Staring, Sploshing and Splashing

'Staring, sploshing and splashing' is about my watercolour painting attempts. In one sense it's play. I enjoy it. It's also a challenge.

Here's my recent attempt at painting glass. The aim was to show its transparent quality. I think I've managed something of that with the green bottle.

This sketch, done during an art class, was based on an exercise by Claudia Nice, 'Glass made Simple'. Well, it might be simple for her...

Starting today (Ash Wednesday) and every day for the next 40 days (not including Sundays) I intend to spend a few minutes each day on anything that will help me learn to paint, even if it's just looking at or through glass for 5 minutes. Some Christians give things up for Lent. Some take things on. My Lenten 'discipline' this year is 'staring, sploshing and splashing'.

In addition to this I'm going to accept a 'gift' offered to clergy of Oxford Diocese (UK) to set aside 6 extra 'days off' during Lent to use for personal refreshment aimed at 'Sustaining the Sacred Centre'. Sustaining spirituality is one of 5 priorities in a vision for the diocese of 'Living Faith'. It's not all about saying formal prayers. So, for 1 day a week for the next 6 I'll be stopping for 'staring' at all sorts of things, then 'sploshing and splashing' trying to paint what I see. Watch this space to see if I keep it up and where it leads.

Image: photo of my watercolour sketch of glass bottles