We have our closing session this morning, then I’m back to Albany… and tomorrow we’ll be back to regular postings of Aerten Art!

Last night we our free evening from painting, so I went to the Kirtan session.  Kirtan is Sanskrit chanting.  It is wicked cool!

And today is our last day of painting, so I’m off to see what else my painting wants me to add.

Today’s exercise was to “embody” our paintings… describe them to our fellow participants using movement and sound, but no words.  As an exercise, it’s very powerful.  It’s not something I’d ever do outside the circle of painters, however.  It would scare the crap out of everyone else (ok, maybe not Claire once she finishes counselor training).  I know I was a bit surprised by what my painting had to “say.”

And there’s that ineffable something that’s been stuck inside for years that’s never given itself up to the written word or to any type of paint.  Yo, it’s manifesting now.  That’s prettying interesting, don’t you think?

Oh, and even though it’s one painting all week, it is a pretty organic thing… it can grow to astounding sizes.  I’m not exactly sure what size a single sheet of paper is (12″ x 18″ maybe?), but I’ve got nine panels put together.  I’m learing how to paint very large… but I’m not sure it’s going to translate very well to the encaustics.  The watercolors, acrylics and temperas… definately.  But I’m still contemplating the concept of very large encaustics (for Monique and her guy, of course).

Earlier this year, I was reading someone’s blog (I wish I could remember whose) and they mentioned a book called Painting from the Source by Aviva Gold.  I was entranced by the description, so I hunted it down and purchased it from an Amazon reseller.  I wasn’t a third of the way through the book when I decided I needed to take one of Ms. Gold’s workshops.  Here’s some synchronicity for you… barely a month later, I received a catalog from Kripalu, where a week-long Painting from the Source workshop was being offered!  I signed up… and that’s where I am this week.

The basic concept is that painting is a sacred act, and I’m harkening back to my days about three decades ago when I had a loose connection to a Wiccan circle.

I’m off to the second painting session now… perhaps you’ll hear from me again this week.

Tempera (also known as egg tempera) has been around for centuries.  In fact, it was the medium of choice before oils showed up and ruined everything for temperas.  Originally, they were made with egg yolks mixed with pigment.  Sometimes, they still are.  Other times, the manufacturers use some unidentified biodegradable protein mixed with pigment.  Yes, it all sounds pretty disgusting.  But the slickery nature of the paints can’t be beat!

Sometimes, tempera paints are confused with what we in the US like to call “poster paints.”  Poster paints are not tempera, as they contain no eggs or other unidentified biodegradeable proteins.  Poster paints are actually gouache (gwash), which is a type of watercolor paint.  It’s got gum arabic and extra chalk added, making is far more opaque than regular watercolors.

(And did you notice the new “Listen Now” buttons?  You can listen to Natasha read my posts to you.  I know Kathy calls her Phyllis, but I think Natasha is a cooler name.  Just saying.)

And while the rest of you are over there, check out all my other very cool artwork.  It’s not too early to start shopping for the holidays, you know.  People like artwork…  especially your moms and significant others and siblings and grandparents and random neighbors.  Oh, and don’t forget your mail carriers!

I may put the rest on Etsy, or auction them off here.  If you have a preference, note it in the comments.

And wasn’t doodle week incredible fun?!  Three cheers for our Doodle Masters Claire and Laura!  It’s so much fun doodling, and even more fun coloring in all my crazy doodles.  I can’t wait for the next one!

I wouldn’t bother telling you about this except that I’m donating another painting to the cause.  (Remember Acid Rain, the one I donated for Marcus’ contest?)  This one is called Cassandra Spoke.  It’s a 9″ x 12″ watercolor painting; I used my utterly fantastic iridescent watercolor paints, so it’s kind of shimmery.

You want it, don’t you?  Yes, I can tell.

(Now for some housekeeping about contests… I don’t donate my art to just anyone.  I happen to like Stan a whole lot… he makes me laugh… so I’m delighted to make a donation.  I would probably even donate something if one of my readers or one of the folks I regularly interact with on the EC forums has a contest.  But anyone who PMs me out of the blue to donate something to their contest is going to be reported as a spammer.  Yo, I’m a cranky post-menopausal woman when it comes to stuff like that.  Are you thinking the “b” word?  Exactly.)

So listen… go check out Stan’s contest.  Win a painting!  Win this painting!  It’s almost as much fun as an auction.

Ooooh, I’m supposed to mention what I want to win!  How about that hypnosis tape from The Hypnotist…  I could use some encouragement to get into a shape other than round.

We’ll get back to our regularly scheduled program tomorrow.  (Oh, and I’m having a hard time waiting for Doodle Week…  I want to share my doodles NOW.  LOL)