The Art of Delight and Freedom

Margaret practices what she teaches. Her stated goal in providing art instruction to adults and children is to “create a non-judgmental, free, fun atmosphere that gives permission to children of all ages to be themselves.” Sounds like a playground to me.

On first reflection, practicing spontaneity seems like an oxymoron. If you’re young enough, it is. Children instinctively know how to play — activity characterized by delight and freedom. That’s not a bad definition of spontaneity. But after being “processed” and “socialized” and educated and judged for a few decades, many of us forget how to play. A little practice at dropping the judgmental scripts we all carry around in our heads and exploring our idiosyncratic creative forces can be time very well spent — even for the teacher. “Some of my absolute favourite works are the result of classes I’ve taught,” she tells me. “After spending a day or a week teaching, I walk into the studio and see everything with new eyes. My classes invigorate me.”

They also provide balance in her life. As a painter who works solo, Ferraro values the companionship and feedback of other artists and students who attend her classes. Every Thursday morning she opens her studio to past students, and she participates regularly in life drawing sessions and workshops.

No Fear of Flying

Margaret has developed a three-step process that keeps her paintings fresh and nurtures her ability to rely on her own spontaneity. “I didn’t want to be a fearful artist. I’ve learned that I’m good at problem-solving in the moment, and this gives me the freedom to fly on my confidence!” It’s amazing how well she portrays that flight in the exciting figures that come to life in her work.

Step one involves maintaining a constant supply of prepared surfaces so she can indulge her creative muse whenever the urge strikes, which is often. “For every painting I do, I have a thousand other ideas that I would like to try.” Each underpainting is a complete abstract composition executed in acrylics, usually on watercolour paper.

For her figure paintings, the second step is to draw from a live model with charcoal, right onto the underpainting. Often these drawings are done in less than five minutes. Shorter poses are more physical and often more interesting. The goal here is to complete a line drawing that harmonizes with the underpainting. If it doesn’t, Margaret simply wipes off the drawing and takes the underpainting to the next life modelling session. The last step is to decide whether the final layer will be acrylic or pastel. Now she relies on her instincts, questioning the need for positive/negative space, working all colours into and outside of the figure, surrendering all initiatives to good composition. ”If it doesn’t improve the composition, it doesn’t happen.”

Ferraro currently is focusing on figure paintings, working on a series titled “The Musicians” based on sketches she made at a series of folk concerts and musical events. The paintings vividly and dramatically portray her enjoyment of the events. Her earlier work is replete with joyous landscapes and florals, some passionate and some a more subdued homage to the healing tranquility of nature. Several works have earned her awards and honours at national and international events, such as Pastel Artists of Ontario annual juried exhibitions and the prestigious “Merchandise Award” at the Pastels on High International Exhibition in California in 2000.

Spontaneity is an essential and obvious component of Margaret’s art, but I wasn’t surprised to learn that her success is grounded on a substantial underpainting of its own. She grew up in Kleinburg north of Toronto, and has been involved in artwork all her life, spending many years as a textile designer and silk painter. In 1985 she moved from Toronto to Belleville and started her own art gallery, initially as a means of financing her studio. The gallery flourished. “It was so much fun. I loved being surrounded by art I loved, and I made many friends and contacts in the art world.”

In 1993 she bought an unfinished house in the woods between Kinburn and Carp. Today she shares that house with her two creative young daughters and many, many students and friends. Ferraro used to teach at Algonquin College, but she vastly prefers teaching at her own home where she can create a mood of non-judgmental relaxation. “I couldn’t be the artist I am without my teaching,” she acknowledges. I just want to keep on painting, and I consider myself extremely fortunate that I can paint and teach fulltime.” This July she will be teaching two courses in the spacious, relaxed environment she has created during the two-week Mississippi Mills School of Arts program: Introduction to Pastel/Focus on Landscape, and Pastel and the Figure.

Margaret Ferraro’s paintings are a wonderful antidote to the sepia tones of the Lanark County winter landscape. You are invited to view her colour-rich compositions at her website. Once there, consider exposing yourself to Margaret’s’ antidote to taking yourself (and your perceived limitations) far too seriously, and click on the links to her class offerings. She offers drawing classes from beginner to advanced, specializing in figure drawing, and many courses in pastel. You can contact her by email, or by phone at 839–5241.