Memories, memories...
In a recent attempt to get organized,
I came across some relics from my painting "beginnings" (1974).
I wish I'd kept ALL my early class pieces--hindsight, right? We painted in oils--three, six-week sessions (two-hour classes)--Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced (Advanced??) We weren't allowed to take seminars or special workshops until we'd completed the series. Our first lesson was a Welcome sign--flat-brush lettering, and a comma stroke border. We practiced and practiced on paper. I remember the night it "clicked"--I'd actually made a stroke that didn't have a broken back and three tails! I was SO relieved, because it seemed I was NEVER going to get it right!
After that we painted a large ribbon, tied in a bow. This was intended to teach blending skills. Then a "Penn-Dutch" design, and a key-fob with Rosemaling--it was so small, I don't think I could even SEE it now! The Intermediate session finished with two miniatures--one with cherries, and the other with poppies and daisies smaller than my little fingernail--the daisy petals even had vein lines! Looking back, I think many of the pieces we did were quite difficult, but we didn't know that since we'd never seen any other Decorative Painting--we were too ignorant to be afraid. Our teacher said, "You can do this", and so we did!
This week, I found the tray that took up the entire six weeks of the "Advanced" session. It's suffered badly from years of neglect and Florida heat and humidity. Yellowed, crazed and chipped though it be, here 'tis:
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...And some close-ups of this amazing, 7-fruited tree 
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Well, apparently I was so enamored of the strawberries and blossoms, that one of the first things I painted "on my own", was this plaque (actually, it's more likely I just didn't know how to paint much else). I liked it so much (gulp), I painted a similar design on a recipe box for a wedding shower gift, and the unforeseen result was I was propelled into teaching. The shower guests had never seen Decorative Painting before, and asked me to teach them--"Me?? Teach??", I thought. But they were persuasive, and I've been doing it ever since. That was in 1975. I've met so many wonderful people through teaching--what a gif!
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In 1974, available supplies were still quite primitive, though that began to change rather rapidly. But in the beginning, we cut the ends off our brushes, because they were long-handled, intended for painting at an easel. I can recall only one magazine, there were no videos, the few books were mainly in black and white with almost no instruction, and class notes were limited to a list of the colors and other supplies, and sometimes a list of the mixes. I found this copy of the notes I gave out for a class I taught at our Chapter--not much there! My typing was done on an old typewriter--if I made a mistake, and found it too difficult to repair, I simply corrected it by hand (see "Cad. Yellow Lt" below). My typewriter couldn't do a + sign, so they were added later with a pen. I recall at least one early packet where I had an "afterthought", and wrote and wrote in the margins--how things have changed!
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THANKS for coming with me on this little trip down Memory Lane. I hope you're busy making your own "painting" memories. And don't forget to hang on to those first paintings--you'll be glad you did!
Peggy.