Pet Portraits, Figure and Caricatures

This weekend a pet portraitist, an artist focused on the human figure and a man who loves to create caricatures of everyone, will host The Renaissance Art Gallery.



Friday Gary Lapelle will be in The Renaissance Art Gallery from 12-4 pm. Gary does take commissions, and is really skilled at capturing your pets unique looks and personality. Linda Helgason will be in Saturday. She is fascinated by what makes everyone special. Sunday Bruce Bowersock will again be offering to do a caricature of anyone who comes into The Renaissance Art Gallery

Figure Drawing Returning to The Renaissance Art Gallery

Abstract Nude
Bruce Bowersock

Bruce Bowersock will teach a 6-weekSpring figure drawing class at Renaissance Art Gallery in Historic Huntington High from April 21 through May 26, 2012. It will be held on Saturday afternoons from 4-6 p.m. in the Kumkum Majumdar Exhibition Hall.






Bruce doesn’t have any rules about how you interpret the subject...you may paint, use charcoal, pencil, watercolor, oil, acrylic any medium. Bruce is there to demo, instruct or just work with individuals who need help. It is a great class. If you have any questions, feel free to call at 304-633-6035.




Shooting Star
Laura Moul



 



In other news, Laura Moul had a framed metallic photograph accepted into the 2nd Annual Gallery 842 show in Huntington, which runs until the middle of April. She has also been invited to participate in the Tamarack Spring Wildflower show, with 5-framed metallic photographs. That show opens April 1st and runs until June.

 

 

 

 

Pati Payne just finished a painting entitled "The Swinging Bridge" based on a scene from a family reunion picnic in Morgantown, WV.

The Swinging Bridge
Pati Payne

Figures and Poetry

February 3, 2012 Linda Helgason’s Figure Paintings will illustrate poetry at the Upstairs Gallery in Ashland, Kentucky. This reading will be part of the First Friday art walk and is an adult only event.

for time and location, see the Upstairs Gallery's Facebook page:

facebook for The-Upstairs-Gallery

Linda is well known in the area for her inventive figure drawings. She has gain the respect of her fellow artists throughout the tri-state for her devotion and passion for art.

“I think Linda's figure pieces have a relaxed and graceful quality. She makes good use of contour lines and value changes to express form.” ~Linda Harbison, sculptor and watercolorist, Flatwoods, KY



"I like the very direct and decisive lines of her figures. The beautiful and bold washes complement her work." ~Bruce H. Bowersock, artist and teacher, Ona, WV



“Linda's art shows the beauty of the human body with gesture, line and movement. Linda is a true artist. She paints for herself and to show everyone the beauty of our bodies.” ~ Pati Payne, artist, Ironton, OH



“Linda's work is expressive as she creatively and artistically represents the beauty of human figures turning them into beautiful artwork.” ~ Laura Moul, Photographer, Milton, WV

Ending Art Business

A Personal Philosophy

By Linda Helgason

“I want to paint you!

Your face, yes, but don’t deny me

The jugular notch.

Twist you neck ‘til cords stand out.


Lift one shoulder almost to your chin.



What if your robe falls away?


We are all gods and goddesses here.”

The art classes I began twenty years ago were intended as an escape from a stressful life. My first landscapes and still life paintings depressed me more—all those tedious leaves and ellipses. But figure drawing! The curvy subjects stared back at me, and the intense concentration needed to capture the short poses gave me art euphoria.

But now it is time to ease out of the business side of art. I will be cutting my prices this fall at the tri-state Art-in-the-Park Festival over Labor Day weekend. This will be the beginning of this process of simplifying my life.



When (years from now) I am cremated with my remaining drawings, I hope it will be a dignified rite, not a three alarm conflagration.” ~ Linda Helgason, Personal Philosophy.

Art in the Park
Linda Helgason will be joining the other artists of Tri-State Art Association in their fall “Art in the Park” festival, September 3 & 4, 2011 in Ritter Park. Linda will be showcasing a lifetime’s work in fine art with both framed and unframed pieces. Her work will be at greatly reduced prices, as Linda will be having a “going out of business” sale. She will be cutting back on her participation in the business aspects of the area art world, and thus will be looking for homes for these pieces.



