Painting From "The Zone" Workshop-Marina Petro

Saturday's Painting From "The Zone" Workshop

I wanted to share some photos from my workshop rather than post a painting today. I was thrilled to the core having my daughter and granddaughter (first photo at top) attend. We completed two paintings. It was amazing to witness everyone's progress as far as being able to 'let go' with the second painting and allow their intuition and greater spontaneity to emerge. Ideally, this workshop should take place over 3-5 days but I doubted whether I'd get enough of a response to fill a class. I did my best to be very clear and condense the principles underlying this very freeing/enlightening way to paint. Sometimes, less is better as far as words/concepts are concerned. I hope my students will continue on their own. It's the easiest thing to do...all you need is to tape a sheet of paper on a wall, fill an ice cube tray with good tempera paint and begin! I couldn't have asked for a better group!

Today's Quote: "A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing."
-William Dobell

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From "The Zone" -in progress by Marina Petro

From "The Zone" in progress

I started this painting to test the new tempera paints I purchased for my Painting From "The Zone" workshop tomorrow. I began this spontaneous intuitive type painting a couple of years ago using tempera paint on paper. When I decided I wanted a more permanent ground and began painting on canvas I experimented (and still am) with gouache, egg tempera and a couple of varieties of acrylic paint. I'm still looking for the perfect medium for these works. I like the matte finish and brilliance of designer gouache but it doesn't flow as readily as tempera and comes in tiny tubes that are used up so quickly. Tempera would be the perfect paint but it is not permanent on canvas and doesn't come in as many colors as the others.

The question "Why don't you paint them on paper?" might come to mind. The reason I don't is because I don't like needing to mat and frame my work behind glass or plexiglass....just too cumbersome.

I'm going to try to work a bit more on this painting tonight after I get everything I need for my workshop together. I'm so enthused about turning my students "on" to this exceptionally freeing way of painting. The beauty of it is, you can just tack up a piece of paper on a wall, keep your paints in an ice cube tray right there and just go and paint with no forethought, planning, needing to have a goal or a saleable/acceptable product as the end result. Pure pleasure with no pressure.

Today's quote: "There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it."
-Henry Moore

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"THE ZONE SERIES" No. 20 by Marina Petro

"The Zone" Series, No. 20
Original mixed media on 24"x 30" canvas, NFS
Prints on canvas or paper and cards are available at Imagekind (link below) or email me for information.

Here is another painting from "The Zone." For those of you who are interested in practicing 'being in the moment', painting intuitively is the perfect modality to practice. It has to do with truly being with yourself and paying attention to the moment to moment impulses that arise from within you and direct the painting. It has absolutely nothing to do with trying to paint a product. This is a process of discovery. It becomes a great adventure when you have nothing in mind and just begin to paint, paying attention to the color that attracts you in each moment, and allowing your brush to express the movement from within. There's really nothing quite like it. I can't wait to give my workshop this Saturday.

Today's Quote: "All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness."


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-Eckhart Tolle

"ZONE SERIES" No.6 by Marina Petro

From "The Zone" Series, #6
Tempera paint on 22x28 inch paper

I was going to post an improved version of a garden painting I posted recently but trashed it by mistake. When my iPhoto application came up with 'this action cannot be undone' I hit the button and bingo, it disappeared wherever trash goes, never to be seen again and I'm not in the mood to photograph it again...so...

I decided to post another painting from "The Zone" especially since my pilot workshop "Painting From The Zone" is coming up next Saturday. There's still space if anyone is interested in attending. I am so enthused about sharing this extraordinary experience with others. I paint in a variety of styles and love exploring and evolving each one but...painting from the zone (intuitive painting) is when I experience total creative freedom. It has enhanced everything else I do.

If you are interested in learning more about this form of painting, here's a website where you can see very short video clips.

Zone #6 was the sixth painting I did in the evolving series. Prints on paper or canvas are available at Imagekind (link below) or through me directly. Email me if you are interested in purchasing one.

Today's Quote" "Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
~ Mary Oliver, The Summer Day





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"HEAVEN'S BRIDGE" by Marina Petro

"Heaven's Bridge"
11" x 14"
Original oil painting on stretched canvas
NFS

I worked this painting a little more from my original post. I defined the flowers with stronger color primarily. It's just been submitted to the Bridging Heaven and Earth Project by email and will be shipped to them as soon as it is dry enough. I'm happy to be part of this international collaboration to bring more light into this world with creative energy through art.

Today's Quote: "I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting. It's in the subconscious."
-Andrew Wyeth


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"THE YELLOW BARN" completed by Marina Petro

"The Yellow Barn"
16" x 20" Oil on Canvas
NFS
Email me if you are interested in prints of this painting

It's always such a good feeling when a painting is completed and I'm happy with it. This was especially challenging. Lots of detail that is imperceptible in the photo, but nevertheless there. Check out my last post and you will see that I've added a tree in the lower left corner to balance the open space on the lower left, glazed shadows under the roof tops, accentuated the windows and played with the foreground a bit. I've also finished the painting for the Bridging Heaven and Earth project but I'll post that over the next day or so.

I've been a busy girl. I signed an agreement to display my artwork at Gallery On The Hudson in Schuylerville, NY beginning May 3. I will have 10 feet of wall space in their street floor space and 10 feet of wall space on the upper level. I've got my paintings currently in one exhibit and another
commitment for May so I've got to get busy painting to fill the space.

Today's Quote: "Figuring out our gifts in life is part of our journey to becoming enlightened human beings."
-John Edward Quotes


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"THE YELLOW BARN" by Marina Petro

"The Yellow Barn"
16"x20" Oil on Stretched Canvas
NFS

This is a commissioned piece I've been working on. I thought I'd post it today just to keep in touch. Hoping to complete it tomorrow. I've been painting almost daily but simultaneously working on couple of paintings so there's nothing completed yet. This farm is located on Route 68 and the Burgoyne Rd. fork in the countryside of Saratoga Springs, NY. They recently put a "For Sale" sign up and began renovations. I'm glad I was able to paint it before it doesn't exist as it had all these years.

Some of my paintings are on display at Flavour Cafe in Troy, NY. They will be there until at least the end of April. I've also documented what I have there with iWeb on my trusty Apple computer. The photos aren't all that great but served their purpose. Just click the link to view the exhibit/slide show. Ignore the link at the top that says 'New Paintings' I couldn't figure out how to delete it and ran out of patience.

Hope you enjoy viewing!

Today's Quote: "The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting"
-Andy Warhol


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"BRIDGE OF LIGHT" by Marina Petro

"Bridge Of Light"
11" x 14" Oil on Stretched Canvas
Not for sale yet
This is a piece I am considering submitting to the "Bridging Heaven And Earth" project I was invited to participate in. There's no actual deadline for the submission so I began another painting to see how it would turn out. I'll post the new one I'm working on when I've finished it and then maybe take a vote to see which one you all prefer. I'm not 100% happy with this one but, it is what it is, and I'm not in the mood to fiddle with it much more. I do have an occasional compulsion to paint these gardens with light. Almost every one I've painted (usually large) have sold. A few of the smaller 'daily paintings' have sold recently too. They all have the same theme...light, clouds, a garden but are all a bit different. I guess I enjoy having one or two around here...

Today's Quote: "A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness, in fact he creates new appearances of things."
-Ernst Ludwig Kirchner


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