Yosemite Artist Steve Curl: Catch Yosemite's Light in Watercolor Workshop. I was looking forward to this workshop for months.....to try watercoloring. At the workshop offered by Yosemite Art Center: Steve had a few pieces of work on display. Beautiful...setting a mood...speaking to one's heart...
Steve's Watercolor: Twilight at Olmsted Point.....has the beautiful colors of twilight.....orange and purple....capturing the subdued light just after sunset....and a beautiful rendition of Half Dome....a different view of Yosemite's Half Dome....the depth of field...from the detailed granite rock to the distant mountains with well lit Half Dome...the angles...the trees....I felt I was there...and remembered my many visits there...especially working Marmot Patrol for NPS...aka...educating the Park visitors not to feed the wildlife.
The morning was spent in playing with colors and learning techniques... FUN FUN FUN Remember to put the water in watercolor.
Remember to get your subject to pop
by darkening areas around it. Being an artist helps you get closer to nature. Steve is a natural.....artist....and instructor...and has a bachelor's degree in Psychology. His focus is the natural landscape in the medium of Watercolor. Visit his website: www.stevecurl.com
My classmates were having a wonderful time....The class was full....and full of JOY. Ages ranged from 14 to 74...beginners to longtime, but... still....admittedly...budding artists. By noon, we were outside...following the light...or following Steve...where did he focus his eyes...and we began painting. My subject....cliffs with colorful clouds....same as Steve's subject. I knew we would have different takes on the subject. That's the beauty of art!!!
As I gazed upon my subject...the landscape....and then on my fellow students...who were enjoying undertaking the workshop assignment....catching Yosemite's light in watercolor. They enjoyed the art of watercoloring.......choosing colors, taking the brush to the paper, sitting in the fresh air after an evening snow storm....sharing the experience with others in the class...catching Yosemite's light on their paper, faces, and heart. After awhile.... I began taking pictures of my fellow students... all of whom were happy to be in Yosemite......I was grateful that I appreciated every moment of my many years in Yosemite.....
A picture of one young girl was happily painting a tree. A picture of another beautiful girl with her companion dog, Fiddler...Fiddler on the Woof !!!! as she playfully introduced him to me...happily painted a different tree with sky and clouds. and a picture of Steve...
and of his watercolor.
Overall a good day had a by all.
this day has shown forth with light.....and
color. The instructor from the Beginner Workshop entitled my watercolor....ephipany. I don't know how Steve's watercolor turned out.....but photographing his progress was FUN...and I thought I might learn a thing or two from the master. He would be leading the workshops all this week. The students and I were fortunate to have taken this watercolor workshop by such a gifted artist. But...Steve... the psychologist... what would he think of me adding this verse to the end of this blog post???
"The art of staying young.
- The art of staying young depends upon staying youthful on the inside in mind, heart and spirit.
- Stay young by continuing to grow. You do not grow old.....you become old by not growing....
- Stay young by tackling new projects. The man who planted a tree at 90 was a man of vision.''
- from... The Art of Being by Wilferd A. Peterson
Another terrific day in Yosemite
Sent from my ipad
Pictures taken by my ipod w/o photoshop
bye for now,Laura