This sale will be held, rain or shine. In case of bad weather, Linda will have her work at The Renaissance Art Gallery, 900 8th Street, right down the road from Ritter Park.

This is a great opportunity for area art lovers to acquire works from one of the area’s most unique and prolific artists. Linda is a humanist artist. Each line is expressive and communicates her deep love of the human form. Many of her fellow artists hold Linda and her work in high regard, including:



“I think Linda's figure pieces have a relaxed and graceful quality. She makes good use of contour lines and value changes to express form.” ~Linda Harbison, sculptor and watercolorist.



"I like the very direct and decisive lines of her figures. The beautiful and bold washes complement her work." ~Bruce H. Bowersock, artist and teacher.



“Linda's art shows the beauty of the human body with gesture, line and movement. Linda is a true artist. She paints for herself and to show everyone the beauty of our bodies.” ~ Pati Payne, artist.


“Linda's work is expressive as she creatively and artistically represents the beauty of human figures turning them into beautiful artwork.” ~ Laura Moul, Photographer.


When you are in Ritter Park for “Art in the Park” be sure to look for Linda Helgason. Let’s give her our love and support at this time. Stop by and say “Hi”.



THE BIG BOOK OF DRAWING AND PAINTING THE FIGURE




As the instructor for our figure classes at Renaissance Art Gallery, I use this as a reference book. First of all because of the scope of the book, how other cultures depicted the nude, I likes to refer to this book during my classes to show how other artists have handled the same problems that we are tackling from prehistoric times until today. This is only one of the reference books I use. I try to introduce my students to as many Figure drawing books as I can so that they can become more knowledgeable and well-rounded as the course progresses.

This definitive book offers help with Drawing the Nude, and the author describes the representation of the human figure in prehistoric times up to the 20th century. The Nude: The Ideal and the Real is introduced in the next chapter. There has always been a desire to depict the human as a more idealistic form than it actually is. Next ,the author refers to the Canon, the basic proportions of the figure, to the modern idea of artistic anatomy. The Artistic Study of the Nude, where the reader will learn techniques, tips and tricks and will see pictured an artist sketching a live model is addressed next. Next, Choosing the Model, he talks of poses, lighting the model, etc. The Art of the Nude: Composition, an introduction to composing with the figure deals with the backbone of any drawing. Last, the reader will be introduced to Color and the Nude, the Process of Painting the Nude. This rounds out the entire 192 page book.

The Big Book of Drawing and Painting the Figure was published by Watson/Guptill Publications in 1995. You can probably purchase this book at Borders or on Amazon.com.

~Bruce Bowersock

The Artists of the Renaissance Art Gallery give this book 5 Stars.

Life Drawing Class - Fall 2010

Artist S. Tschantz

First Saturday

1st of 6 drawing days.

Figure drawing started last Saturday after the summer hiatus. It took a little effort to get things organized, but we made it.

It was good to get back to basic—real live drawing. First pose lasted a bit more than the scheduled 20 minutes. Time-boy forgot to set the timer at first! Since Time-boy is also lighting-man, this is understandable and forgivable. Lighting-man had to rush back to is own easel to start his drawings.

Thankfully the oppressive hot weather seemed to break by Saturday, so the gallery was comfortable. We still needed the little fan for Lynn, our model, but we were able to turn off our loud, stand alone air conditioner. One of the drawbacks of being in an old historic building is old pre-central air wiring!

Support and media

Interesting was the different approaches by the artists. Most use large sketchpads, spiral bound to keep the pages together, but not all. There were several newsprint pads as well as one artist who brought a box of full size drawing paper sheets. These sheets or pad were put on easels, but one artist brings a more manageable size pad, which gives her the freedom to walk around the room for just the right point of view. Since she works off a pad she can comfortably hold, she is not tied to one spot.

With this variety of formats is a variety of media. While everyone has an array of pencils, other media is also employed. There were charcoal pencils, vine charcoal sticks, pens, pencils, colored pencils and water media. One artist routinely “sketches” with watercolor washes.

Artist L. Helgasson

There are 5 more Saturdays in this fall session of figure drawing, and there are still 2 spots available to local artists. This session runs through Saturday October 30, 2010, ending the Saturday before the Miniature show.

Location:

The Renaissance Art Gallery is convenient for West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Southern Ohio, and all adult artists are welcome to one or more drawing sessions.

