Category Archives: Learning

Scrapping Shapes at Balboa Park

Posted on November 14, 2025 by Sarah Sullivan

Earlier this week I volunteered at the SDWS to manage a three day workshop. The visiting artist was Pat Moseuk, an abstract painter who uses credit cards along with other tools to achieve a particular look with her paintings. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Abstracting in the Moment

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Sarah Sullivan

I had fun abstracting the 20-minute poses this morning at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s weekly figure drawing session. I think this one is my best for the day because I finally lost my caution. I started with a red-orange … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Figures | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Dusk at the Lake

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Sarah Sullivan

Two days ago, I finished a five-day Plein air class, Golden Hour Watermedia Workshop with Ken Goldman. The artist/ teacher did a terrific job breaking down the topic, modeling, and coaching. I did not post any of my work from … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

So Green!

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Sarah Sullivan

I painted on the ski slopes of Mountain Village, Colorado, today and spent some time relearning how to mix greens—bright yellow greens, warm mossy greens, blue greens, distant greens, shaded greens, and muted greens. There are so many beautiful greens … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Plein Air | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Beach Night!

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Sarah Sullivan

Friday evening, we met at Bonita Cove in San Diego for a cookout and bonfire. My husband and I were the first to arrive; as retirees, it was our job to occupy one of the fire rings while the workers … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Plein Air, Telling a Story, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Orange Slices on a White Background

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Sarah Sullivan

Tonight, our Tuesday night Zoom group painted a still-life composition where white was the dominant color. Because there was little to distract from the white, it was interesting to see how the shadows added variation in the whites and how … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Still Life | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Along the Mississippi River

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Sarah Sullivan

We drove from Kansas City to Chicago last week and followed the Mississippi River through most of Iowa. The river, the farm fields, and the striking fall colors made it hard to keep my eyes on the road at times. … Continue reading →

Posted in Landscape, Learning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment