Monday 21 March 2011

I've got a Whole Lot of "Flora" Love Happening!

Flora Bowley with her two paintings

This afternoon I got home from a totally wonderful two and a half day intuitive painting workshop ( in the Western Australian bush ) with the incredibly talented Flora BowleyFlora is a fantastic teacher and her love of painting just oozes from her. She has a beautiful serene way of encouraging each person to open up to possibilities and to have trust in themselves and in the process.  Seriously good fun too!  My camera was playing up so I only have a few photos but this one is last night when we were sitting out on the deck at sunset taking turns to talk about our paintings.  Flora is standing next to the two wonderful canvases she painted as her demonstration pieces during the workshop.  I don't think of myself as being drawn to the colour red but the red painting in particular was absolutely stunning!

Flora's paintings underway (on the easel & central wood pole)
I painted on 30 inch square canvases and it was the first time I have painted on anything that big (and although I haven't finished either of my two) I am surprised how much I enjoyed the freedom of big paint strokes.  Most of the group painted on even bigger ones and Flora reassured us that it was a case of the bigger the better with her painting style.  I'm looking forward (already!) to getting back to my two - maybe next weekend, with a bit of luck.  I had taken a photo of each of my canvases at some point during Saturday and I almost didn't recognise them today when I uploaded the photos as they changed so much the next day.  A good reminder to document the process occasionally!

Michelle, Dixie and Jayne on the deck taking a break from painting!
Donna Jensen organised the workshop and it was fabulous to meet her and all the other girls - it was one of those incredible situations where a bunch of strangers (only two of us had any sort of previous in-person connection) come together and have a wonderful time.  I've included a couple of photos that I took at one stage when nearly everybody was inside getting a cuppa so that you can see what a wonderful outdoor "studio" we had (although we all got a big lesson about kookaburra aggression!).

The setting for our painting workshop!
Special thanks to Flora and Donna - I had a wonderful time!

5 comments:

Natalie B said...

Fabulous Deb. would have liked to have gone myself. how many were there?

Leanne Fry said...

YAY ... fellow Flora addict. Thanks for an amazing weekend. it was great to meet lots of gorgeous new people and also to share lots of laughter with you again ... Thank You for being such a supportive and encouraging soul :)
You rock Olivia x

Donna Heart said...

Olivia!!! I'm still buzzing about the weekend - it truly was a very special time - with very special people! I'm just so glad that at every point along the journey - from the very first message to Flora we all paid attention to what the universe was telling us! I'll be checking in to see your finished canvases too btw ;)
xxx Donna

juliaD said...

Hi Debbie, Thanks for the comment on my art from Flora's Melbourne workshop....
I saw all the pics of the W.A. one, and wished I had been there too!!!...you all seemed to have had just as wonderful!! a time as we had.
Flora was such a lovely young woman and was great to spend time with!...
Hope to see Pics of your art pieces from the workshop? - cant see them here on your blog?...xx..julia

Cathy {tinniegirl} said...

I took Flora's NSW workshop and it was an absolutely incredible experience. I took photos throughout the process and I still have trouble seeing how one painting looked the way it did on Saturday and then the way it did on Sunday. Amazing stuff. I loved every minute of it.