Oil Painting

Kathy Anderson Class

Chris Saper · May 11, 2015 · 9 Comments

Through the generosity of the OPA’s Shirl Smithson Scholarship, I attended Kathy Anderson’s flower painting class at the Scottsdale Artists’ School. While I’d loved Kathy’s work for many years, it was once I’d met her, and subsequently watched her DVD, that it became obvious that she was as skilled an instructor as she is a painter – particularly important to me because I take very few workshops, and have learned along the way that an artist’s excellence at the easel has absolutely nothing to do with whether he or she is a talented teacher.
Having approached the workshop with some specific goals in mind, I’d like to share how they were met from my own perspective as a commissioned portrait artist – things that were different, those that were similar, and how I experienced addressing the challenges. My goals in taking the workshop:

To understand the disciplined use of transparent and opaque pigments and the use of washes to get desired results;
To achieve the clean color for which Kathy’s work is so widely recognized; and
To manage edges in a more cohesive and creative fashion.

Set-up

Unlike some other workshop situations, Kathy had us each select our flowers from a huge variety of fresh planted flowers from a nursery, encouraging students to choose flowers that we thought were beautiful. Although it took more time up front (compared to Kathy setting up our compositions for us in advance), it accomplished several things right away: we each could choose to paint subject matter that was individually exciting to us; it gave us time to examine and explore the structure of each different flower in our set-ups; and it forced us to consider a design that had movement and areas of both energy and rest, compositional elements that she stressed throughout each demonstration.

Some of the flowers available for students.

My easel in close proximity to still life set-up.

The twist-tie solution to an errant azalea branch.

There were only two students per still life set-up, which meant we were uncrowded and could be very close to the arrangements. By close, I mean REALLY close, in that we couldn’t physically GET our easels any closer. In this way our observations were quite similar to sight-sizing the portrait or figure, and encouraged life-sized work. In contrast to a portrait painting workshop, (where one model per every two students would add enormously to the cost of the workshop), I could see right away why this was so important – because in painting portraits, some distance is necessary to view the model and canvas with a gestalt, but in painting flowers properly, each bloom to be accurately painted has to be treated like a tiny face, attending to drawing accurately, measuring distances and angles. Proportionately speaking, the distances are probably equivalent. However, my thinking about all good representational painting is that while detail is not necessary to convey accuracy, the relationships among shapes, color and value are.
Kathy stressed the importance of having a design that works as well as possible, from the beginning, commenting that her plein-air kit contains (among other things) clips and bungee cords to move stuff that needs to be adjusted. I found this micro-solution for my azalea branch in one of the drawers in the student lounge.

Lighting

The taborets were lit by daylight-corrected bulbs – probably about 5000-5500 degrees K, lending warmth to the shadowed areas. This color temperature seems to be prevalent an Kathy’s floral and still life paintings, and is what one would expect in a garden from life, in conditions other than strong direct sunlight where lighting is subject to rapid change resulting from time and climate conditions.

Materials selection

my wash and lift-out — My wash and lift-out.

Kathy’s detailed description and reasoning for the choice of materials was on the money. Oil-primed surfaces – and not just ANY- oil primed surface – is a prerequisite to properly lift out areas of transparent wash in order to set up the surface to accept clean application of fresh color. We experimented with several different warm, transparent washes, using Viva paper towels to lift out areas of interest. It was particularly challenging to me to use so many colors not on my regular portrait palette, and not to have access to more familiar colors, but it worked out fine just the same. It also helped to underscore that there are many ways to arrive at the color you’re after. The warm undertones were also very different for me, since when I tone a canvas prior to I always use cooler colors- greys, green or blue greys and the like, because I know I’ll always paint realistic skin tones with warm colors, and I like to have the cooler notes show through in places. Using warm undertones for flower paintings makes sense to me, though, since earth and foliage are warm, and are inherent in natural garden settings. Blossoms, though, can be a variety of warm and cool colors and can have very strong color saturation, unlike skin tones.

