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23 Oct 2009 2:02 AM

On Wednesday, I was able to visit another art class and the man running it was one of those rare people that went out of his way to make the class room experience as jovial as he could.  Not only did he make the subject matter easy to understand but he also showed us techniques to get us started as quickly as possible.

Of course, due to being the nervouse type, I always find it easier to go along with the mood of the day and it was not long before I too was trying to crack one or two jokes.  Once the ball was rolling, the quietest of mature studnets found it easy to get involved and, before we knew it, it was time to end the lesson.

One student remarked on the larger number of students attending the class and, for a joke, I said it was always the case, when I went anywhere, that class numbers increase.  I will not tell you what the reply was.

I attended one art group, in another part of the area I live, and when the lady, who ran the group, commented on the ammount of people that were now going to her meetings, I told her it was because I was attending.  This lady called me a 'male shovenist pig.'

I just smiled.

The one thing that I have learned, while visiting all these art groups, for some of them only have demonstrations, is that each artist may do one thing differently to everybody else.

That is the thing about art, there is no substitue for being time served.  You have, as an artist, to find your own way of doing things and that cannot be achieved over night.

I am trying to visit as many demonstrations as I can, if only to get one extra piece of information, and, of course, read as much as I can without taking up too much time from my actual hands on work.

Until recently, for you might say I have had 'the wind knocked out of my sails' by an ungarded remark from a friend, I have been drawing or painting everyday but, since my altication, I have not been as active of late.

For some reason, my mood has been altered by my friend's remark.  I know I should not let people get to me, in this way, but the truth is I am working so hard, to try and perfect my craft, I now feel that it is all in vein. 

I feel I will eventually get over my dented pride and start up my art again but that may take longer than I had thought. 

Over the past few years, while I have been trying to make my art work better, there have been many times when I have said that I will pack it all in, out of frustration from not being able to achieve what I want to do, but, so far, I have heald steadfast and, when I look back at my earlier work, I am pleased that I have continued.

Of course, there are all kinds of artists and I suppose I have 'to find myself' yet but I do reap great satisfaction from trying to draw and paint flowers and anything to do with nature.

By for now,

John. 

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