Creativity reigns at PSU weekend class

This elegant collage to Sofonisba references her diplomacy and wit

I had the greatest time this past Friday evening and Saturday teaching "Living to Paint/Painting to Live", a weekend PSU class on two women artists. The students were enthusiastic in their discussions and their creative projects. We studied the Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola and the Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi, both Italian women of great courage and talent. The students all showed great courage and creativity as well, and came up with innovative and diverse work. Several made collages of the two artists and their lives and work, some wrote original poems or made original drawings. The students inspire me as much as I inspire them, and the artists we get to know inspire us all.

A brave student reads one of her poems

Thanks to Serenity for taking the excellent photos. (My camera battery proved to be dead.) Thanks to Maeve and others for tech support. Thanks to all the students for a wonderful class!

A colorful collage evoking Sofonisba Anguissola

Artemisia Gentileschi is represented here as a compelling, complex woman

These students had to work fast, having only a short time to come up with their ideas, execute them, and present them to the class. Nobody complained and everyone did a magnificent job. All the collages were colorful and full of meaning. The drawings were lively and original. The poetry gave me shivers and tears. It's always so exciting to see what people come up with and how creative we all can be, even when we don't think we are.

A powerful poem to Sofonisba with a delightful and accurate image of her

An innovative 3-D collage for Artemisia

A bold collage of Artemisia as Mary Magdalene

Wow, Artemisa drawing Artemisa drawing...

By the way, the students gave me permission to show their work here. I'm glad they did, because I want others to see their extreme creativity!

Images and text create a strong sense of Artemisia's life

A playful mixed media tribute to Artemisia

This student also brought in a work she painted several years ago after a painting by Sofonisba. She said she was happy to learn more about the artist who had inspired her own work.

Vibrant collages for both artists

A moving poem and drawing for Artemisia

In this symbolic drawing Sofonisba Anguissola leaves Italy and family
obligations to sail for the Spanish court to be a court painter.

Artemisia plays the lute looking just like herself

This student created a calm, ordered collage for Sofonisba.
In her other collage she created the vivid, chaotic world of Artemisia.

Thanks for sharing with me the delightful fun of teaching about women artists and seeing what amazing things my students create!