after.  Like everything in visual art (and life), each individual has their own thoughts and ideas on process and problem solving.

In the Muddy Brook studio students are encouraged to revisit work.  Many painters from last week added to their work this session with drawing tools and more paint.  Observing day two, it is interesting to see individual learning styles.  Some artists embrace the mud of mixing, while others strive for clean hues.  Where adults see variations of brown and gray young artists see mixed rainbows, the perfect animal fur, and newly created never-ever before invented colors generated by their wonder and fearlessness.  We need to embrace the magic of mud.