Part 3 Exercises

This is a collection of exercises for the entire group to be completed between the second and third meetings.

From The Second Meeting

1. If you did not, as part of the preparation for Part 2, answer the questions and try the exercises in Learning from Other Artists, do so now.

2. Setting goals and making plans. For this, use your answers to Part 1, questions 1 and 2 of Understanding the Artist Within as a source of ideas. For example, if you answered question one by "to have fun while painting" and are not having the fun you want, set "to have fun" as a goal. Then create a plan for how you will achieve it.
1. Create a set of longterm goals. And bring to next meeting.
2. Create a set of short-term goals. And bring to next meeting.
3. Create a plan to meet your short-term goals. It should contain a step to review the effectiveness of the plan in meeting the goals. It should also contain a step for creating a new set of short-term goals and a plan to achieve them. This process will continue for as long as you choose to set goals.
3. Write down a one or two sentence (no more) statement of what your art is about, what your personal form of expression is. An example might be "I want to create work strong in colour and visual complexity that excites the viewer". This is a wonderful exercise for focusing your understanding.

For The Third Meeting

1. Read the support material for Part 3 and write down any questions that arise for discussion in the third meeting.

2. After reading the material:

1. Write out a brief (or at least point form) description of your current personal process and interests as a list of abstraction choices. For example, "I don't want to paint single leaves" or "I have a preference for purple". If your work is nonobjective, decide which approach or combination of approaches you use.

2. Write down a brief list of your personal elements such as "I like narrow straight lines and thick arcs". "I like alphabetic characters or crows in my work". If you are an abstract expressionist, be prepared to talk about the thoughts and feelings that arise as you paint.

3. Collect together and bring the pieces of work we discussed in the last meeting, to this meeting for review. Be prepared to talk about the changes you made, particularly if they resulted in new insight or changes to your working process. Be ready with further questions arising from what you did or attempted. If you have no work of this sort, bring a couple of other pieces that we haven't seen, for critique or discussion.