group tutorial with alicia paz (tutor swap)

The group tutorial today was very useful and refreshing, especially with a tutor swap. I was excited because Alicia Paz was the artist/tutor I signed up for the PPD opportunity and I haven't met her before. Meeting her in person, I found her references very helpful and I agreed with her way of thinking a lot. For example, she mentioned that she thinks titles of artworks are extremely important, they should even be as complex as the painting themselves, like another layer. Something poetic perhaps. She asked me what my titles were (the three works from assessment) and she said they were good titles.

- she also said my progression with the three paintings is good and impressive (!!!) and seem to be gaining confidence (I hope so). She did say she prefers the boat painting and the looser figures in it rather than the cartoon bunnies in the first one. I understand where she is coming from and I agree. However, I did paint them with different purposes, and perhaps those cartoon bunnies could have a childhood reference. I do agree that they seem too rigid compared to the wolves though. (She said she prefers the wolf)
-I said that I used inks etc. for the base layer of the boat painting and she said I should keep doing that as well.
- also mentioned how I could increase the contrast of the 'what doesnt kill you' painting, which is what tom said to me as well, it is too mid-toned.
- in reference to jules de balincourt (which I actually went to his last show so I knew what she was referring to) she said he had fluorescent sides to his panels, and for me to maybe think about what I can do with the sides.
- also to think about my wall colour, perhaps it doesn't have to be white.
- she said the shapes I was painting on, I should definitely continue that idea, it references the paintings there as well.
- she asked the group if they thought my work was a good scale and they think it is. someone said they could lean into the painting and look at the texture/detail. and alicia said that's what a good painting should do.
- I said I was afraid that the tracing method could be considered 'cheating' and she said whatever works, it isn't cheating, that I shouldn't worry about that.

artists recommended to me:
nigel cooke http://nigelcooke.net/