Alexandra Luke, Untitled, 1950s c., watercolour on paper, 23.0 cm x 30.0 cm
Purchased with funds from the estates of Albert Gnosill and I.M. Kilbreath, 1990, 1990.068

Alexandra Luke, Untitled, 1950s c., watercolour on paper, 23.0 cm x 30.0 cm
Purchased with funds from the estates of Albert Gnosill and I.M. Kilbreath, 1990, 1990.069

Alexandra Luke, Untitled, 1950s c., watercolour on paper, 30.0 cm x 23.0 cm
Purchased with funds from the estates of Albert Gnosill and I.M. Kilbreath, 1990, 1990.067

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This session will explore “how we see things”. Oftentimes we can be the hardest on ourselves and place our focus on where we have failed or gone wrong. However, there are many different angles. Together, we will practice viewing things from a wider perspective. This theme will help us remember to step back in order to move beyond our limits. 

This session, we will explore the dynamic qualities of watercolour paints. We will have the opportunity to play and have fun with this medium. We will also be creating our own little frame! This will help us play with the notion of perspective as we explore “parts of the picture”, as well as “the larger picture”! When you look at something from different angles, you are greeted with new opportunities! 

“Painting is like life itself: you learn as you go along, what to select, what to leave out – this is very important, what goes with what, how to get interest and excitement with unity and balance, how to take the bad days with the good and last but not least how to enjoy and learn at the same time”. - Alexandra Luke

Look at the artwork by Alexandra Luke and think about these questions: 

• What do you see?
• What elements do you notice or recognize?
• What does this artwork make you think of?

Suggested Materials: 

• Paper (1 scrap paper and 2 large watercolour/heavier paper that can hold wet materials) 
• Watercolour paints 
• Paint brushes 
• Water
• Paper towel/ cloth 
• Painters tape 

Journal Prompt: 

• Think about a problem/situation you are facing. Describe your problem as if it were happening to someone else
• Write in the third person. Use your name rather than the words I, me, or mine. 
• Imagine this problem from the perspective of a week, a year, or even a decade from now. 
• Will this issue or event have an impact on you? Will you even remember it? What will you have learned from the experience? 
• Witness your life from a Universal perspective.

Art- Making Process: 

• Create process based art: focus on the process rather than the final product. 
• Use the underlined words from your journal entry as a theme within your artmaking. 
• Practice playing with a variety of watercolour techniques (or linked below). 
• Observe Your Artwork With Curiosity. Use your frame to practice shifting perspectives and observations. 
• Consider: 
  • Where would you place yourself in relationship to your artwork? 
  • How does your view influence your perspective? 
  • What do you notice?

Taking Care: Where Art Meets Wellness is supported by the Solcz Family Foundation and by the Ontario Trillium Foundation