Welcome to my blog! I will be posting entries on artist's materials, my observations on old master painting, teaching children to draw and paint, along with projects I am working on.
My blog's title refers to my interest and preference for traditional and historical artists' materials- the old school stuff used by the old masters. However I'm not a purist in this realm and I do incorporate modern alternatives for some traditional items. Subjects I will discuss are variations of lead white available to artists, traditional pigments versus modern alternatives, and the mediums I currently use.
In addition to materials I will explore old master paintings based upon my personal observations. This will focus on the handling of paint, craftsmanship, efficiency vs. complexity, and pigments used. My area of focus will be 15th-19th century painting with heaviest focus being on 17th Century Dutch painting. My observations will highlight how old master work informs my own technical process and how other artists can use these techniques in their own work.
I also teach drawing and painting to the 4th and 5th graders at First Place Scholars, a private school in Seattle's Central district. I will share my insights on teaching kids the skills they need to create extraordinary work. The art instruction that the old masters received had inspired me to teach children art. When I talk about art I'm not referring to collages and finger paints. I'm talking about learning how to draw the human figure, rendering 3-D objects on paper, understanding perspective, and the importance of drawing from observation. Starting March 1 I am beginning an after school advanced drawing and painting program- Scholars Atelier. I will share my class' progress here.
