Jane Davenport Blog

Have you ever considered an ecourse?  Or done one?  I can’t recommend them highly enough! I have been involved in some excellent classes . These are my favorites including the why’s, where’s and who’s!

I’d love to hear your favourites and suggestions!

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1. World of Whimsy 2
Summary: Mixed media art classes with an emphasis on whimsical character drawing.
Course Leader: ‘Willowing ‘ aka Tam Lapote
Why I liked it: Tam is incredibly generous with her time. Lessons consist of  videos each week, PDFs, live upstream chat and critiques. This is where Tam really shines as he takes each persons uploaded drawings and gives very specific visual suggestions by manipulating the images in Photoshop. Can you imagine the time this must take?

I am currently doing this class, am super engaged and really enjoying the whole Group experience. There are some wonderful artists involved, lots of beginners and people rediscovering their artistic talents. It is a nurturing experience. The forum around the lessons is very active and Tam is completely involved. Having the course leader putting energy into the discussions makes such a huge difference. I have so much admiration for her. She really has created a happy place for making art.

What I got out of it: I am really having fun just being free and drawing whimsical characters! I have at least one that wants his own book…I have started experimenting with techniques…incorporating my photography – I am having so much FUN!

Where to find it:

Tam has announced that she will be offering a free art ecourse later in the year, and there are other free groups you can join on the Ning site for Mixed Media and Art Journalling. LOVELY STUFF!  If you are QUICK, you can probably join WOW 2 now – highly recommended!

Where to find:willowing.org

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2.Drawing tutorials online
Summary: hard core drawing! Chicken scratching begone!
Course Leader: Matt Archambault
Why I like it:  Matt teaches at the School Of Visual Arts in New York. His site has dozens of fantastic videos. He is a proper Illustrator with a capital I. The drawing tutorials are challenging – he makes it look easy, but drawing a skull is hard work the first time! But the anatomical lessons are JUST SO GOOD FOR YOU.

You can watch some for free before you decide if it suits you – search itunes for his free podcast.  He regularly does iphone videos of his student’s sketchbooks too, which is soooooo interesting. Every time I complete one of the videos I can feel my drawing improve. I believe that confidence and skill in drawing has a huge impact on all creative processes.
This is a subscription based site – aprox $12 per month.

What I got out of it: madly improving drawing skills.
Where to find:drawingtutorialsonline.com

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3 and 4 ‘Petite Dolls‘ And ‘Poet and Goddess‘
Summary: Mixed Media art classes.
Course Leader: Suzi Blu
Why I liked it:  SuziBlu is a bit crazy – but in a very, very good way! She is authentic, swears and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. And for a drawing class there was a lot of situational comedy.  Do a search on Youtube for suziblu and you will get a feel for her.

The classes are feature packed with video, PDF’s, and weekly critiques. Suzi calls them’Homework Appreciation Days’ now – isn’t that cool? The open semester format allows for students to join anytime. And it is run on Ning which I LOVE.  ( yep, I am a Ning-a-ling!). The way she teaches is encouraging and fun. She takes it from the absolute basics and builds from there.

What I got out of it: the simple joy of drawing and using color pencils again. Suzi included 6 bonus videos from a previous class for woodburning, which i fell in love with and i have the burns on my fingers to prove it! These classes also introduced me to a bunch of art supplies that I didn’t even know existed and I will be forever grateful!

The format of the school is under review with not as many classes being offered, but more variety within the class. So if you are reading this before the end of August 2010, and like drawing whimsical characters, get your caboose over to Suzi’s site before some of the classes are gone forever!
Next up is Mermaids… I am registered already… Splishy splashy!

Where to find: The Petite Academy.

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5   .’Mixed Media and the Girls‘
Summary: mixed media techniques
Course Leader: Wyanne

Why I liked it: I think Wyanne’s youtube videos are the best of their kind. The mixed media techniques were interesting and I love watching Wyanne create her beautiful work. Plus, her voice is very cute!

Look on Youtube for her regular videos to see if you like her style.

Her next class will be the Resin workshop – I am signed up for August – can- wait.

Where to find:www.wyanne.com

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Aside from just loving learning, I do keep telling myself that I will eventually have my own ecourses right here one day! Creative Photography with moi. No traveling, study as and when you please….meeting kindred spirits from a round the world…no projector for me to wrangle with to show some washed out examples on a wall. What do you think? Subscribe and I will let you know when it’s live!

P.S. I have no affiliation with any of these courses – just a genuine sharing of the LOVE!

Blue Suede Mantis © Jane Davenport

I was wandering aimlessly through my photo library as I searched for images, ideas and inspiration, and meandered into my praying mantis file. I have quite a collection! Looking at the images, I had the stories and location associated with each one jump into my mind.

