Secrets of How We Learn
Learn to paint by understanding and applying the methods of extreme trick cyclist Danny McAskill - who love to watch ride from the camera on his helmet by the way. I was introduced to him several years ago by my grandsons of course. 😉 This video episode shared on CBC is in several parts. It is all interesting but it is the first segment that can most significantly enhance your painting practice and skill development.
Watch this 45 minute “The Passionate Eye” episode at:
Painting from life, like extreme cycling requires full body memory and split second decision making to paint wet-into-wet in a plein air situation. This is what painters call a “plein air high”. In order to fully engage and have even a chance of success, we must bring our whole being and all of our past experience into the situation. Though physically less demanding on the body than extreme trick cycling, I am happy to argue, painting under these conditions is an equally complex skill that requires endless practice to become proficient so that we spend less of your time crashing and tumbling around in the brambles… until we take on the next learning hurtle that is. This is what muscle memory development in my painting practice looks like. Enjoy!
The Farewell
This film might be one of the best I have watched in years. The 2019 film is directed by Lulu Wang. The film follows a Chinese-American family who, upon learning their grandmother has only a short while left to live, decide not to tell her and schedule a family gathering before she dies. It was classified as a comedy on Prime Video but there is only small amounts of humour - just enough to keep you from drowning in tears of sadness for the 30 year old Billi as she navigates saying good-bye to her Nai Nai (grandmother). Powerful award winning acting combined with beautiful depictions of cross cultural lives that become something that is not completely about where we have come from nor from where we gone. You will need to read subtitles some of the time but it is worth every line! Not to oversell it but this film holds an approval rating of 98%, with an average rating of 8.55/10, based on 314 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. We will most certainly watch it again.
Learn more about this excellent film at: