Painting and Playing

Several weeks ago I invited a number of artist friends to join me in my backyard for a playdate with paint and whatever creative materials anyone wished to bring.  So, on a very hot, humid Saturday we gathered in as much shade as we could find and began working together.  


I originally did this two years ago after my collaboration experience with Mike.  One of the things I do not get to do often without taking a class is to paint with others.  I teach and I love that, and glean much from my students, but it is not the same as painting with them.  

This is a photo from the first playdate, which I dubbed Collaborationathon.  I had only two rules : anyone attending must create (just watching not allowed!) and everyone had to be open to allowing others to work with them -even on their piece.  We had a blast.  So, two years later, we had Collaborationathon II.  

This is a photo from the most recent day....Mike is using a cement trowel, borrowed from Liz, on my canvas.  He is swirling paint and thickener that I have poured onto the canvas as it lay on the ground.  A few others had their hands in there as well, so this one did become a bit of a collaboration.  I had originally begun a painting of two dogs that I repainted on a different canvas, so this was a perfect surface to play on.  

This is Bun, working on one of Mike's large panels. 


Artists are often creative alone.  We need that time to process and work.  We do find ways to connect with one another and we do take workshops, classes, etc.  But just having a fun day to let loose, try something new, or have other input into a piece while working on it is so enriching.   I hope to host more of these in the future and can't wait to see who attends and what unfolds.