This may be because they are so tricky to find with their perfect camouflage. Also, as the top invertebrate predator in the garden, they are relatively scarce in number and probably quite territorial. But I think the majority of the truth lies in the fact that I just like them. I admire them.  I can relate to a mantid (yes, you heard it here first). I would be hard pressed to bring back such clear recall for every bee I have seen for example, even though I am very fond of them also!

The most recent mantis I worked with was the Jade eyed gargantuan a few months ago (here).  The first mantids I worked with are featured in the featured image . In between are dozens of other individuals. I  just really love photographing them and I think it shows!  I have been asked to put a proposal together for an exhibition, and well, the answer has just presented itself – well, to me anyway!

I would love to see these charasmatic creatures staring from gallery walls en masse. I have had mantids feature in a few of my exhibitions…but I think they deserve more than that! I did have one of my mantis images towering over the entrance to  “What’s the Buzz?” exhibition at the Perth Zoo. The magnificent 2m mantis was a favourite with boys!

Anyway, I will send of my proposal and let you know what happens…

Jane

I feel very close to all my artwork. They have become my friends! And I will always care for them.

Kamikaze Bee (c) Jane Davenport - click to purchase

” Kamikaze Bee” holds such a cherished place in my heart and I need to self-celebrate a little today! This image represents the starting point of a monumental journey for me. I  created this image way back in my early bug days, on my first Christmas with my then boyfriend (now husband!).  It was during this trip that my fairly new interest in photographing bugs turned to a serious obsession.  By a quirk of destiny I took it not far from where I live now. But there was a lot of moving around and adventure before arriving back where I started!

This image won a big award in Los Angeles called a ‘Guru’ and was key in securing a scholarship to the Sante Fe Workshops in New Mexico where I had the joy of studying with John Paul Caponigro. It was on the plane coming home from that AMAZING experience and blazing with the passion and confidence to stop dreaming about becoming an artist ‘one day’ and setting about to make my own wishes come true. That I really could do it and that I would follow my bliss.

The little creature is an Australian  blue-banded digger bee. It is swift, solitary and an incredibly hard worker. Head down and bum up she collects treasure from flowers…I feel a kindred spirit there! Thanks little bee.

Choose Happiness,

x Jane

Yep, I get another year wiser this week!

Angus gave me the most DIVINE woolen rug from Las Ninas. It is Bolivian – back loomed, muted colourful yumminess. It is in my new art area and is lovely, lovely lovely. I will go and take a photo now to show you!

I have 5 studios within my studio…they seem to be breeding! So this is my ‘pondering’ studio. It is my favourite space in the world. It contains my lovely old Art Journal desk. My beloved books. A place to think with pencils, paint and paper – and no computer. ( Man alive,  the computer is a time succubus for me. )

My Bolivian wool rug!

I have been up very early, reveling in my survival of another year. I don’t feel ANY different. I still feel about 8 years old. I don’t think I have changed much since then (a bit taller!).

Have a wonderful day!

Jane Davenport art journal ©

x, Jane

Who are you now? Art Journal pages

This is coming up for me so much lately. As my focus is so much on drawing and painting, I struggle with how to mesh my other art forms into my photographic art reputation. I worry that my existing collectors will get confused!

It’s not that I am moving away from photography  it’s just that it’s winter, and the days are shorter, the light is different and well, it’s just not as pleasant out in the cold! Yes, I have a studio, but I actually start most photo sessions in the ‘wild’ outside, and fall back to the studio if the wind picks up, or if I have a finicky notion or idea to flesh out that needs a controlled environment…my cameras are in winter hibernation!

Usually I go travelling in winter, but I just love my home so much, there is no destination grabbing my attention hard enough to pull me towards it. And in this settled-in-one-place state, I am being so paint productive!

But it leaves me wondering! Am I painting Jane? Drawing Jane? Illustrating Jane? Photographic arts Jane? Making videos Jane (one imovie and I think I’m a director – hah!)? Fashion design Jane? Blogging Jane? Author Jane? Blah blah blah Jane?!

Of course I know the answer to this – I am all these things! It’s just all part of the whole. My angst sets in when I read any type of ‘art business’ blog or book. Consistency is key. People like to know what to expect. And so far I have been just so reliable. I have a consistent style with my photographic art, its just the way I see the world/want to see the world. It’s the reason I can’t be a commercial photographer – I am beyond bending my focus to outside direction! I make my work for myself and luckily lots of other people find their own stories and meanings in my images.  And I have a consistent style for each medium I use…but that’s a bunch of different consistencies!

I am not going to be able to answer my own questions right here, right now of course, just letting you into my brain space. I’d love to know your thoughts on this!

Choose happiness

x Jane