Sketchbook School Update

Wanted to do a quick update on the Sketchbook Klass.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I was taking a sketchbook class just for me... It's been a lot of fun for sure. I have been posting to Instagram and starting to make some new connections via the 'sketchbook' world.  I'm enjoying that very much.  

This week is being taught by Koosje Koene.  She is a very established artist who supports a playful way of teaching art.  I love her videos in this Korse. The conversation for this week leads us to talk about the mistake.  Our fears of mistake, the things that are holding us back.  I had no problem admitting that I have been making mistakes my whole life and have very little fear of making them now.  In education, Mindset is so important, and I feel that mistakes are an opportunity to learn.  I feel that through and through.  So I addressed my conversation admitting my lack of fear in this world and set to work on her assignment.  She wanted us to go outside and draw.  Hum... baby it's cold outside.  She asked for no excuses... so I thought, Heck yah!! Let's do it. I was excited to rip open my new sketchbook that I just bought for my class.  There wasn't a mark on it.  I have to admit, I was a little timid to get started on this sketchbook.  It is a Moleskine, watercolor paper sketchbook and it's so cute.  I kind of want it to be a treasure forever. 

So, day number one. I go to work a little early... sure, my kids hair was not combed, I forgot my lunch, and missed my morning workout, but I made time for drawing. :) I set up outside my school.  I work at an amazingly beautiful school. It was early, the sun wasn't quite up yet, and it was about 10 degrees out.

Like any good Minnesota girl, I have a paint bucket in the truck of my car... you know, just in case you go ice fish'n after school and need a bucket to sit on.  That was the joke I had with my husband (and you midwest people might enjoy it) but for real the bucket is because my daughter is taking softball pitching lessons so I use it when I'm catching for her for hours.

So there I was, the crazy art teacher sitting on the bucket outside of school.  I started to draw and it really was no less than 15 minutes and I couldn't feel my fingers anymore. I wrapped up and went to school.

I taught the day and when finished I opened the page to my drawing to add a little color and clean up some of the lines, only to find out that I started backwards, upside down and half the paper was watercolor paper and the other was just the 'cover sheet' (or ending sheet in this case).  WHAT!!  My new sketchbook ruined right away! This gave me a chance to reflect on my words... "I learn from my mistakes and celebrate them" (if you can't hear that, I'm saying this quote in a snarky sing-songy voice).  Ok... I calmed myself down and proceeded to journal on this page.  I told myself I was happy to have made this mistake and now I don't have to worry about being perfect for the rest of the book (or right side up for that matter:))

Take two! Yesterday we went ice fishing for real.  For those of you who don't know much about ice fishing, I made a google slide about it a long time ago for a Artist Trade that I did (click here).  When I explain this activity to someone who is not from a cold area, I get asked... why?  It's not about fishing, I would much rather be sitting on a boat someplace rather than on the ice.  It's about the kids playing on the ice, making snowmen, pulling each other on a sled, and running from hole to hole when a 'flag goes up'.  It's about the snacks that we bring, roasting marshmallows on the ice and sipping on hot chocolate.  It's about the laughs we have smiles only seen from the crows feet by our eyes because the rest of our face is covered up. And for me on this day, it was about my sketchbook.  So, yah, I go ice fishing. 

We caught some slimy pikes.  These are not eaters, well, I should say, we don't fry them up for supper, but my husband does make some yummy pickled fish with them.  I hate Northerns.  They produce a slime when they are caught and it stinks.  This is Mini Matisse herself holding one of the pikes of the day. The hubs have trained my kids to love this sport. As you can see I was drawing the ice shakes and the scenery around us. On this day the high was right around 20 degrees, but it was a little windy so I got my sketch done and made my way back into our shack. 

I started to draw the Northern Pike. I have to admit, I kind of fell in love with the lines, the texture, the color of this slimy beast.  Its belly was full of minnows, and it's markings were interesting and allowed my pen to explore a new contour line.  This was a fun drawing and marked another great day in the life of this Mom, Wife and Artist.