Saturday, September 8, 2012

NIGHT at the MUSEUM

Two months ago, my best friend and I took a Wine & Art class at the Figge Museum.
I didn't blog about it because it didn't really turn out to be as exciting and educational as I thought it would be.
It was a "Pop up" class. We made some little folded books and a card with paper cut and pasted to create pop-ups.
I have not been in a class setting for a zillion years and suddenly I remember that I am not a good student.
I get easily bored. I also get easily irritated.
The instructor held up a piece of paper and folded it this way and that as we did the same.
Then she said "Oh, wait. No, fold it this way....wait a minute." then she brought down the paper looked at it and folded in front of her. "OK." she said and held it back up and folded it a different way.
I just get frustrated. Now my paper was folded the wrong way.
Then she had us do little frogs out of green paper....fold, fold, fold - cut.
Crap. Mine did not look like a frog.
So I didn't post about but...here's my pop-up card that I did.
I tossed it when I got home.
But it was a nice evening, spending time catching up with my friend.
Last month it was a "Clay" Wine and Art. I had to work late that night. So we weren't able to attend.
But last Thursday I was excited to go.
This class was to be about Mixed Media.
I really hoped to learn something that I could use in my paintings.
When I arrived, they were holding a Zumba class outside.
Maybe I should take a class in that!
When my friend and I decided to take the stairs to the second floor, as I tried to continue to talk normally, I was thinking that I should definitely take a class in Zumba.

Sadly, we didn't do Mixed Media. Instead the instructor (a different one) passed out paper and oil pastels.
Hmmm.
She started talking about Georgia O'Keeffe.
OK! I'm listening!
She showed some photos of her Leaf Paintings.
This was one of them:
She said that some people viewed them as sensual and sexual.
I'm thinking - Dah.
But she said that O'Keeffe was from the Midwest and Conservative background
and that this was created in the 1920's so that is just the opinion of SOME people ...
Yeah?
I mean, does she even anything about Georgia?
Sigh...

She passed out a laminated copy of some painted leaves and had us open up our boxes of pastels and on white paper she said we could copy the leaves -
or do whatever we wanted. We could draw a sensual flowing line....
or maybe just the leaves on the copy.
She walked by our table and said to me "Oh, you decide to not copy? Hmmm, purple."
Then she had us do drawings on black paper.
I tried to be a good follower. I copied the little leaves.
She walked by "blue?"
I smiled. "No, turquoise."
Finally she had us use water soluble pastels on white watercolor paper.
These look more like the copy.
But I still put turquoise in there.

My friend asked me later if I waited to do the "Wine and Art" class again.
She knew I was a bit disappointed.
I said sure. It was a nice night out. There were a couple of young college age girls at our table that we had a nice chat with even if they did call us "ladies" at the end of the evening...
as in "It was really nice meeting you ladies, hope to see you next time!".
(I hate when I forget that I'm old to young people)...
and I had never used oil pastels before.
So I did learn something.
Next month the class is "Black & White Charcoal & Oil Pastels".
Maybe we will do Mixed Media then!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It can be really fun to go to classes like that :-)
I really like origami and I have folded lots of frogs in my days :-) But I've never done a pop up, that would be fun.

We used lots of oil pastels when I went to school. I was never any good at it though :-) I'm more of a lead pencil guy :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.

Robin Kent said...

Any time out with a friend, wine and some form of art is OK. Haven't done anything like that in y e a r s. . . It sounds like your teachers might try to be a little more inspiring. Maybe the next one will be when you request mixed media.

An Urban Cottage said...

I've done some classes that are disappointing too but you never know when the smallest thing will inspire the biggest new idea.

yoborobo said...

Sounds like fun! I love that you're the rebel. You go, girl, and cause some trouble! :)) xox