The Demonstrations

Kathy’s daily demonstrations were thorough and varied. They focused on alla-prima approaches to painting the floral still life, always emphasizing the importance of a lyric design, variety of color, shapes and angles, and the joy that has to precede doing them (well, anything actually) really well. As the composition developed Kathy described Nancy Guzik’s approach to finding places to paint “little triangles”, serving as directional arrows though their dark values and the crisp edges they create.

“Oranges & Pansies”, Kathy Anderson, oil on panel, 10 x 14

However, Kathy also demonstrated continuing to work on the painting from life during a second day, as well as taking photos at the first session in order to be sure to preserve the things that are most exciting- flowers, just like humans, can tend to droop after too much time on stage ☺
Also extremely valuable was her demo on how to go back into a painting that is dry to make adjustments or to complete the piece. The only reason – and I completely concur with this- artists can paint successfully from a photograph is because they have had extensive experience painting from life. Photographs lie to artists in the ways we most desperately need truth: color, value and edges. I firmly believe that learning has to be done from life – regardless of whether portrait, landscape, or floral subjects- and only after many, many canvases, can photos be interpreted in the best, most convincing manner.

The Opening

On Thursday night, Scottsdale’s Legacy Gallery hosted a two –person show with works by Kathy Anderson and Mark Boedges (spectacular landscape painter). Although I wasn’t able to attend, fellow student Josi Callan shared photos from the opening. Legacy’s Scott Jones dropped in several times during the week, and couldn’t have been a better ambassador/advocate for artists everywhere. (Look for future information on Scott and his insights into gallery-artist relationships).
Because I am fortunate to live only a few minutes from Legacy Gallery, I had the chance to visit on a quiet day after the opening and to spend as much time as I wanted drinking in Kathy’s fabulous paintings, each of which offered a silent, retrospective review of all that she’d taught the previous week.

In Summary

Yes, you should take the opportunity to study with Kathy Anderson. If you like learning from DVDs, buy hers. Kathy is as generous and warm as she is on her video. I don’t think there is ever a time when an artist should stop being challenged, stop studying or stop trying new things. Choose your instructors with care. Show up to class with the right materials and most importantly, the right attitude. Your time is too valuable to waste.

my piece from class, “Debbie’s Garden”, oil, 6 x 8 — My piece from class, “Debbie’s Garden”, oil, 6 x 8.

Fireside Teakettle

Barbara Schilling OPA · May 4, 2015 · 3 Comments

I’ve had some requests to post some of my processes so I am going to do a step-by-step of this painting. The teakettle is an antique given to me by an old friend…I wish I knew the story of it, I’ve never seen another one like it. I hope you enjoy the information on my technique(s)!
No two paintings are ever approached or completed in exactly the same way. I think it is very important to allow the energy to flow naturally and sometimes that may take a course during a painting that you didn’t originally plan. I think that is not only ok..I think that is necessary if your painting is going to find life. While the “rules” to painting are absolutely necessary to learning how to create a pleasant and believable work of art, it is with practice that you can learn to bend and remake some of those rules. That is when an artist truly begins to find their own voice. That is an evolution that must take place or the artist is simply mimicking that which has already been said.
There are as many visions for a painting as there are artists to paint it. The following process is simply my vision.
Let me begin with my palette. The colors I choose are very important for the technique I use. I love the combination of transparent and opaque and there are two things you must have to get that effect:

Oil primed linen (I use Centurion oil primed. I stretch my own canvases so I purchase it by the roll. It is also available prestretched. I find that Jerry’s Artarama has some reasonable prices)
Transparent Pigments. I have certain colors and certain brands that I cannot paint without.

Most of my colors are Rembrandt unless otherwise specified (The brand is important because colors and transparency can vary a lot from one to another)

**Rembrandt transparent pigments;**

transparent oxide red
transparent oxide yellow
transparent yellow light
olive green
transparent oxide brown

other “must have” transparent colors that I do not have a preferred brand:

alizarin crimson permanent (make sure you are getting one that is permanent, the older alizarin crimsons would fade with time)
ultramarine blue
quinacridone rose
viridian green

These are my initial layout and block-in colors. I do not use any opaque pigments at this point.
I do not use all these colors for every painting it depends on the color harmony or local color of the objects for each painting.

