Art is a superpower! Use it!

3 Jul

OK let’s face it. Life is not a bowl of cherries and it is all too easy to have our state of mind altered by outside forces out of our control. As an artist it is my job to bring my work into the world that reflect my thoughts and emotions in order to evoke a reaction from the viewer. I strive to make this a positive and joyful experience. I guess my mission is to bring positive force and a light into the lives of as many people as I can through my paintings and also through my teaching practice.

We all have someone that we look to for inspiration and through my art journey I have attended workshops of artists that I hold in high regard. I love their work, their ethos and their spirit and have learnt a lot from just being in the same room as them.

My thing has always been colour so I always look to artists that have that as their flag and learn from their teachings about their processes to understand how they paint. One such artist was the wonderful Gerry Dudgeon. His abstract landscapes are just full of intrigue and the punchy colours just draw you into the work. I was fortunate enough to spend a few days with Gerry at Coombe Farm in Devon where I started to understand how to approach abstract work. He was a gentle teacher but his methods intrigued me and I was saddened to hear of his passing a few years ago. I still look at this work for inspiration and to help me get out of an artistic quandry.

Moving Forward, Looking Back. Lesley Humphrey

Another artist is Lesley Humphrey. If you have followed me for a while you will know that I absolutely LOVE Lesleys work! I have been on several of Lesleys workshops, when she is in the UK and she never ceases to light me up. I don’t think I will ever truly know how she paints such incredible paintings but feel so privileged to have watched her demonstrations and listened to her philosophy and stories about her journey and who mentored her.

YOU have lived YOUR LIFE - YOU have a story to tell

I can help you tell it in my Express Yourself workshop where we explore what makes you tick to find your authentic voice

It is this type of energy that I hope I bring to everyone that attends a workshop with me, or visits my studio. I hope that I bring a little bit of sunshine onto your walls if you invest in some of my work. I use my brushes and colour to communicate how I feel and it is this superpower that I wish more people would use to wage their wars and solve their issues. Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place to live if we filled it with the language of art!

If you would like to come and spend some time in the studio learning the skill of visual communication I have released my Autumn workshop dates. I strongly believe that art is available to EVERYONE as a form of communication and would love to show you how you can make your voice heard through the positive language of art.

Spaces are limited to 6 in each class to ensure one to one tuition.

Alison Stafford

Drawn to the landscape, I am fascinated by the subtle shifts of colour, form and texture which are ever-changing according to fast moving weather patterns. The challenge is to capture it all with the energy and excitement that the scene before me ignites. Most of my work is started in my sketchbook and reimagined onto canvas or wood panels in acrylics, oils and pastels.

I also teach art to adults and love to use my enthusiasm and passion to light the creative fire within others!

I would love to hear from you if you would like to purchase my artwork, or attend one of my workshops.

alison@alisonstafford.com

https://www.alisonstafford.com