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I
have always enjoyed crafts, including crocheting, knitting,
drawing, sewing, decorating, and ceramics. I began painting
in 1993 at Pat's Craft's in Bedford, Nova Scotia. I was
"hooked" immediately. I "had" to have
books, paints, brushes, patterns, a scroll saw, wood,
sander, router, and table saw to feed my addiction. I'm
happy to report that 9 years later my passion for painting
is still alive and well. To see some examples of my painted
pieces, click here.
Even
if you aren't artistic, you could learn to paint. With
a few inexpensive supplies
and a little practice you could begin a new hobby. Painting
is relaxing and the pieces you create are great gifts
for families and friends, come to think of it, you could
even keep a few pieces for yourself!
Tolepainting
originally referred to painting on tin, however it now
encompasses any type of decorative painting, be it on
wood, glass,
tin, etc...
When peddlers travelled across America in wagons, hawking
their wares, tin was the major product sold to settlers
for their kitchen utensils. Not able to afford fancy dishes
or cookware, settlers decorated these pieces to make them
more attractive.
Painters
have been known to paint their toilet seats, bathroom
sinks, mailboxes, lunchboxes, and many other unusual items,
(a lady in Quebec, Canada painted teddy bears, complete
with a scenic background, on the side of her van!). Tolepainters
have a saying "If it doesn't move, we'll paint it!"
so be careful not to stay still if you're in the presence
of a fanatic painter.
The
internet has opened an incredible venue for tolepainters.
There are free e-mail mailing lists, (such as Tole
Friends) dedicated to the discussion of painting,
there are websites that sell all of the products painters
require (painting is an obsession, there is no such thing
as too many books, brushes, or bottles of paint), and
painters meet and chat on-line all over the world.
There
are many different styles
of painting such as folk
art, realistic,
seasonal, zhostovo,
one-stroke,
etc..., so if one style doesn't appeal to you, another
one surely will. The best thing about painting is that
it requires no formal training, anyone can learn to paint!
"Oh I can't paint, I can't even draw a stick figure"
are words teachers often hear from non-painters, but if
you can hold a pen, read and follow instructions, you
can learn to paint!
Click
here to
visit Donna Dewberry's site, a great resource for fast
and easy painting. Her technique is better known as One
Stroke Painting. I attended her seminar in Atlanta, Georgia
in August of 1998 with Deborah Webb-Clarke (from Raleigh)
and was certified as a One Stroke Certified Instructor
(OSCI).
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