Opaque pigments;

Titanium white (I prefer Rembrandt, but use others too) Any time you add white to a color it starts becoming more opaque…the more white the more opaque.
cadmium lemon yellow
cadmium yellow medium
cadmium red light
yellow ochre
cobalt blue
dioxazine purple (sometimes)
burnt sienna

Mineral spirits is my primary brush rinse and thinner although I may use some liquin as I progress to the final stages of the painting.
I like to keep my brushes sharp (chisel edged). I use almost all Silver Bristlon Brights or angled (these are a little harder to find) I like a semi-stiff bristle. If I want to “scrub out” a larger area I will use a natural bristle bright as they are stiffer and tend to be more durable for that rough treatment.
It is hard to keep brushes sharp for long and I do replace them every couple of months.
I learned a technique from Daniel Keys for putting a folded cardstock over the tip and securing with a bulldog clip. It does help but you have to do it carefully or you can really mess up the bristles!

Ok..lets start painting!!

When I start a painting I like to imagine the flow of the design. My initial marks are following the eye path I wish to create. Then I will start loosely sketching some of the more precise shapes so I get them right. I have started with transparent oxide red and ultramarine blue on this one.

now I have started adding local color to the objects, although I am still just viewing them as shapes and not as specific objects.

All The colors used at this point are transparent. I am judging my middle value of each color for the most part. Where I want to create lighter values I either “scrub-out” with a paintbrush or wipe-out with a paper towel.

All my canvas is covered now. I find white areas distracting and like this stage when the painting is starting to feel like it is getting somewhere.

Here’s where volume starts. I begin usually at my determined focal point. That way I can decide as I go along how much I would like to abstract the secondary objects. Simply adding white to some of my mixtures will give me the correct opaque color for my higher value areas. Areas that will remain darker in value but still want a sense of solidness to them (like the teakettle) will require using a mixture of my darker opaque pigments. Yellow ochre works well for this as does burnt sienna. A very dark, opaque color can be acheived using burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.

As I continue to add opacity I create more volume in my shapes and more importance to the areas I wish to lead the eye throughout the painting. At this point I call it my “push and pull”. I wipe out where I feel I’ve added too much detail and it is distracting to my focal point.
My opaque areas are also where I usually apply my thickest paint. sometimes putting it on so thickly that I can almost sculpt with it to create form. I only do this where I want the most important parts of my painting to be. The point of interest.

Although I am working on the background throughout the painting process it is important to really evaluate how it is interacting with the objects as the objects are becoming more solid. You may want areas of the background to remain transparent but you also want it to feel “real” where the light may be bouncing off it.

scrub out…add in..hmm..scrub out again. This process requires some courage. if something isn’t working, it doesn’t matter how “nice” it is, sometimes it just has to go. A painting is not about one beautiful passage it is a part of the story as a whole. If that precious passage is not right for the painting…off with it!!! It’s only paint after all.

Now I must make a lot of decisions. Where to darken, lighten, add detail, subtract detail, balance some color, readjust some compositional elements….a lot of stepping back and just looking. Walk away and come back. Look at it through a mirror. Stand on your head to look at it. Whatever it takes to help you see it with a different perspective.

I step back, I leave it for a day, I think it’s done. Oops, the bottom left corner is too warm…I’ll adjust that. But overall I feel satisfied.

Len Cutter Interview

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Apr 27, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Featured-Image-OPA-cutter — **Len Cutter Interview**
Owner of Cutter and Cutter Fine Art, Brilliance in Color, Galeria del Mar, Loves’ Art Emporium Galleries
St. Augustine, Florida
Host to the 24th OPA National Juried Exhibition

Q. How did you discover you wanted to sell fine art?

After operating a large gift shop, we noticed one day that the sales of small prints from local artists were outselling all other items combined. It was an easy decision and we, as a family, had roots, in that my mother was an artist as was my grandmother, both of whom were quite good. It was an exciting decision that proved to be profoundly beneficial to our family.

Q. When did you first start selling art?

Sometime between 1999 and 2000, we noticed an opportunity to broaden our list of artists and move higher than simply prints in the $25-$300 range.

