Sometimes you end up with a painting 
that surprises you, and hopefully
in a good way!
I'd taken a quick shot of some kids having 
fun in the water last summer, and it was the sunlit scene behind them that caught my eye - not so much the action going on in the foreground!
Looking for something to paint recently, I 
picked out this photo again and ended up
cropping out the background because I 
thought it was too busy.  I began to look again at the action of the boys, and I loved the way the little girl was so still and apart.

I edited out some of the original figures and then 
masked the ones which I wanted in my painting.
Not knowing what to do with the background, I decided to let the paint decide!
I painted a big wet wash of prussian blue over the entire page and then, while it was still wet, dropped big blobs of clean water on top....
 A few drops of  alizaron crimson and cadmium yellow and let it dry.

After removing the masking fluid I painted in the figures.
Finally, just tamed the background a little by glazing over
the background above the water line with crimson and
yellow to set it apart a little from the water.

I had an Art Teacher at school who encouraged me,
and directed me towards a profession in art.
She lent me stuff.... including a set of books entitled
"Learning to See".
I remember looking at pictures of patterns which we could find all around us.... (if only we could see them!)
Looking through sunlit leaves on the trees, and seeing
the shapes, both negative & positive....
Looking at the ripples in the sand left by the sea currents.....
I know now that if we really look - we can see so much more!

When I teach people to mix colours, and to imitate nature (autumn leaves, ripening apples......) I know that I
am helping them not only to understand colours - but to really "see" the world around them!
So what my teacher (Miss Graham) taught me - I'm  passing on to my own students.
Art is enriching for lots of reasons - it gives us a sense of accomplishment in creating something new, it teaches us how to relax & become engrossed in our creativity, and it teaches us how to really SEE the amazing world around us!