On Painting
Lefty in Amsterdam, France, Ohio and Maine
The artist, Kimberly Moore, and I had been watching
the Great Courses DVDs on Gothic Cathedrals and decided to go
to Prague to see the splendid cathedral there (which was featured
in the series) and the gorgeous city. On the day we arrived,
I stepped off an unmarked step in a corridor in the hotel, into
the air, and fractured my (right, naturally) shoulder in three
places. I didn't get any painting done in Prague, sadly,
but I had gone to Amsterdam afterward solely to paint (having
toured that fascinating city years ago) and there was no way
I was going to miss the chance. So I
did two paintings on the last two days there - on the sidewalk
in front of the 17th century canal house inn where we were staying. We
then went on to France where I've taught for ten years, and I
continued my lefty painting, for a total of ten in Europe on
this trip. Right after arriving home, I taught a 3-day
plein air workshop in Ohio, demonstrating lefty, for another 4
studies.
Next, I'm off to Monhegan Island, Maine.
I'd wondered if or how painting with the non-dominant hand might
influence my style, but I'm not sure it has. Others may judge,
but the experience has reminded me that we paint (and write) with
our brains, not so much with our hands. I had polio at age
eleven, and the "Sister Kenny" treatment then used required lying
on one's back with feet against a board. The hospital staff
knew how important drawing was to my morale, and allowed me to
draw by holding a pencil between my toes, on a sketchbook propped
against the footboard. So I'd experienced one other alternative
drawing route.
My arm is newly out of the harness, and still too weak and painful
for painting, so I'll continue "exploring my sinister side" as
one of my friends put it, on the annual painting trip to Monhegan
Island, Maine, with friends, September 6 through 16. And
I've signed up to teach again in France in mid-October, 2016. I
hope you'll join me: it's a beautiful inspiring place! No
matter which hand you use.
— Judy
Typed lefty from my iPad, September 2014
From the April 2014 En Plein Air Workshop in Greece |