Q. What is the biggest challenge in selling art today?

With three large galleries in such a small town, our challenge is discovering art collectors (both potential and veteran) and separating the wheat from the chaff of the over 4 million tourists a year who pass through the Nation’s Oldest City. We have found that the look, feel and general appearance of our galleries coupled with a sophisticated and well-trained staff is essential.

Q. How has selling art changed in the last 10 years?

That is an easy one. In the past, our print programs were somewhat connected with an opportunity to sell the originals of those artist. Recently, we have noticed that the brisk markets we once enjoyed, specifically the lower end, mid level and upper end markets, have congealed into one market. That one market is now seeking, in the main, Original works of Fine Art. Some of our artists still have Fine Art Prints that do quite well for us. The shift however has been crystal clear: the current American buying public seeks “only the best” and that generally means original paintings.

Q. How do you differentiate your three galleries?

That one is not so easy. Many astute observers who stroll into our three galleries recognize the similarities in our wall coverings, our pricing cards, and that we do not “crowd our walls” in a salon style hanging. Rather, we believe firmly in the “less is more” museum hanging style of presentation. As far as styles are concerned, I suppose you could say Brilliance in Color is our Classical gallery while Galeria del Mar is more of a contemporary space and Loves’ Art Emporium (where it all began), with its higher ceilings and unique entrance, features photo-realism, realism and impressionism.

Q. What has influenced the style of the three galleries?

That is a fun question. The answer is clearly our clients. Like all American businesses, we need to make money and you can bet your bottom dollar we will not long stay with artwork that is not in demand. Like all markets, the art market is driven by those who buy.

Q. What are your thoughts on ‘talent” in regards to being a successful artist?

(Success meaning artist that sells well) Well, first of all, we only represent artists who we personally enjoy. Their personalities are key but the work itself must appeal to us. You cannot sell something in which you do not believe.

Q. What are your feelings about artists selling their art online without gallery representation?

It is a free country. But here again, the market (collectors) is driving this issue. As a bricks & mortar dealer, we believe art dealers bring to the table that certain something that helps to promote longevity, name recognition and the client base that allows the artist to focus more on their creativity and not so much on the business side; which, on its face, looks very easy but, in fact, requires perpetual attention to detail and bringing artists to collectors in a professional and workmanlike manner. We create an art buying experience that cannot be replicated online.

Q. What are your thoughts on how artists should approach galleries and a career in Fine Art?

Well that is almost impossible for me or any dealer to handle. All artists are so entrenched in their own purpose, message and style, and that is as it should be. Artists can clearly benefit from a strong relationship with effective dealers. Knowing how to approach those dealers or even to have a willingness and understanding to do so is probably at the center of why some artists never find the right dealer for them. It is not easy to make these kinds of life-significant arrangements.

Q. Any thoughts that you really want artists to understand about selling fine art?

Wow…who wrote these questions? These are all great and insightful attempts to make the art business function better. Basically, “selling fine art” begins with the art itself. The paintings must be good, high quality and interesting. The colors, compositions and general ideas can be myriad, but the paintings, all of them, must appeal to the type of person that the gallery attracts. What dealer would not want to say to the artist “send me your very best”?

Q. Is there something about you and your work that you would like to share?

I am not an artist. All right, I did try oil painting in my youth and everyone said, “You’ve got it” but I knew…I don’t “got it.” Ending up as a dealer, in a life that has found me doing many diverse things, finds me filled with enthusiasm for fine art. Without that enthusiasm, I am absolutely certain that I would not, and could not, spend the rest of my days selling the work of those who truly are…the artists.

OPA National Speakers

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Apr 20, 2015 · 1 Comment

The OPA 24th Annual National Exhibition & Convention will be held in St. Augustine, Florida at Cutter & Cutter Fine Art’s Brilliance in Color Gallery April 29 – May 3, 2015. OPA member Eve Albrecht was able to chat with two of our scheduled speakers to give you some background information about them. Joe Gyurcsak is the resident artist at Blick Art Materials and Utrecht Brand. He also participates in educational programs and is the company’s technical manager as well. Scott Gellatly is the resident artist and product manager of Gamblin Artists Colors. Both gentlemen have interesting beginnings in their art careers. Read on to learn more.

