This month I offer you the idea of painting something from life from an unexpected perspective. If you were at the clubs in February or watched the recordings we discussed my excitement about the idea of placing your subject in a different place than usual to counter your habits and assumptions about painting. For example: This still life of a bikini I painted was done with the bikini set on a little step stool placed at my feet between myself and my easel. I had to teach myself to look down rather than forward as usual to paint it. It was so challenging! I repeatedly looked in front of me and had to remind myself where it was. This disruption to habit continually activated my brain and separated me from assumptions. It grew my ability to retain information. It kept be more present and gave me more agency. We don't realize how comfortable we get and how that comfort can after a time, limit us. Mental challenges like this keep us smart, keep us learning and empowered in our practice. Exercises, studies... our "Study Path" are opportunities to expand our capabilities, to think, to gain better tools. This one will blow the dust off your habits. You cold also try: - To raise the object up high - To hang it on a wall - To put it behind you so that you have to turn around to see it. This one will show you what is possible to retain in a glance and what you've been assuming. Just adding space between looks! - If you always paint an object from a certain angle or in a certain light, mix it up. Come to Critique Club on March 28th to share what you made with this challenge.

What are some different ways you can create a monochromatic painting? I'll go first: You could set up a still life of objects that all lie in the same color family, and paint it from life with your usual palette. What else?

This month the challenge is to paint a monochromatic composition. As I was tapping my inspiration for this challenge I was called back to a memory of a particular painting by the artist Esther Deans of New Zealand. The first image is the one I LOVE! Please go check out her instagram for inspiration. We meet Wednesday, February 25th @ 1pm - 2pm PST USA (all members) to show each other what we painted! The link is in the calendar.

We switched to Zoom half way because we were having trouble sharing screens, so I'll post both vids here. January's Painting Challenge was: Paint a subject/reference you have been wanting to paint for a long time and have been putting it off, or haven't had the courage to try yet. This could be an ambition, a fear, something you've put off to be more practical. I also gave the prompt 'shoes' for something more simple. The Next Monthly Challenge drops on February 1st. And the live meet to share our work will be Feb. 17th. Check the calendar as always to see what's going on, and save the events you want to attend to your personal calendars.