Class meets Saturday afternoon, 1-4 pm in the Exhibition Hall of The Renaissance Art Gallery.

The Renaissance Art Gallery
900 8th Street, Suite #20
Huntington, WV 25701

Gallery (304) 525-3235
Appointments: (304) 453-3187
gallerywv@yahoo.com
www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance

http://twitter.com/wvgallery
http://renaissancegalleryart.blogspot.com/

Gallery hours are:

Friday & Saturday 12-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm
Studio hours Monday 10-Noon, Wednesday 1:00-7:30 pm and Saturday 10-Noon

Figure Drawing Fall 2010

On Saturday, September 25 2010, the first class of the fall Figure Drawing Class will be held at Renaissance Gallery will begin. It will meet every Saturday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. through October 30, 2010. The course runs for 6 Saturdays, 3 hours each (for a total of 18 hours of drawing time!) Students are encouraged to bring whatever media they choose to work in. Students need to bring their own easel and their choice of materials. Some students have worked in watercolor, some in oils, some in charcoal; some in pastel...just choose the one you like. Bruce suggests that the drawing pad you choose should be no smaller than 18" X 24" for your larger studies. You may also want to bring a pad 9" X 12" for smaller studies or notes.

Bruce Bowersock is the instructor/monitor for this course. He will stress, as usual, the basic key points to look for and apply when drawing from the live model. The class begins with 10- one minute long gesture drawings so the students can warm up. While the model rests, Bruce addresses any questions or problems anyone might have, and then the class starts 5 -10-15-20 minute poses. The longest pose will be the 45 minutes.

During the breaks, free open discussion between students is encouraged. Bruce will bring reference books on anatomy. Bring refreshments of your choice, but the Gallery usually has coffee available.

The cost for the course $94.50 tax included, for a total of. A modeling fee is divided equally among the class.

Space is limited to 12 students. If the class is closed, there will be another one in Spring 2011.

Questions, call the Renaissance Gallery at 304-525-3235.

You may also email Bruce at:

bhbowersock@gmail.com

or call him at (304) 634-1418

The Renaissance Art Gallery
900 8th Street Suite 20
Huntington WV 25701

Gallery 304-525-3235
Appointments: 304-453-8137

gallerywv@yahoo.com
www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance

http://twitter.com/wvgallery
http://renaissancegalleryart.blogspot.com/

Gallery hours are:

Friday and Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Studio hours- Monday 10-noon, Wednesday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Unfinished Nude

She's Mocking Me!

(Gary Taylor, Studio Drawing)

That nude young woman in the charcoal sketch on the easel is mocking me.

She thinks she's complete.

She thinks it's so easy to stop with those few strokes and lines and sweeps of charcoal.

I sketched her from life in one of my last sessions of figure drawing, taught by fellow gallery member Bruce Bowersock.

Her name is Melanie.

I think Melanie needs to be fleshed out -- well, not that way.

I mean, her flesh is pretty nearly perfect, as is, for a young woman.

Melanie's an active character. She's young enough to be my daughter.

She's demurely turned away from the viewer except for that knowing glance over her shoulder.

I'm looking for that. I want the viewer of my final artwork to understand that look. I want the viewer to see this whole, complete young woman.

She's not a naked girl. She's not a head-and-shoulders portrait.

She's a whole nude Melanie, kneeling, at ease, her face turned to look at something that interests her. She's not unaware of being looked at; she's simply at ease with it.

(She's America. She's life. She's seen from behind. She doesn't hide her face, exactly. She's naked, but no one knows her entirely.)

I've been drawing different versions of the original sketch for months now. I start by drawing her from memory, without consulting the original sketch.

Each time, I simplify or elaborate something about the original sketch. I work on the shadowed background. I work on the composition.

Then I compare my latest attempt from memory with the original sketch.

I've begun to think that I should paint her in ink wash or washes of acrylic paint.

I talk to her in her sketch on my easel. I ask her what she thinks.

She keeps giving me that Mona Lisa smile. That is, I think that's how La Gioconda would look, kneeling nude with her back to us, her head turned to her left, to the side of her heart, arms folded across her unseen breasts.

For now, I'll keep working.

