Teaching Artist Candy Heiland opened the day with a discussion and slide show about the artistic concept of Chiaroscuro which is the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting. Candy projected images of work by several artists including Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775-1851), Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967), as well as her own drawings of the Side Show, neon signage and pinball machines.
Candy presented a demonstration of the additive process of depicting light by layering building up color, highlighting with white and adding shadow with black. Our last study of chiaroscuro with Reg we worked in a reductive process pulling out the highlights with an eraser. Candy distributed the materials she carefully prepared for each artist that included a cotton lined box of oil pastels, black Canson Mi-Teintes paper, clips and drawing boards (generously made for us by Tim Metzger.) and the group practiced these additive techniques.
Candy explained for this exploration of chiaroscuro that we would be drawing on location at the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church a few blocks from Kentler. Our assignment to capture the light through the stained glass windows, in the varied lighting fixtures or as depicted by other artists in the massive murals adorning the walls.
(or an imaginative combination of any of those elements). We discussed the appropriate behavior for this location, we set off to visit Visitation!
We were welcomed at the Richard Street entrance by Father Johannes Siegert. Finding ourselves in the vast beautifully adorned space with space to spread out inspired a deep level of concentration and focus.
Back to Kentler we walked for an in-process critique and lunch. Teaching Artist Marie Roberts stopped by to bring the students a wonderful gift – FOUNTAIN PENS generously donated Fahrney’s Pens!! Everyone was so excited by their new pens that I brought out white paper so they could try their new tools. Thank you Marie and Fahrney’s Pens.
Marie joined us for the afternoon drawing session at Visitation Church. Everyone completed their first drawing, many artists dove right into depicting a second view.
Sister Máire took the time to show us the three original Tiffany Windows, which as you would expect led to an impromptu introduction to the work of Lewis Comfort Tiffany America's most famous and popular artist in glass whose work took the art and science of glassmaking to new heights, allowing for an expanded variety of artistic expression and, in many ways, creating a unique American style.
Our final critique back at the gallery was a delight of light filled drawings and heartfelt compliments. Thank you Maya for taking photos of the work!
Tomorrow is our last day of Summer Session 2019. We will have a wonderful lesson with Teaching Artist Cecile Chong, a special celebratory lunch and students will take all of their work home. You may want to bring a tote bag or portfolio to carry your work.
See you tomorrow!
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