That great moment

My Tarot series took decades to actually come to fruition.
The next series is "uppity women": in chronological order (but not in the order I'll create them): Hildegard of Bingen, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great.
I expect this series will not take quite as long because I'd be in my nineties!
I made a start on Joan of Arc, but got a major block caused by a lack of knowledge of materials and techniques. I created a collaged background and then painted a portrait of Joan over that. Later on I wanted to add flames and a lily. But the result was pretty awful: the collages were too dark, where the portrait covered some of the collages, those papers soaked up the paint creating a hard edges corner in the middle of Joan's face!

But today I suddenly had this great moment: a feeling of absolute clarity of where I want to go with this after a long period of indecisiveness, prevarication, frustration and uncertainty.
I was re-reading the Ann Baldwin book I mentioned earlier and I really like her style, so I decided to follow her instructions. It means starting from scratch, I don't think I can fix the earlier work, but I might go a bit larger as well. I will not paint the portrait, I will not paint the lily but work with paper collages. Even to the extend where I will scan in the lily I did in my visual diary last december and use that, rather than actually painting it on the canvas. I will however paint the flames, even maybe using a modelling paste.
When I think back of all the technical errors I made, I really did learn a lot from my mistakes.
I don't think I will use my newly acquired drawing skills (basic as they still are...) that may be for another time.

My art in general

Deb's new classes started last Tuesday and we're doing textures. I chose leather this week, she had a picture of a leather boot and I am having a go at that and then I may go back to my earlier "boots and hat" subject. I started the drawing at class and will work on it through the week.
I have stopped going to the Friday class, at present it doesn't seem to suit me. I have joined the newly formed Somerset Art Society. We're having an exhibition tomorrow to coincide with the Multicultural Festival and I've put in "The Chariot" and "Wheel of Fortune".
I didn't take a job. This is a bit unusual for me as I always enjoyed being part of making something happen. But right now I am enjoying my freedom of commitments just too much! Those who did take on jobs seem full of energy and enthusiasm which holds great promise. The ultimate goal is for Esk to have its own Art Gallery.

Back from New Caledonia

We had a fantastic time in New Caledonia. I even did write a travel report with photos and if you are interested in this just ask me for the pdf file.
Re the french language: hubby reckon I was pretty good: I ended up being able to read signs and be polite. I could understand very short sentences. We bought the Les Nouvelles newspaper a couple of times and I could read the weather report and some other articles and reports. When listening to conversations, I could understand some words but not the meaning.
Was it worth spending all that time on it? Absolutely! It is a beautiful language and I enjoyed having a bit of a go at it.

Re Dorrie's coat: I made one, it wasn't great and I hadn't quite finished it off when I tried it on her. She wanted nothing to do with it! LOL Oh well, meant I didn't have to finish that particular job!