Sunday, September 25, 2011

Paint-Around Benefits Bastrop Fire Victims


Ring 'Round the Rosey II, 12x12" pastel by S'zanne & Friends

The above painting was started and finished by me, and also painted on by Carolyn, Richard, Linda and Donna. (To see the original painting this was based on, click here.)
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Tonight, Austin Pastel Society members gathered at Tres Amigos, the first of this season's monthly meetings, to watch a "paint-around" between five artists. Pastelists who placed in last spring's annual juried member show were invited to reproduce their award-winning artwork in the paint-around. Participants were local artists and APS members Richard Banh, Donna Crosy, Carolyn Kilday, Linda Wells, and myself, S'zanne Reynolds.

A "paint-around" is a painting demonstration where the artists have ten minutes to work simultaneously on his or her own painting, before passing their painting to the artist on their right. Then each has another ten minutes to paint on someone else's artwork before again passing the art to the right. The process is repeated until your own piece comes back to you in which you have the last ten minutes to put on the finishing touches.

So, we ended up having five wonderful paintings that had five different interpretations of the same artwork. It was so much fun to see how each turned out!

The best part of the evening was the post-production silent auction. APS members and guests eagerly bid on all five paintings. A hundred percent of the proceeds of the painting sales are going to help the Bastrop fire victims, as one of our dear members, and many of our friends lost everything to the Central Texas wildfires.

I found this experience to be a great reminder of how truly unique each of us really is...how we each have our own vision that must be expressed.
The process made me cherish our individuality all the more, and value the great possibilities we can create when we come together on behalf of our communities. The world can never have too many artists, visionaries or dreamers!

God bless.

6 comments:

Michelle Wells Grant said...

This is such a wonderful post. I love the paint-around idea and your painting turned out beautifully. So interesting! I know ... the fires took the homes of many artists who wanted to live in and be inspired by the once beautiful setting. Carol Marine was one of them. She has already picked up and moved to Eugene, Oregon for a new beginning.

Studio Zanne said...

Thank you, Michelle. We will get our beauty back...fires are often nature's way of starting the earth's renewal process. Renewals tend to be a bit more challenging for us! I love the hymn that says..."He comes to give thee joy for desolation, Beauty for ashes of the vanished years; For every tear to bring full compensation, To give thee confidence for all thy fears..." Hugs!

Jo Castillo said...

Thanks, S'zanne and all the APS members. It is amazing how the fire was like a tornado and skipped around a bit. All the houses on our street (15 or so) burned except for the one across the street from us. Our house went totally, but our daughter's car in the drive was OK, etc. The community is working so hard to help everyone and your donations will mean so much. Thanks again!

Joanna said...

That's a great thing y'all did. And, it sounds like you had a good time doing it.

Susan Abston Wiley said...

Once again, my sweet friend, your words inspire me as much as your beautiful paintings! Thanks again for doing the Paint Around last night, love, Sue

P.S. I like the new juicy palette desktop!

Anonymous said...

This is a GREAT blog, Zanne! Love the new backdrop, too!! This project is a great idea as well as the artists coming together to work on the same painting...What a cool idea! This should take off! A perfect expression of Soul!! which always blesses and fulfills its purpose! -S