Monday, January 4, 2016

Playgroup in its Own Sweet Time

If Carrie and I were closer in age, and lived closer to each other, and had had babies at around the same time, we would definitely have hung out in a playgroup, nursed our babies, and been friends for decades by now.

But we aren't, and we don't, and we didn't so we had to wait a decade or two before we became friends another way.

Which we did.

Carrie is an artist, children's art teacher, and photographer, among other things, but that's not how or why we met. It's not even how our friendship began.

But we did become acquainted, and become friends, and, last year—eight years after first meeting!—Carrie and I did finally enjoy playgroup together, which in our case meant we had coffee dates at Starbucks while our grown and nearly grown children went about their own business elsewhere, and Carrie nursed-mentored the baby that art had given birth to—me!

Recently, though, very few chances for playgroup. Nonetheless, plenty of chances for deepening our friendship—I go to my studio on a gray winter afternoon, make some art, and put it in an envelope to send by post to Carrie.

Playgroup
3x6.5", acrylic, ink, and pastels on poster paper
abstract
2015
[not for sale]





4 comments:

Sheila said...

This is wonderful. Makes me think of tambourines, and laughter and dancing... and joy :)

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Sheila, thanks for your feedback. Love hearing what you see in what I paint. I continue to be fascinated by nonrepresentational painting, something I had no idea would ever call to me. Tambourines, laughter, dancing, and joy are lovely symbols for my friendship with Carrie : )

Simone said...

I really love the warm colours and the 'depth' of the structure. How do you do that?
love,
Simone

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Simone, in answer to your question re the depth of the structure … I don't know! And I barely remember my process. I think I began by painting the entire surface with olive green. Then inked in borders and the three large circles. Next began differentiating the resulting spaces/shapes with varied colors. Kept inking in my shape lines to keep them visible. Added all the doc-dad lines and little circles. Wax pastels, and finally oil pastels. I worked pretty intuitively all the way through, doing whatever I felt called to do. Thanks for asking!

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