Group project

Last fall one of the women in my "Tuesday Painters" group presented us with an idea for a project. (an aside - this group was formerly "Barbara's class." Our 96 year old instructor had died and we decided to stay together and continue to paint and support one another. Not knowing what to call my painting mornings on my calendar, I just now type in "Tuesday Painters".)

This proposed project involved painting in accordion sketchbooks.

We had never heard of accordion sketchbooks. It turns out that they are small (pocket size) books that have pages that are not turned like a 'normal' book. They fold back and forth so that you can hold the front and back cover and stretch the book out like an accordion.

The idea is that we would each have a book. We would begin by writing 'something meaningful' on a page along with our name and date. Then we would paint something.

Our painting group meets weekly on Tuesday mornings. At the beginning of the first month we would pass our book on to another group member and receive a book from someone else. We would take a few weeks to paint in the book we receive and then the next month, pass it on and receive another book. There are eight of us. So, at the end of eight months (or longer depending on vacations, etc) we would receive our own book back again and everyone in the group would have painted in it!

We all thought that would be fun. The originator of the idea ordered the books and we passed them out in December. Then decided we wouldn't start passing them on until after the holidays...

Well, a good idea, but what would I paint?

Once we were all faced with the actual book, we got anxious about painting in someone else's book! Yeah, all the 'insecure artist' stuff surfaced. What if we messed up in a book that wasn't ours? Predictable anxiety, but, what the heck, we are all friends and are there to support each other!

So I began... I thought about my group and how we are there for each other. I started writing down words and phrases: friendship, trust, joy, playfulness, love, fun, respect...

Then out of the blue, the image of a cairn came to mind.
I wrote in my book..."Cairn: a stack of rocks...indicating a path or important landmark - balancing the spiritual side of life. Marking one's personal (or group) passage.

I think our group has turned a corner. We spent years being taught by Barbara. We are now using what we learned to teach each other with friendship, trust, joy....

Knowing that I would be away for a few weeks during the winter, I did mine right away and passed it on.

I also managed to paint in the book I received. I wanted to carry on the theme of treasuring our group.

Now, I have another book in which to paint... fortunately, I have a couple weeks to come up with another image.  Stay tuned...