I have wanted to learn to draw and paint for as long as I can remember. I don’t aim to be a famous artist, but a reasonably unembarrassing layperson. If others enjoy or find meaning in my paintings, that is wonderful, but that isn’t what I am seeking. The real reason I want to do these things is because I enjoy the process. Oh yes — I do draw and paint. But not in any kind of educated or organized way. So one day, I decided to sign up for some classes from Craftsy. So Phase 1 is going to be a record of my work in the online Craftsy classes I am taking.
Phase 2 is going to deal with the lessons in a book called Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings* by Mark Daniel Nelson. I have done some painting — mostly dabbling and of inconsistent seriousness — but not enough so that any description other than “beginner” would apply to me. But I have always deeply wanted to learn how to draw and paint.
I immediately came up with some ground rules for myself. Barring unforseen calamities, I have to do at least one Craftsy lesson or one of the 50 small paintings in a week. But I could totally see myself futzing around with something for ever and ever, so having a concrete stopping point is a necessity for me. So the first rule that I came up with was that I am allowed to re-do, work on, touch up, or otherwise tinker with a class assignment or painting for a maximum of seven days from when I began the lesson it accompanies, and then I have to stop. No matter what I think about it, I have to stop tinkering, and put it up.
The next rule is that I am to follow the lessons (both in the class and in the book) in order, unless some compelling reason to do otherwise unexpectedly pops up. In that situation, I am to follow my common sense.
I’m going starting my lessons in January 2016. But I started this blog earlier for two reasons — first, because the idea came to me at a calendrically inconvenient time, and I knew I had to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak.
The second reason is that I am well aware that women have historically been relegated to second class status when it comes to art. I’m speaking of more than just the fact that women have been kept out of the mainstream (Western) paths of learning art until quite recently. And it is also more than the fact that women’s artistic efforts have been, and to a large extent still are, relegated to the less-prestigious category of “craft”, in contrast with the efforts of men, which are generally (though not universally) considered “art”.** It is also that those women artists who (though luck and skill) have overcome these two considerable hurdles are still by and large unknown. To be sure, there are a few woman artists that are known in the mainstream, but these few women do not and can not possibly represent the amazing diversity and accomplishments of the whole of women artists.*** And we should not expect them to. So I am taking this opportunity to not only get in the habit of making blog posts, but to write those “habit forming” posts on some of the women artists who have been left out of the history books.
I’m nervous, but kind of in a good way. I really hope I’ll learn enough to improve my painting skills, and I’m looking forward to the chance to shine the spotlight on some lesser-known women artists. Wish me luck!
* If you are interested, you can find the book in a library near you.
** Pollock, Griselda. “Women, Art, and Art History: Gender and Feminist Analyses” Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 4 Aug. 2015.
*** Reilly, Maura. Women in the Art World Taking the Measure of Sexism: Facts, Figures, and Fixes. Article. ARTnews, 26 May 2015. Web. 4 Aug. 2015.
Yes, I am a total nerd. I footnote things, I make obscure , odd, and/or whimsical references, and I get distracted by shiny tangents and ideas. If you’re going to follow this blog, you’re just going to have to get used to it, because I don’t care, and it isn’t going to change.
Picturam Discipula 
