The Healing Side of Art

Long before I became a writer, I was, and still am, an artist. At the present time,I teach a weekly oil painting class and have for decades. Years ago,as I walked and checked my students work before mistakes were too far gone to correct, I suddenly realized how many tragic stories were represented in that room. But for these two hours, troubles were put on a back shelf. We laughed, and rejoiced over what I refer to as 'happy accidents'. We introduced ochre grass against gray wind blown skies, falling wooden fence posts, with an old barn in the background that brought back childhood memories of farm work.
If there is enough response to my posts on painting, my plans are to have a small booklet printed with simple starting tips on creating a work of art at home. I'd love to hear from you. My email: (francesbennett7@gmail.com). I'll never forget that magical feeling when I first began to paint and watched as the colors came to life on my canvas. If you've never experienced that, it's hard to explain. Anyone can learn to paint. True enough, some are better at it than others, but it's as unique to each person as their hand writing.
I painted the cover for my latest book, The Winds of September, which is set in the late 1800's, and is a story about homesteading in an Appalachian Valley of Tennessee. In my next post, I'll explain some steps involved in creating this image. View it at www.bookstandpublishing.com/book_details/The_Winds_of_September.

Frances Bennett, Southern Americana Writer

I'm updating this post on February 27, 2012.
My historical fiction novel, The Journey, is followed by The Winds of September, the first of a four book series that is set in the 1800's, and tell a continous story of two Christian families who worked and fought to survive and raise a family in a wilderness. My second in this Winds series, The Winds of Time, is now published and ready for purchasing. For a signed copy, send $23.00 to:
Frances Bennett
1359 Hwy. 3121
Spearsville, La 7127
Order from the ecommerce page:
http://www.bookstandpublishing.com/book_details/The_Winds_of_September
http://www.bookstandpublishing.com/book_details/The_Winds_of_Time
Also on Amazon with The Journey.