Coloring Outside the Lines

In January I promised to do try two creative things: first, to take a painting class, and second, to try out for a musical. Here's what happened.

The painting class was an afternoon workshop. Fifteen of us did our best to copy our instructor's example painting of a grove of aspens. It was fun trying, and my result, though not art with a capital "A," bears some resemblance to the subject. Here's my painting.

 

Shirley's Aspen Grove

  

It wasn't until the very end of the session, when the instructor suggested we spatter the picture to give it some interest and depth, that I began to feel creative. And splashing paint was also the most fun. I'm thinking of working with this picture some more--maybe adding some collage, and a lot more splatters.

 

Lesson learned:  I really need to learn to color outside the lines, to grab and idea and run with it, to relax and have fun. That alone was worth the price of admission.

 

Next challenge: I auditioned for Moon Theater's upcoming production of Once Upon a Mattress

to be performed at the Rialto Theater in Loveland in early May. After growling my way through the Motherhood March from Hello Dolly, cold reading a scene, and swaning around pretending to be a dancer, I was happy to find I'd been cast as one of the queen's ladies in waiting, Lady Rowena. It's a chorus part, which means singing and dancing, having the fun of being on stage without the burden of having to carry a scene. Perfect!

 

I'm planning to enjoy myself on and off stage, coloring outside the lines, grabbing ideas and running with them, relaxing, and having fun.