Weekly Reflection for Week 1:

(see previous post for photos)

In this week, we covered a lot of area, both literally and physically. Our class went to Fort Worden and covered concepts involving landscape, abstraction, and color theory.

Our readings were from the authors Thek, Bois, Anderson, Kandinsky, and Cocker. Many exercises that were given on the retreat were beginning warm ups to art. We did an array of blind contours including facial and spacial content, both individual and collaborative sound maps, as well as a few color blocking exercises.

Five terms:

Acousmatic listening: Listening to sound with your eyes closed.

Reduced listening: Listening to the traits of the sound itself.

Style: Intentional

Voice: Unintentional

Alchemy: similar to painting, the act of creating something completely new out of “nothing”

5 skills:

Wet on wet watercolor

Mixed media work on paper

Reduced and acousmatic listening

Painting en plein air

Blind contour

This week was a whirlwind of information and activity, and jumping right into it all was a effective way to retract any doubt or reluctance at trying new technique. I feel as though my attention to the subtle differences in color and detail has needed a refresher, and the color blocking exercises and blind contours were a great resource for this. I do wish I would’ve spent less time trying to work on being a perfectionist, and more time focusing on the process of the assignments. It takes time to break the habit though, and I can feel myself becoming conscious of the process a little more with every assignment. I’m hoping to continue the focus and devotion I have for the class in the future weeks to come, and hopefully move to more complex subject matter here soon.