Better Out Than In?

I got a call from a friend, today. Oh, she said, you're in, in the exasperated tone of someone who has called repeatedly with no success... And life has been rather busy, recently, 'tis true. But yesterday, we proved that you don't have to go out to have fun...you can have people to visit, and have fun at home, instead! Helen, Barbara and Lynda, three friends from The Well, all part of the admin team that keeps the group ticking over, came to meet and do admin stuff, as well as what the corporate world calls 'team building', and we call 'making art'.

We did do the obligatory 'visit to the studio'. Crikey, said someone, you did tidy up downstairs, didn't you...well, ok, it is a bit, errr, untidy as you go upwards in this house... I didn't like to say that its current condition is an improvement on the norm... And I was given some useful feedback about the paintings...the textile room was ogled at length, and then we got down to work. The work, of course, expanded to fit nearly all the time available. But we did manage to squeeze in an hour or so. First we made a communal drawing, using oil pastels. Then, we tore it up ( and that was much more fun than you'd expect!!). Then, we collaged it onto a stronger paper, as in the picture above. Finally, we added paint, as seen below.

We had so much fun, we thought we'd do this next time with the entire Well community. Looking at it today, I found myself wondering if we should perhaps add an overall blue wash, then cut it again into uneven strips, and recollage on a contrasting plain paper... but I won't do anything more with it until we are all together again and can talk about it...over coffee...and cake...and chocolate...and...and...and... Ah, the joys of collaborative art!