Course Description

A blank canvas can be a high roadblock of doubt and fear, or an open door of imagination and possibility. I paint because I must; painting is how I process, create, and express my interior life, and maybe you want to paint for the same reasons. So, how can you get started painting when the canvas feels like a place of so much uncertainty?

In this class, I share my favorite ways to get started on an abstract painting, overcoming the scary, overwhelming feeling and just putting paint on canvas. In the first method, I’ll show you how I use interior design as inspiration to start an abstract painting, quickly sketching lines and shapes in a sketchbook, seeking to train our eyes in composition, white space, and negative space. In the next method, I’ll illustrate how birds eye views of significant spaces can become meaningful catalysts for your painting process.

Additionally, I share the rituals I enjoy, how they ground me in my day, and allow me to walk into my studio with open expectations and an abundant mindset. I’ll also talk about inspiration, where I find it, and how I respond to it. Finally, I’ll talk about physical space and how it can invite us to see in new and different ways as we paint.

Techniques Taught in this Course

• Overcoming barriers to beginning an abstract painting
• Guidance for creating composition
• Using interior design and architecture
• Drawing exercises
• Crafting a sketchbook collage
• Using an inspiration board
• Maintaining daily rituals to prepare for painting
• Creating large abstract art
• Working through the ugly stage of a painting
• Choosing color based on architecture
• Choosing color based on interior design
• Appreciating the simplicity of black and white drawings
• Arranging a large wall collage
• Seeing line and form in your environment