Sketching beyond the "Challenge"
Galia Alena Galia Alena

Sketching beyond the "Challenge"

To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. Kurt Vonnegut

During my 30 day Sketchbook Challenge I joked about taking my sketchbook into the wild. … The practice of the "challenge" offers a framework of discipline which is not a natural state for me. My creative practice usually looks more free form, following the whims of the muses, working in a variety of mediums, on a variety of projects at anyone time, and allowing myself to be pulled down the rabbit hole …

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The Flower is...the eternal seductiveness of life.
Galia Alena Galia Alena

The Flower is...the eternal seductiveness of life.

The flower is the poetry of reproduction.

It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.

— Giraudoux

Producing this class has been a love affair- a love affair with each of the artists as I fell more and more in love with their work, a love affair with my garden in all it's winter glory, and a love affair with creating, with painting, with sketching, with pastels, with watercolours, with drawing- with the act of making art.

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iPhone Magic
Galia Alena Galia Alena

iPhone Magic

As a photographer, the question I get asked the most is “which camera should I buy?” and while the variety of options on the market from compact to dslr to mirrorless and so on may feel overwhelming the truth is that for most of my daily shooting practice, my personal practice, it is my iPhone that gets the biggest workout- it is convenient, it is always with me (more so for taking photos than taking calls ;) ) and the quality is quite astounding when you think about it.

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