GOTTA TAKE SOME CLASSES

Well, that's IT - I've made the decision and gone ahead and booked classes at my local Adult Education centres.



I have been reading online about Art Unravelled and other wonderful classes held in the States - but unless I win the lottery, it's a non-starter.

I saw the brochure in my local library, I though "why not?" and am now busily making myself some sketchbooks (I'll need a separate sketchbook for each class).

I decided to make some more coptic books like this lot (top and below). The biggest (top left, with laminated paper cover - tissues, Sanwa and Joss papers - similar to fabric paper but without stitchery) is A4, so when open I have an A3 surface).

So I am now signed up for:

• Life Drawing (I badly want to improve my drawing skills and have always been a lot more interested in the human body than boring old still lifes)
• Jewellery (silver smithing, not the sort of jewellery I normally do: stringing beads, soldering collage charms etc) so it will be interesting to take an actual proper course and see what's going on.
• Drawing & Mixed Media (wonder if it's OUR sort of mixed media?)

There's always something new to learn, some new "take" on a subject. Which also refreshes and renews the art we all do.

Feeling inspired, energised and full of enthusiasm I also bought Twyla Tharp's "The Creative Habit" - in the hopes I will get into the habit of doing a little bit of art every day. I't certainly interesting so far! And I'm interspersing this with some great kids' books: the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud (The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye and have just started Ptolemy's Gate) which are great, rollicking fun - I'm enjoying them very much. All this is getting sandwiched in between watching the Olympics (we're THIRD in the medals tables so far - can't believe it!).