Painting with a MASTER - Scott Christensen
What do you want to be when you grow up? or better yet, WHO do you want to be? I love this question because it can be asked at any age, even if you are retired. Are we ever grown up? I laugh when I think about this because life uncovers many layers of "growing up" and if you are over 30 you are already experiencing this, if you are over 50, then you know this and if you are over 70, you are living this. Education in life is an ongoing process especially with art or any other creative endeavor (at least for myself). The shear curiosity of mankind to know more is embedded in our souls.
This was reaffirmed when I took a recent workshop from the Master Artist - Scott Christensen. I have taken workshops along my career path, selecting artists that have strengths that hopefully heal my weaknesses. I have the philosophy that life always appears with a teacher, it is up to us to recognize the lesson. In the presence of "the lesson", I try to glean as much inspiration, education, and wisdom from available opportunities. I live in the southern United States and Scott (from Idaho) decided to teach a workshop near me. "Opportunity knocking"!!! I thought, so I took total advantage of the opportunity. If you have not realized it by now, it takes all of us and many great mentors to hold each other up on our shoulders to help reach our higher selves. The self that is creative, loving, peaceful and possesses unlimited potential. That is the place where the superheros live. I have come to know many superheroes in my lifetime and Scott as come to fill that position.
How do you become a superhero? Studying, practicing, pursuing, disciplining, being curious, knowing (or tasking to know) thyself, and the most important - taking leaps of faith! Scott Christensen does all of these things and yet still possesses humility. I was so happy to find out that Christensen is a normal person. Like myself, he has an insatiable appetite for learning more and improving upon what he already knows. He studies great artists, he absorbs what they know or actually what they can reveal with a brush and palette.
Scott had our class painting plein air but with the typical southern scene. This time of the year to me it is a MASS illusion of GREENS! UGH! Green, I hate to admit, is my most un-favorite color. Why? probably because I could not see through it; one of my weaknesses!!! As Scott was visiting each of his students, 10 of us total, he would recommend improvements. He came to my canvas and said, "Let's look at the scene upside down", (Not the canvas, but the scene) and he had me almost standing on my head. " See the violets and the shades of blue?" I laughed and said, "Uhhh, yeees!". "Put them in your painting", he said. It was nearly that simple. He also suggested, "Add more Red, the great modifier and really focus on what is warm and cool in the same value plane". I could write a book on how much he inspired us and the things he taught us in a short while. He spent a week with us, telling us over and over how to see things differently. I thought I knew a lot already but I have only scratched the surface compared to what Scott knows. His work ethic and discipline to become better than what he is even now, shows me that I can always work harder and become better at anything I choose to do. It is a simple choice and an admitted humility that we need to seek improvement.
So, this life is full of opportunity, no matter our positions. It is within us. We sometimes need to look around at the masters in our presence or that present themselves to us, whether in the form of nature, as Scott pointed out, or people. Nature is our best teacher! We live in a schoolyard. The practice of "seeing" and "painting" must be an ongoing process to get what you "think you see" out of your head. Practice, practice, practice, and STUDY the greatest painters that really rock your boat!
I am forever grateful to the many teachers that have shared their knowledge with me and others. I too, love to share my knowledge with others! If you want to learn more, teach. Thank you to Scott for his many lessons that he brings to students....
