The Artful Blogger Goes to a Sip and Dip

Welcome to the first entry in the Artful Blogger series. By way of introduction, I am neither artful nor have I ever blogged before in my life. I know what you’re thinking. “Well, what are you then? An inveterate liar?” No, no I’m not. I am a writer and to put it in the vernacular of the day I am a “noob.” I am “new” to blogging and I am “new” to the Dale County art scene. Yes, Virginia, Dale County has an art scene. A small, but thriving, community of artists from all avenues of art who teach, meet and congregate at the Ann Rudd Art Center. Not only that, but they would love to teach, meet and congregate with you.

I attended the recent Sip and Dip offered at the art center. A “Sip and Dip” is a class where everybody paints the same subject as led by the art teacher, hence one “dips” their paintbrush and if one is of a mind, one can bring the beverage of one’s choice to imbibe which explains the “sip” of the sip and dip. The art teacher for these series of Sip and Dips is the lovely, talented and infinitely patient, Susan Boyles. The goal of class is to have fun and while you’re having fun to learn one or two basic painting techniques. Since you’re having so much fun the learning part hardly hurts a bit!

We were painting a beach scene in hues of red, blue, green and white. I had never painted anything in my life before (except maybe the town red) so I was feeling very unconfident. I was very concerned if a brush stroke or painted shape was “correct.” After continuing encouragement from Susan, I began to just enjoy the process without over-thinking the outcome and VOILA! my fledgling inner artist came out to play. Class time sped up then as time can only do when one is fully engaged in a thing. Class was over before I knew it (two and a half hours later).

I have my first complete painting under my belt. Is it a Rembrandt? No, it bore a passing resemblance to the sample painting. But the thing is I love my painting; I feel protective of it ... like a Mama eagle to my newly hatched fledgling inner artist. Not bad for a “noob”. I suspect that most of us have an inner artist waiting to be hatched. Come join DCCAH at the Ann Rudd Art Center. More Sip and Dips are scheduled as well as other classes and events. Keep up with information for these on the website and on Facebook. Let your inner artist hatch and fly. ​                                             
                                                                                              ~ The Artful Blogger