Charlene Romanos
Watching paint dry may be boring for some, but not to an artist. There is immense satisfaction in letting the last of the paint dry, stepping back and seeing that you have captured your inspiration on paper. It signals the completion of a work of art.
The journey of artwork takes place in getting from the initial inspiration to the final strokes of paint. There can be a lot of bumps along the way, and that is where the Watercolor Critique Group comes in. Organized by Marielle Ramsey about two years ago from a small group that took a watercolor class together, there are presently 14 members. They meet monthly to gently critique each other’s artwork in progress. Offering support and ideas to enhance a painting in progress is one of the core goals of the group. In addition, they share information on new products, books, upcoming classes, and more. All levels of accomplishment are represented by the participating artists. There is never a feeling of intimidation as this group watches each other grow and explore new ideas together.
Each month the group decides on an exercise to complete prior to the next meeting. The exercise often springs from something one of the artists has recently experienced. “It can be anything from charting all of the combinations of green in your paint box to painting a white flower,” says Marielle. The assignments are shared at the next meeting and it is amazing to see the differences arrived at by each artist under the same guidelines. It is a learning experience for all and this valuable exercise inspires new approaches to old ways of doing things.
The members also share a watercolor in progress, or recently completed. Special techniques used to accomplish some aspect of the work are shared by the artist and the group may pose ideas on how the artwork could be improved. This free flow of information is highly valued by all members of the group. “We think 12-14 people is the maximum number of people for our group,” says Marielle, “or we would never get to everyone in a meeting.” The meetings are targeted for two hours. “A side benefit of the monthly meetings,” says one of the newer artists, “is that I have to sit down and actually paint something to have for the meetings. Otherwise I always seem to have a million other things that come first.” One thing on which the whole group agrees, however, is that the Watercolor Critique Group provides encouragement, camaraderie, and a continued learning experience for all. It proves that you just never know what will happen when you sign up for an art class in PebbleCreek. It could lead to a wonderful learning experience in a whole new way that you never quite imagined.