Artist Residency 2024
Quinta Mazatlan- World Birding Center
March
Big changes this month at Quinta Mazatlan!
February was overcast and dreary. Branches were bare and most plants were cut back after the freeze. In March- after plenty of rain- everything is green and lush. The wildflowers and cactus are in bloom. Dragonflies zoom across the pond while a perched Kiskadee occasionally dives down to eat one.
It's wonderful to see this little patch of land grow and change over time. And I enjoy sharing this outdoor practice with others.
February was overcast and dreary. Branches were bare and most plants were cut back after the freeze. In March- after plenty of rain- everything is green and lush. The wildflowers and cactus are in bloom. Dragonflies zoom across the pond while a perched Kiskadee occasionally dives down to eat one.
It's wonderful to see this little patch of land grow and change over time. And I enjoy sharing this outdoor practice with others.
This month I tried something new! The first half of our two-hour painting session we went over some basic painting techniques, different materials to use, and ways of approaching the landscape. During the second half of our painting session the participants spread out to find their own space and I walked around visiting with them about their process.
So much about the meditative process of painting is letting go of trying to recreate a particular object. This takes a certain amount of unlearning as we tend to want to control the outcome. Like anything new, this approach takes practice. Those who come every month are clearly getting more comfortable with being able to let go and enjoy it.
So much about the meditative process of painting is letting go of trying to recreate a particular object. This takes a certain amount of unlearning as we tend to want to control the outcome. Like anything new, this approach takes practice. Those who come every month are clearly getting more comfortable with being able to let go and enjoy it.
After the morning session, I wander the grounds and photograph the changing wildlife. I listen for the new sounds, and delight in new colors. This time, I set up for a painting at the edge of a little pond and chose powdered graphite as my medium to paint the water in front of me. By letting go of color, I was able to focus on the transitions of light and dark. In some places the transitions were soft and fuzzy, while starker contrasts dappled rhythms across the water and brush. This type of painting is a dance.
Suddenly, I saw a Black-crowned Night Heron at the far edge of the water. He was so still. I don’t know how long he was there before I spotted him. I photographed him a while as he perched for food hoping to catch some dramatic movement. But he just stayed there watching, reserving his energy for when it really mattered. I went back to my painting. He was still there by the time I left.
I think about his stillness and patience, and what they have to teach me.
Suddenly, I saw a Black-crowned Night Heron at the far edge of the water. He was so still. I don’t know how long he was there before I spotted him. I photographed him a while as he perched for food hoping to catch some dramatic movement. But he just stayed there watching, reserving his energy for when it really mattered. I went back to my painting. He was still there by the time I left.
I think about his stillness and patience, and what they have to teach me.