Week 2

Highs

I started a Bellyfit class this week.  It's an aerobics class that incorporates Belly, African and Indian dance in the cardio section and pilates and yoga in the cool down.  It was a lot of fun!  Unfortunately, due to sound system difficulties the class was run via an Ipod without speakers.  

Seen on my walk home from Metrotown

Seen on my walk home from Metrotown.  Don't you love Spring!!!

Paul and I took a dance lesson for the first time in a year.  We repeated Beginners Jive Level 1.  Unfortunately, we can't go this week because Paul is working.  However, we tried the two basic steps and 2 under arm turns out on the dance floor at Starlight Friday night with much enjoyment and success.

I attended 2 demos at Opus.  

One on Pintura Rapida, a rapid plein air painting technique that has become a form of competition in Spain and is also used by artists to improve their painting skills.  Often the best work, is an initial quick painting or drawing because the artist hasn't had a chance to become attached to the outcome.  Two of my quick attempts are below.

I met an interesting retired professor of psychology at this session.  She has been painting 3 years and is creating lovely art using colours and themes that are inspiring to me such as people and images from foreign travel.

Inspired by a Trip to Capetown, South Africa

Inspired by the Farms in the Big Bend Area of Burnaby

The other demo was on semi abstract organic art using plaster.  I have inserted a link of the artists work below.

http://www.saatchionline.com/tabcath

I also attended a mixed media demonstration by Marilyn Hunt at the Burnaby Art Guild and inserted one of her beautiful paintings that incorporates a lot of texture, acrylic paint and mediums and digital images below.

Blackberries and Bees by Marilyn Hunt

I practised acrylic painting in my journal.

I went to another life drawing session and since it's an equal opportunity world ( if your read last week's post, you'll know what I mean), I'm sharing one of my drawings.

Lows

None, though I became aware how much time basic things like yard work, household chores, banking, personal paperwork and errands take out a a day even when you're not working.  While working, I' was always so hard on myself because I was tired all the time and couldn't get as many things done as I'd like.  Now I realize, that I really did accomplish a lot and that basic things like those above really do take a lot of time up.

Near Misses

None, unless you call wearing your pajamas until noon or 2 PM and not leaving the house on a couple of days "missing out on life".

Misses

None

Thanks for dropping by!