art by carla jean: 2012

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

This is Carla’s story………..62 year old hairdresser/electrologist. I live in Milwaukie, Oregon and grew up in Molalla. my formal art training consisted of a drivers ed class in high school in 1965. There was only room for 3 students in the car with Mr. Berger at one time. When you weren’t on the road you were in a leather tooling class with Mr Hoagland.
Fast forward to 2010. I go to Nelson’s gym in Milwaukie. I have known Roy, a dear man of 96, who goes there regularly. In Feb of 2010 I looked at him and realized for all the years I’ve known him I’ve never seen his art. He was always asking me to sit for the class on Tuesdays. He was in charge of finding models. He paints at the Brush and Palette in Jennings Lodge. This group has been together for some 35 years +. I told him I would like to see his work. He suggested, yet again, that I model for them. I agreed as that would give me an opportunity to see his work.
On the appointed day, I arrived just as an older woman was climbing into the chair. Since I wouldnt be modeling I asked if I could talk to people and watch the process. I met the nicest new friends. It didnt take me long to find interest in Dorothy’s work. Her colors attracted me. She must have grown tired of me over her shoulder and suggested I draw an egg. Oh dear, my palms grew sweaty!!!! Before long, Helen Trayle was teaching me to draw the lines in the egg for the planes of the face. Just as I mastered the egg, Dorothy handed me a brush and three tubes of paint suggesting I “paint the model”…….So I did. I managed to capture her expression and the crepeing of her skin. Her hair was short and green, that mattered not. Truly, I was hooked.

I thumbed through art magazines and found artists’ work that tripped my trigger. I printed their work on 8×10 paper, taped it to the wall next to the birdcage in my dining room and copied their work. Something must have landed in my brain. Or some electrical switch flipped, because if I didnt have to work, care for my small farm or clean house, its all I want to do. I messaged Becky whom I hadn’t seen for years, excited as a child to share with her my new adventure. She asked ‘what i was painting’ I said portraits. She said that’s the hardest to paint. I’m glad I was already on my way or I might have been thwarted.
I have taken a class with Becky, whom I adore. She patiently guided almost every color choice and brushstroke. Through the girls at the palette, I met Michael Linstrom, yet another precious soul. We painted still lifes and did some value studies. I just seem to wing it. A lot of the verbage just goes right over my head. We will be taking a portrait class with Michael this month. I love the work of expression.
This month will mark the anniversary of the universe shaping my life in a way I never imagined. My painting and the resposes I get for my efforts is a blessing beyond belief.