These are my two paintings for you today.  An energetic still life and a snowy landscape.

Many are happy that the record breaking snowy days in February in Cincinnati are behind us.  However, it would not be winter without painting a snowy landscape. This was painted plein air (outside) in Sharon Woods Historical Village.

The still life painting was created in the dark at the Womans Art Club.  This is my mothers silver water pitcher and I enjoy the reflections that it creates. My goal was recording the movement with shadows and light.

Thank you for viewing the paintings. I would appreciate any comments. I learn so much from your critiques.  

   


         My favorite part of being an artist is the people you meet along the way. Especially specializing in portraiture and figurative works of art, I meet the most interesting people. This model, who posed for me during the Fine Arts Sampler Weekend at the Barn on Sunday, Feb. 20th, is fifteen year old Anita Imwalle. She is the sister of one of my students in my teen class. As I was painting her, she was telling me about her family of six sisters. She had an interesting color combination with her deep blue eyes and dark hair.
         Quick head studies from life can teach an artist so much about painting. You have to find the masses and the values, and leave the details go. I would love your comments on the above demo portrait of Anita!!

You will not want to miss this event. Held at the "Barn" the new home of the Woman's Art Club this event it is part of the Fine Arts Sampler Weekend. The creative energy will be at its highest, when many different artist ( including myself) will be giving free demonstrations at the barn for this event.
Below is the article that was in the Eastern Hills Press and the schedule of events.
Come out and visit, and bring a friend along too!

February 9, 2010 Art demonstrations coming to Mariemont By Lisa Wakeland lwakeland@communitypress.com More than a dozen artists will come to Mariemont as part of the Fine Arts Fund Sampler Weekend. • http://rodeo.cincinnati.com/getlocal/comm.aspx?id=100132">More Mariemont news at Cincinnati.com/Mariemont "Get Smart About Art" is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Woman's Art Club Cultural Center. "We want people to come to the barn ... see the facility and learn something about art," Woman's Art Club President Jan Boone said. "If people want to learn about materials or what the artists are thinking, it's open for anyone to ask questions." The free demonstrations are staggered throughout the day and feature a wide variety of art from fiber and ceramics to watercolor and beadwork. Boone and artist Deborah Ridgley are two of the oil painters taking part in the Fine Arts Fund Sampler Weekend. Ridgley said she hopes the public will enjoy all the visual arts present during the sampler, but also learn more about the cultural center, the former Resthaven Barn. "The barn has so much to offer to enrich the community with art," she said. "Beginners don't need to be scared away ... classes are there to enhance skills, you just have to have an interest." Boone said some demonstrations will allow attendees to try a variety of media. The Fine Arts Fund Sampler Weekend is a regional event that focuses on bringing the arts to the community. Additional Facts If you go * What: "Get Smart About Art," part of the Fine Arts Fund Sampler Weekend. * When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 * Where: Woman's Art Club Cultural Center, 6980 Cambridge Ave., Mariemont. * Call 272-3700 or visit wacccbarn.blogspot.com for details.

Look for an editiorial and a few images of my work in the December 2009 issue of American Art Collector Magazine.
My work is featured in the " Savvy Collector's Preview Guide" on page 42 and again in the special Figurative section called "True to Form: Figurative Art Today" on page 67 and 68.
If you do not have a copy of the magazine, you can check it out on line at
www.americanartcollector.com .

 Please stop by and see my exhibit at the Indian Hill Church Art Show, this weekend.
Great Art for a Great Cause.
30 % of the proceeds benefit our Outreach Programs.
Friday, November 13, 6 to 9 pm
Wine Tasting, appetizers, free valet parking,
$5.00 donation for adults

and

Saturday, November 14, 10 am to 4 pm
Light Refreshments, split the pot raffle drawing,
Free Admission

Address is 
6000 Drake Road
Indian Hill 45243 
Hope to see you there!!

 Recently I was interview with Alleen Manning for the Mariemont Town Crier. Below is the Q and A that was published in the newspaper.

