working in my sketchpad again

Yet Halfway to Home - a new poem

Yet Halfway to Home

By, C Heidi Drew

Almost half way to home

and neither here nor there

The place is here

There is home

Oh, how my thoughts do roam

Hot and humid has disappeared

In the shadow of the clouds

the season moves on

and so shall I

But not yet, for now

It is still summer so they say

But my thoughts stray

To the next chapter

Of day by day

As life goes on slip sliding away

To the great unknown

Oh more than halfway

If that is home

Always alone on our own

Remembered but not renown

Like the season slips slides away

Behind a cloud.

Collaborative Painting article

Collaboration in Artistic Painting

By, C. Heidi Drew

September 15, 2011

Most often when we think of artists as painters we think of them as isolated individuals attempting to express an inner vision.  However, when we think of other types of artists such as: musicians, actors, filmmakers, in fact all of the performing arts, we readily accept the idea of collaboration and during that alliance new creative ideas are formed to develop a finished piece.  This solitary experience by which we expect the painter to work is the very thing that can cause a creative block and demise of inspiration and enthusiasm for productivity.

By accepting an other's additions to an inchoate piece of art the surprising results can inspire new visions as well as, new ways of working.  There are many ways to think about collaboration for painting such as occurring during the idea stage of creativity or the design stage of a piece but by using the model of improvisational theater whereby, with introductory guidance you simply dive in and accept the offers that come to the piece while you work on it is that which Heidi Drew is enabling with  her Collaborative Painting workshops in October at the Santa Cruz Mountain Arts Center in Ben Lomond.  These beginning workshops for all levels will allow for a short period of time to start in on a piece then a round robin painting continuation will follow.  Verbal feedback and discussions will also be facilitated.

In training to be an art teacher, Heidi was taught never to work on a student's piece without the student's permission.  The expanding of ideas and possibilities for a painting would come with the displaying of the students' personal work and a structured critique after creating it.  The teacher would be the only one to offer alternative methods and visions, verbally while the painter is working.  This method of teaching works for many artists but an alternative way of guiding a student for inspiration and expansion can work in addition to this traditional method, especially if one is suffering a creative block or ennui.  Heidi's model of artists taking turns on a piece can lead to new and exciting renditions based on the same image or idea.  However, as with improvisational theater, there are infinite possibilities for collaboration once one lets go and accepts the idea of the shared art making experience.

Collaboration in fine arts has been gaining recognition with the technological era as is expounded upon on the web site:  http://collabarts.org/ but the emphasis in art education still tends toward enabling students to develop their own individuality and personal approach rather than working in accord. As there is no right or wrong to the process or style of artistic expression, there is no single correct method for engaging a creative declaration.  Art making is a hands on learning style and many hands can make for exciting work.