Painting Your Sense of Place

Apples are often the inspiration in painting a sense of place

by Caroline Buchanan

On Saturday and Sunday, October 19 & 20th,  a workshop will be held for those who are interested in painting (drawing, collaging) their personal “Sense of Place.”

The weekend is designed to inspire you to start on a winter adventure, creating a myriad of paintings that reveal of your very own sense of place in this northwest corner of our country. .

Buchanan’s drawing of apples

We all share the beauty of our islands, of sunsets on the water, cozy farms in interior valleys but Caroline poses the question – what is uniquely you about living where you do? How do you show your sense of yourself and your chosen place?

Look around you. What is on your window sills – particularly your kitchen sill? Is it the same as last week, or the week before? What do you still have displayed or tucked away from your childhood? What have you collected on various trips? What do these things say about you?

The boxes of boots in our front hall closet tell a lot about our life on this island; as do my husband’s work boots, ready to be replaced. How about the jars of lotions and potions on your vanity, the collection of coffee cups or tea cups in daily use? These are all subjects for drawings and paintings.

Look out your window and chose a favorite view. Promise yourself you will paint it in the rain, in the fog, in the light of morning and the golden glow of late afternoon, and each time you see it change. As soon as you embark on this kind of looking-about-you exploration, you discover you have about you unique subjects that become a visual memoir when you draw and paint them.

Caroline will lead the class in various techniques with which to draw and paint the choices that define you and your sense of place. She will help you with working in watercolor, ink and watercolor, tinted drawings, watercolor crayons, collage. You may choose to write on the art pages or combine them with a written memoir.

Class time is 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The location is the Olga Community Club in downtown Olga (bring lunch). Registration is $50 with the balance of $90 payable on the first day of class.

A further discussion and suggested supplies is on Caroline’s website: https://www.buchananwatercolors.com/classes_view.cfm?id=55 or call her at 376-5509 with questions.