Q.  How long have you been making art?
A.  I started in an oil painting class at the age of seven.

Q.Where did you grow up?
A.     Cincinnati Ohio

 
 Q. Did you have an art teacher in school? Did your parents support your artistic leanings? Were there any special teachers that you can remember that encouraged you to continue creating art? What do you stress in your own classes for young people?
A.   An art teacher in Kindergarden told my mother that I put details on people, such as fingers on the hands. She told her she had not seen a student who would put effort in the details, and that she thought I would benefit from art lessons.        
Yes, my parents have always supported my artistic education and career.  A teacher that stands out that had encouraged me was the late Charlie Harper, a teacher I had as a student at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.  The main thing I stress in my students is to not fear making art.  With a learning curve of learning new techniques of oil painting, fear seems to creep in.  Fear becomes the enemy in the creating process.

Q. What do you want people to think about when they view your art?
A.  I want the viewer to find moments of rest while viewing my work.

Q. What is your favorite medium? Your favorite subject matter-why?
A. I enjoy oil painting.  However, I am only an artist because of the variety of mediums and subject matter.  Currently my concentration is on figurative works and portraiture. However I also enjoy plein air landscape painting and still lifes. I believe mastering different subject matters as well as a variety of mediums contributes to making a successful painting as well as a better artist.

Q. Who are your favorite artists from the past? Why?
A. John Singer Sargent, American, Joaquin Sorolla, Russian born artist Nicolai Fechin, and Swedish artist Andres Zorn. All of these painters were value painters.  They had a freshness to their collections of work.  Their style was  brushy realism, the style that I have always pursued.

Q. Where do you see your work and your own personal growth going in the future? New materials, subject matter, etc .
A. I have just finished a collection a work for my solo show titled, " Discovering Peaceful Places." I am currently working on another body of work for gallery representation. In addition, I would like to continue with the recent commissions I have received after my solo show.  I feel like I am always a student, and I have not scratch the surface on the information I could receive from the masters.

Q.  Do you have any thoughts or words of encouragement to give young people who want to pursue art as a career?
.A. Do not shy away from oil painting classes due because you are beginner. Most of the students are beginners. I  teach a three color method of oil painting.  You can achieve all flesh tones and all colors you need from a limited palette.With this method, you can concentrate on getting the values correct. And then a likeness of the subject matter will naturally evolve. I encourage all my students that the only way to learn to master any kind of painting is to paint from life. In my classes, the students paint from a still life set up, a clothed model or plein air painting.  A student can receive so much more information from life painting, rather then relying on the use of photography.

 

Wow what a great class!!  Here are the students holding a few of the pieces they have done in the "Painting from Life" class at the Womans Art Club.
The next session will begin in September on Thursdays 3:30 to 6:30 pm at the barn on Cambridge in Mariemont.  The session runs for 6 weeks. $160. includes a model fee for two sessions. We will paint en plein aire landscape, paint from the live clothed model, and still life set ups at the Womans Art Club. The classes are for beginner to intermediate students, teens to adults. I only take 8 -10 students max. Contact DGRstudios@aol.com or 513-259-9302 to reserve your spot.

 " Yearning for Spring"
  30" x 20", oil on linen

My painting, "Yearning For Spring" was accepted into the Women’s Art Club 116^th Annual Juried Exhibition .  With over 200 entries only about 60 artist are chosen for the show which started 116 years ago. It is quite an honor.

The opening reception and awards was held on May 3, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the Woman’s Art Club Cultural Center, 6980 Cambridge, Mariemont. Other viewing times are May 7-10 and May 14-17 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Also, I have announced my new summer painting class session at the barn. It is for all level of students and ability. The classes are held Thursdays from 9am to 12pm starting in June at The Woman's Art Club, 6980 Cambridge Ave, Mairemont, Ohio 45227. The dates of the session are June 11, June 18, June 25, July 2, July 9 and July 16. 

 In this class we will explore all areas of painting from life. Working from the clothed model, still life and plein air landscape painting we will explore the " alla prima" technique of painting used by master John Singer Sargent and handed down from generations of atelier painters.

The cost of the six week session is $150. A deposit of $50 is due to hold your spot in the class.