Q: How did you discover you wanted to study and practice/teach fine art?

Scott Gellatly: Ever since I can remember, I’ve been driven to make things. This drive to make things has never stopped. It was in middle school and high school, though, that my interest in drawing and painting took hold. I took my first oil painting class during my first year of college, and that was the “where have you been all my life?” moment. The lusciousness of the paint and depth of color in oil painting had a profound effect on me…as it still does. During my college years, I quickly realized there was a difference between instructors who were passionate and skilled in sharing information with students, and there were those whose teaching careers were simply viewed as a means for them to pursue their painting. I had an opportunity to teach art before I finished my degree, and I found that I really loved sharing information with others. Luckily, I’m in position to do this still through teaching painting workshops and through my work with Gamblin.

Joe Gyurcsak: I have loved to draw since I was five or six years old. When I was twelve, my parents brought me to my first formal lessons, and this is when I caught the bug! When I was in high school, I participated in the first Adjunct High School of the Arts Program in NJ. This was the first advanced college level teaching program for a select few high school students. The students that were selected were chosen out of hundreds in a competition. I was able to go to a local college for training three times a week. This led to receiving a few scholarships to the Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts in NY. After my formal studies, I became an illustrator. Then in 1990, I left that career to pursue a career in fine arts.

Q: Many people believe they must have a “talent” already before they can paint or draw. Do you believe this?

Scott: The drive to make art is more important than innate talent. Talent is something that non-artists talk about. Artists should always hone their skills, no matter what stage they are at with their art.

Joe: Talent is a small part of the equation. There are many talented people in this world, but many don’t have the burning desire to see their dreams through! Talent for an artist is defined as a vision, a need to express in word, paint, clay, music, et cetera; however, all of these still need to mature, still need to be cultivated and honed in to reach higher levels of expression.

Q: Were you already able to paint before you went to study art?

Scott: I have enough bad drawings and paintings from my early years to prove otherwise. There were paintings that I thought were successful then, but then I continued to develop my skills and broaden my knowledge of art techniques.

Joe: I was able and willing to paint before any formal studies, but the road is long and mastery just does not appear. Some days after 40 years of painting I am not able to paint, but oh, I am willing!

Q: What are your thoughts, Joe, on Learning Fine Art with Workshops?

Joe Gyurszak - Self portrait - 12x12 — Joe Gyurszak – Self portrait – 12×12

Joe: Artists should go into a workshop like a blank slate, buy completely into the teacher’s philosophy. They should work hard, take notes, and ask too many questions. Artists should not have the goal of creating finished works of art. They should go to work things out; that is why it is called a workshop. It is important to absorb the lessons. Take what is of value to you; apply it, and when you are ready for the next level or workshop, you will know. Otherwise, keep on working it out until you are ready to move on to a higher level.

Q: At what point should an artist stop taking classes and workshops and develop one’s own style?

Scott: I believe “style” is a culmination of artist’s conscious and subconscious actions while painting. Those conscious elements include for example, the choice of subject matter or color palette. An artist’s propensity to apply paint in a certain way (the artist’s handwriting) is less conscious. An artist can always pick up tips from other artists, through classes, workshops, or simply studies others’ work. But, these newfound tips on painting will only affect the conscious actions of painting.

Joe: Never! In his eighties, Cezanne was found in a museum sketching some sculptures. An experienced artist came up to him and asked him what he was doing. Cezanne replied, “I am trying to learn to draw.”

Q: Which artists or workshops have influenced your painting style and technique most?

Scott: J.M. W. Turner, Wolf Kahn, and Stuart Shils; specifically, his Irish series in the late 90’s.

Joe: Just the living artists: my high school art teachers, C.W. Mundy, Quang Ho, Richard Schmid, John Howard Sanden and many more. All of these people have enlightened me in some way shape or form, and I am ever grateful for their support.

Q: How did you start to earn money with your art?

Scott: I’ve been fortunate to have had gallery representation since being out of school for only a few years. Since this time, I’ve made a career out of selling my work, teaching and working in the art material industry.

Joe: At seventeen years old, my brother and I ran an airbrush business for t-shirts and cars. At twenty-three, I received my first illustration job from CBS Records by entering a national competition. I was commissioned to do the “Footloose” single by Kenny Loggins. The rest is history.

