We'll be adding all kinds of news and notes to this page. If you're looking for something specific, such as class or workshop information, try the Index or Blog Archive in the left margin.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

New Works: "Bent but not Broken"

Charles completed this small plein air painting last year. I love this piece and, since I'd included it in our most recent website update, I thought I'd feature it here as well.

Besides the obvious attractions of its lush green surroundings and the beautiful effect of all the dappled light, Charles was drawn to this tree by its story. It had obviously been through a terrible storm some time past which caused extensive damage; it had not only survived but continued to grow. In fact it's still thriving, a year or more after this painting was done at a nature preserve not far from our house. ( 11 x 14, oil on panel, 2008 )


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Surprise Visit from Vasari's Master Paintmaker

On April 28th, Charles had the great honor of a personal visit by Steve Salek of Vasari Classic Artists’ Oil Colors.

Steve and his assistant Joshua found themselves passing through Atlanta on their way home from a weekend at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and just wanted to drop in and say hello! That happened to be the day of Charles’ painting class at Binders, and several of his students stayed late after class and got to meet one of the greatest paintmakers living today!

Charles has always been effusive in his praise for Vasari, for he feels that it would be impossible to overstate the quality of their paint. For many years now, he has used Vasari almost exclusively. So when Steve called to see if it would be alright if he and Joshua dropped by to say hello, we were floored and very honored. Though their visit was brief, it was thoroughly enjoyable and they left behind much warmth and good will.

So what is it that makes their paint so great? Well, Vasari Oils are handcrafted all the way. The pigments are precisely ground and mixed by hand in small batches without fillers of any kind. They are then loaded into their tubes, crimped and labeled by hand as well. Because of all this hands-on attention they are able to make the colors much more heavily pigmented than other brands. This results in a palette of jewel-like brilliance. So many times when Charles is setting up for a demonstration, people in the audience will see these vibrant colors and exclaim “What is THAT!”

Vasari is a small operation with only one retail store, located in Manhattan just off Times Square. Whether you call or drop by in person, Gail Spiegel will likely be the person you talk to there. She is an amazing fount of knowledge of all things pigment. If you happen to be there in the store (which we highly recommend next time you’re in NYC), ask her about any of their wonderful colors and she’ll immediately begin showing you its working properties and possible combinations on their huge mixing board. Many times Charles has left there with more paint than what he’d intended, and thrilled with his new discoveries.

Behind the scenes, and making all this possible, is Steve Salek, master paintmaker. Steve has invested many years into careful and thorough research of the old world, traditional paintmaking methods. He describes it as just his commitment to bringing the best materials to the art of painting. The fact that he allows the rest of us to benefit from all his hard work is amazing.

Steve makes great paint, which helps Charles makes great art. We love Vasari and were honored beyond words by their visit!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Painting Class at Binders - Upcoming Session Dates

The next 6-week session of Charles' painting class at Binders Art Supply in Atlanta will begin Tuesday May 26, and continue through Tuesday June 30. Future class dates have also been set through mid-October.

Charles has recently added figure work to the curriculum, so at least three of the classes in the 6-week session will be with a live model.

---------------------------------------

Painting - Design and Technique Tuesday afternoons (1-4 pm) or evenings (6-8:30 pm) $140 for six weeks upcoming class dates: May 26 - June 30, July 21 - August 25, September 8 - October 13, 2009

The Art School at Binders Piedmont Peachtree Crossing 3330 Piedmont Road Suite 18, Atlanta GA 30305 http://learning.bindersart.com/ contact person: Kristina Breneman - learning@BindersArt.com - 404-237-6331 ext 203

Monday, May 4, 2009

Third Place at the 2009 Hilton Head National Exhibition

"Persimmon and Bronze" has been awarded 3rd place at the 2009 Hilton Head National Juried Exhibition!

Friday, May 1st, marked a beautiful weekend for a quick trip out to Hilton Head Island SC. The Art League of Hilton Head had two days of events planned for the opening of their 21st National Juried Art Exhibition - the awards reception on Friday evening and a "Critic's Luncheon" with juror Craig Srebnik Saturday afternoon.

From over 600 entries, the 108 final pieces were on display in the beautiful Walter Greer Gallery of the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. One very nice touch they included that I really liked (and had not ever seen done before) was the inclusion of a few-sentences-long statement provided by the artist to the work's information card, in addition to the usual title, size, medium and price. It provided a connection point with the viewer and an insight into the artist's mind and, I believe, really enhanced the show. All the cards were of a uniform size and made for a very impressive overall display.

The Saturday Critic's Luncheon was also a nice addition that I'd not seen before. It allowed the juror an opportunity to speak at length on his judging criteria. He also went step by step through the award winners explaining why each piece worked and why he's ranked them as he had.

Our day wrapped up with a visit to Morris & Whiteside Gallery. WOW! It was like getting a private tour through a small but exquisite museum.

The photos included above are: the obligatory award ribbon shot (you can also see the artist's statement/information card here), Charles and juror Craig Srebnik at the awards reception, and Charles chatting with Best of Show winner Ron Barsano (with both of their paintings in the background) after the Critic's Luncheon on Saturday.

-----------------------------

The Art League of Hilton Head
2009 National Juried Art Exhibition
May 2 - 24, 2009
Walter Greer Gallery, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head SC 29928
843-681-2399 - http://www.artleaguehhi.org/