A Creative Day

Well, creativity was my goal today anyway.  We have an unfinished room in the basement that a few months ago I claimed as my studio.  My dream was to set the room up as a classroom to teach art classes.  Not long after that Caleb took two of the tables I planned to use, cleared them off of the art supplies and set himself up a place to wax his snowboards.  Hmmm....  I held my tongue since I hadn't made a clear plan for the art lessons yet.  Then, next thing I knew he claimed a third table.  That's when I drew the line, sort of.  I insisted he clear off the third table anyway. 

This morning I took him downstairs and worked out a compromise.  I gave him a better table but moved his operations into the furnace room, behind closed doors.  THEN I started to work on setting up the room.  In the end I didn't get too far.  It needs a lot of work to be an inviting and creative space.  Probably some serious paint on the walls, and maybe the floor too.  I did begin a painting.  I haven't painted with anything but watercolor for a long time.  All I had to work with was acrylic, but it felt good.  I do miss oils. 

The last time I painted with oils was several years ago in Maryland for Easter.  I got together with three other ladies who are artists in the church and we each did a separate piece to be place in the four corners of the church on Easter Sunday.  Alison did a drawing of the crown of thorns, Christy did an oil (I believe) of Christ's feet on the cross, Stella did a collage of one hand and I did the other in oil, both on the cross.  They turned out great and looked amazing walking into the service that morning... if I do say so myself. 

But so far I'm just playing with the paint and colors on this piece.  We'll see where it goes.  It was just fun to start creating again.  I also did a little ink drawing.  Not near as much time as I should have spent, but it was something.

As for Christmas, Lydia and I watched "Christmas in Connecticut".  Trying to get out of one predicament by lying about being married, having a baby, being able to cook and living in the country and then getting caught... and it's a comedy with a happy ending.  Gotta love those old movies.  They're such high fantasy.  ;-)