Q: How has your painting practice changed since you started working for Gamblin and Dick Blick respectively?

Scott: Working for Gamblin has had a profound impact on my painting. My early exposure to the information that Gamblin provided filled a number of gaps in my education. For instance, Robert Gamblin wrote a terrific newsletter on the differences between the indirect painting techniques of the Classical era and the direct painting techniques of the Impressionists, based on the development of pigments in the 19th century. This made me think differently about how to create a painting structure as well as the optical possibilities of oil painting. As my role with Gamblin has evolved over the years, I’ve taken on a central role in product development – both with color and with painting mediums. A big part of this work is to paint with these materials in my studio to perfect their performance and working properties.

Joe: My career with Dick Blick started as the resident artist and then as brand manager for the Utrecht brand for the last seventeen years. My painting practice hasn’t changed, but my career has allowed me to continue to grow and experience unbelievable opportunities. I have been blessed to travel the world and meet so many great artists all of which has inspired me.

Q: Scott, can you describe what a typical day/week looks like in your artist life?

Scott Gellatly - Prelude to Spring - 12x12 - Oil on panel — Scott Gellatly – Prelude to Spring – 12×12 – Oil on panel

Scott: I put in 40+ hours a week at the Gamblin factory. After work, I spend time with my family (which is a glorified way to say that I run my kids to sport practices and throw dinner together). Only after my kids’ bedtime, do I get some time in my studio. Luckily, my family and Gamblin are incredibly supportive of my painting career, so I do get time to paint when I need it.

Q: What are your thoughts on a career in fine art and your work style?

Joe: I spend 30 to 55 hours a week at Dick Blick: Thirty percent with R&D, fifteen percent on Regulatory, fifteen percent with QC, and thirty percent at lectures and painting demos throughout the US. I paint anywhere from one to four hours a day. I work out by doing Kick Boxing three days a week. God & Family first, then everything else falls into place

Q: How do you keep yourself focused between your job, painting and home life?

Scott: It’s not easy, but my secret is to book shows. Whether it is for a solo exhibition or a group show, having a deadline to work against is the best motivator. This is my only advice for artists starting out – book a show. It doesn’t matter if it is in a gallery or a coffee shop. Having a show on the calendar forces you to produce a body of work, think about the cohesiveness of the work, and most importantly move past that body of work once the show has been completed. This is a terrific way to keep your work moving forward.

Joe: I stay organized by making lists and setting priorities. It is important for artists to do the following: Plan your work and work your plan. Always seek the higher power in life to then activate your dreams and then never stop dreaming. Take care of your mental, spiritual and physical being; then you can do anything and everything. I want people to know that I am not just Utrecht Joe. I am a fully dedicated artist whose life and heart is in this 100 percent, and I want to share and give back for all the blessings bestowed upon me.

Click Here to Learn More About OPA’s 24th National Juried Exhibition

Getting into the Demos

Mary Hubley · Apr 13, 2015 · 2 Comments

The OPA Twenty-Fourth Annual National Exhibition in St. Augustine is showcasing several of today’s most successful artists. Expect their demos to be motivating. Demos persuade us to experiment, to change, and to energize our own practice. Further, they teach us new ways to think and see, modify our techniques, and remind us of methods we may have forgotten or never learned. Just breathing new air sometimes, being inspired by accomplished and like-minded artists helps move us to reach for the next level.
Make it your mission to discover a few of their secrets. Look for those “ah-has” gleaned from off-handed suggestions, quick strokes of cadmium, or flying jokes.
What to Expect:

Friday May 1st – 10: 00 a.m. – Noon
Albin Veselka OPA: Portrait from Life
Albin plans to paint an oil portrait sketch from life. In describing what motivates him Albin says, “I paint because I am constantly enthralled with what the visual world offers. I try to reflect what that feels like to me through my art in as honest a way that I can.” Albin wants to share with us a training tool he calls “squint and believe”; more on that at the demo.
Takeaway tip: “In the work I want to create, there is a crucial duality of representing accurately and saying something compelling that is my own,” says Albin. “I think the best way to find the balance between those two ideas is painting from life constantly under the limitations of time that necessitates selectively eliminating the superfluous. Painting from life makes sure your reference is as accurate as possible and having time limits requires you to choose what is important to you and what isn’t. Another important step that helps you to insert yourself into your work is to rework the painting later without any reference; this further imposes your intent on the painting.”

