This past week was spent taking a workshop from Bob Burridge in Snow Hill, Maryland. I spent the week with Linda Epstein, a fellow painter and friend. Over the years I've taken quite a few workshops and learned that when you take a workshop you can be challenged, excited by the work, or frustrated. A good workshop opens doors to your creativity and gives you new tools to express yourself. A bad workshop disappoints, and leaves you feeling cheated.
Picking a workshop is the most important part. I've taken them from artists whose work I admired only to discover that the artist may be a terrific painter, but a lousy teacher. So far, I have found that the best workshops have happened when other artists have praised them and recommended them. This was a very good workshop which left me inspired and excited to begin my own work while applying the new techniques I've learned.
As an artist, the work must be mine, but one of the greatest assets I have is my group of artist friends. They encourage me, critique my work, and always give me support on my voyage toward painting my next best painting.