Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Thursday challenges

Last Thursday the choir went to a summer schedule ... meaning no Thursday night rehearsal.
I read in the Sunday bulletin that the Women's Fellowship would be holding a "Summer Coffee": "Be a Japanese Artist", Thursday at 10:30 in the library.

Mostly, because of the time it takes to
travel into town twice, I seldom take part in
these gatherings...

... but ... "be a Japanese artist" got my attention and I decided to go and find out how that was done.

I'm not sure what I expected ... maybe some ink and brush drawing ...

a craft... origami creation ... tie-dying ?

Well, when I arrived, the teacher laid out a lot of little colored pictures on two and a half by three and a half slips of paper and asked us to choose a picture.

I picked out the "Yamabuki" or Kerria  because I have a bush at home in my garden and know what it looks like.

We were then given a torn-out page from a coloring book and a choice of water colors ... paint pencils ... or crayons ... and told to copy the picture on the little slip on to the printed picture on the page. (and pay 100 yen)

Hmmm ... I guess I could do that. I chose the watercolors, which was a challenge because they were only black and white and primary colors ... I was lucky by then I had selected the kerria because those primary colors were not very true.

Did I become an artist?

At the left is a picture of some marigolds I painted very long ago when I was just a kid.

I painted two pictures then. The other was a rose and it hung in my parent's home for many years and now hangs in my brother's home

This one hangs in my genkan to brighten the entryway.


When I returned home and re-read the bulletin, I realized that there hadn't been any coffee.

I did get two 4x4 inch blocks completed on the trip into town and back.

 I did manage to finish one other item this week.

I had begun this tissue box cover to go with the sample toilet paper roll cover I thought might be a good plan for teaching in Tohoku. Actually, I think the box cover is a bit too ambitious for a beginner.

Well, our house has an open tank on each toilet so there is no place to set the tissue box in the rest-room.

I took it up to my bedroom and suppose it will live there until needed in some other place.

We are now awaiting what remains of the typhoon. Passing up from the south-west I suppose much of the power will be already spent by the time it arrives.

9 comments:

  1. Wow. We are very impressed with your watercolor skills. You are so talented. Your artistic skills translate to your many beautiful quilts. Also, Thanks for the fun story to brighten the day. They should at least have served the coffee!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would say you definitely have a talent for painting, that is beautiful.
    I am an occasional artist, sometimes i can, sometimes I make a mess, lol.
    I have some paintings that I bought from the art festival, a larger one with a butterfly in it and two long ones with birds.

    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with the others... that painting is gorgeous!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you did a rather fantastic job of copying the flowers. Very lovely. It must be somewhat anxious waiting for a typhoon. We never get that big of winds but we do get some biggish winds, but never any warning about them. You just wake up at night to hear the trees swaying in the wind. I am interested in what the plant on the right is in your last photo.?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The title of that Summer Coffee was perfect for you - be a Japanese artist, as you actually ARE an artist and have great knowledge of Japanese plants. The result is a beautiful piece of art that should be framed and hung in the entryway. Pitty about the coffee!
    Typhoon weather inspired quilting, and I am sure the Tohoku ladies can make the tissue paper box.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! You're an artist too, Julie. I am really impressed. You can do anything and everything. Be well and be safe, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think you were already an artist - those paintings are lovely - I must practice more - especially in the summer when I can draw and paint on the deck in the wonderful weather.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are a true artist, Julie - as anyone ever connected with the Gala quilts can attest!

    ReplyDelete