The first day of Jack Dorsey’s watercolor workshop is down. Since it was my day off I was able to attend it.

Dad shared a secret of using white opaque paint in watercolor that he had learned from his friend, and Master watercolorist, Mike Burns. I can’t share the secret, but honestly I can say I was surprised by it, and how it worked was pretty cool.

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Dad asked the question “Why do we paint?” This question opened up a whole flurry of lessons, stories, further questions.

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The workshop was full of dad’s ramblings, asides and stories. He talked about his artist friends being “iron sharpening iron.” He lectured on the fundamentals of art: the “golden mean”, values, basic elements of art such as line, color, texture. He talked about design, and explained perspective.

I tried to interpret what Dad was saying to the participants. But they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Dad’s lectures and stories and Dad himself, so I relaxed.

What was so cool for me was underneath it all Dad’s passion for art came out, his passion for seeing common things and portraying them in a unique way, his passion for the fundamentals of art and his passion to help people find their own artistic voice.

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As I closed down the studio in the quiet of the afternoon I reflected on how these stories, lectures, fundamentals and lessons were all things that I had grown up with as a kid. They have shaped me into the artist I am today. It is so cool to see Dad sharing them with others!

Here’s a little snipped to wet your appetite.

 

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