Friday May 1st – 10: 00 a.m. – Noon
Marc Hanson OPA: Landscape Mood
Marc’s landscape demo will show us how he approaches mood and atmosphere. He hopes to offer an insight into the way he handles paint, and says he looks forward to the demo because he loves the interaction while he paints. “I am a landscape artist at the core,” says Marc. “I like to paint the mood of the atmosphere; the emotional side of the landscape.” The visual beauty of the outdoor world drives Marc as an artist. “It’s what trips my trigger and causes me to get out and let that work within me as I paint along. I am addicted to that investigation and to trying to put down on paper or canvas how I react to it.”
Takeaway tip: Marc encourages us all to paint as much as we possibly can from life, and paint with a purpose when we do.

Friday May 1st – 10: 00 a.m. – Noon
Morgan Samuel Price
Morgan is planning to paint a landscape and interact with the audience about her process. She is known for her dramatic plein air paintings of street scenes and wild places. Local Florida rivers and jungle are favorite subjects. “Just as the artists of the past have shared their knowledge, I too, have always enjoyed sharing mine,” says Morgan. “I am looking forward to the venue.”
Takeaway Tip: The darkest dark in the light is never as dark as the darkest dark in the dark nor is the lightest light in the dark as light as the lightest light in the light!

Friday May 1st – 10: 00 a.m. – Noon
Dominic Avant
Dominic will paint a figure near the water, working from a photo reference. He’ll discuss how to describe form in the figure and color temperatures, and will answer questions as they are presented. Dominic paints figures in natural moments, and hopes his demo will help viewers gain an insight into his process. “I’d like to show several aspects of my painting,” says Dominic. “For instance, I’ll focus on my color palette, capturing light to describe form on figure, color harmony, and handling water.”
Takeaway Tip: After blocking in the painting, use a direct painting approach and fewer mediums if any.

Friday May 1st – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Barbara Carter: Repairing Frames
An expert in the traditional art of water gilding picture frames, Barbara’s demo will concentrate on repairing frames damaged from gallery wear and tear. “Attendees will hopefully walk away with enough info to do some repairs for themselves,” says Barbara. “I’ll answer questions; give a list of sources, materials and recipes I use; and show them how to touch up frames to make them reusable.” Barbara will show us ways to bring damaged metal and gold leaf frames back to life. She will also show how she places washes on frame panels that are too bright and show techniques of water gilding.

Saturday May 2nd – 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Louis Escobedo OPA: Still Life and Light
Louis will create a still life and talk about how he sees color and captures emotion. “The audience often finds the way I construct a painting interesting, especially how it comes together after seeing the effect of light in the painting,” says Louis. He especially encourages us to pay attention to the light on the objects we paint since light is lost when contrasts are forgotten. He also mentions that values are very important and you should consider them before you let color come out to play.
Takeaway tip: “Each painting is a different set of problems. That’s why I’m just as happy whether painting a playful still life of fruit and vegetables, abandoned cars in a field, or a peaceful water scene. Whatever the subject, I’m looking for some element and a way to portray it. There needs to be something emotionally strong in the painting. I strive to evoke an emotional response in both myself and my audience. ”

Sunday May 3rd – 9:30 a.m. – Noon
Don Demers: Seascape Experience
Known for his maritime themes and seascapes, Don Demers plans to paint a crashing surf. He will show the combination of the structure of a seascape and the strict methodology he employs in painting one. Don says that painting is much more than just the visual. “For all of us who paint, it’s out of some internal need to explain and exalt the world around us. For me, it’s not just about the visuals of the subject. It’s also about trying to capture a human experience. ”
Takeaway tip: “Plan your painting carefully and with clear artistic intention. There is a great technical prerequisite that you are required to have before you can begin to use your artistic voice. You have to know how to do it, before you can know why you’re doing it.”