~Gary Taylor, Artist

Art Exhibitions & More

Art Exhibitions for The Renaissance Art Gallery

May is quickly coming to an end, leaving only two more weeks for the Spring Fine Arts Exhibition, Color Compliments. These beautiful artworks will be coming down and going home soon, but there is still time to see them.

But that does not mean the wall will be bare for June. Linda Helgasson will be showcased, with her new show, “Barely There”. Linda is known for her inspired interpretations of the human body. Opening reception for “Barely There,” will be Sunday, June 6 from 2-4 pm.

Also in June, The Renaissance Art Gallery will sponsor a workshop for photographers, “High Dynamic Range Photography” at the gallery, followed, June 26 with “Hot Shoe Lighting”

These workshops lead into our July Fine Art Photography Show and Competition, “Complimentary Colors”. Photographers interested in participating in this show should contact The Renaissance Art Gallery. Also in July will be the third and final photography workshop, “Table Top Photography—Still Life”.

Of course, we have our usual range of fine art classes, painting, drawing and carving as on-going classes, and this schedule can be viewed on the Gallery website or come in to the gallery and talk to one of the artists on duty there. http://www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance/index.html

The Renaissance Art Gallery
900 8th Street, Suite #20
Huntington, WV 25701

Gallery (304) 525-3235
Appointments: (304) 453-3187
gallerywv@yahoo.com
www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance

http://twitter.com/wvgallery
http://renaissancegalleryart.blogspot.com/

Gallery hours are:

Friday & Saturday 12-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm
Studio hours Monday 10-Noon, Wednesday 1:00-7:30 pm and Saturday 10-Noon

Contact Michael Adkins, for the photography workshops, at mike.Adkins@verizon.net http://www.mikeadkinsphotography.com/workshops

Artistic Growth

Artists need to keep growing acquiring new skills and mastering new media. To simply stretch the artistic muscles. Otherwise the work can grow stale. How to do this? One way is to get up and working, taking classes and attending workshops.

The Renaissance Art Gallery has a growing list of classes and workshops to help expand your artistic horizons. These classes are for both the novice and advanced artist.

The open studio classes gives you a time and place to work and to challenge yourself, and the more structured classes gives you a chance work live and to learn new technical skills.

Open studio hours are:

Sunday 4-6 pm for carving
Monday and Saturday from 10-Noon for painting, all media
Wednesday 1-3 & 6-8 for drawing all media

Our structured Classes are

Tuesday 6:30-8 Introduction to Digital Photography
Saturday 1-4 pm Figure Drawing.

In addition, we will have Digital workshops to be held June 5th, 26th and July 10th. These will hightlight HD photography, Hot Shoe lighting and Still life.

Classes are limited, and pre-registration is necessary.

You can contact the Gallery for more information

The Renaissance Art Gallery
900 8th Street, Suite #20
Huntington, WV 25701

Gallery (304) 525-3235
Appointments: (304) 453-3187
gallerywv@yahoo.com
www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance

http://twitter.com/wvgallery
http://renaissancegalleryart.blogspot.com/

Gallery hours are:

Friday & Saturday 12-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm
Studio hours Monday 10-Noon, Wednesday 1:00-7:30 pm and Saturday 10-Noon

Figure Drawing Class

DEMAND FOR FIGURE DRAWING CLASS AT RENAISSANCE
GALLERY LEADS TO A MID-WEEK CLASS


You can’t argue with success! And the figure drawing classes at The Renaissance Art Gallery are a success! In fact they are so successful, the room is overflowing with artists. Our exhibition hall only holds so many people! Because of this, Bruce Bowersock, instructor at The Renaissance Gallery is going to hold another, mid-week session of classes.
Bruce Bowersock is prepared to begin a class on Tuesday evenings for 8 weeks from February 23 through April 12, 2010 (skipping Spring Break week). The cost is $120 per student plus class members share in the cost to the model (anything from $5-$7 per week.

This class is open to all adult art students. Everyone interested should call 304-743-6035.

THE "NAKED TRUTH" ABOUT FIGURE DRAWING

by Bruce Bowersock, Instructor

There's a mystery surrounding what artists do in a figure drawing class. It is really quite simple...they look at the very first form every created and try to capture it in pencil, chalk, pastels, watercolors, pens. They look up for 5-8 seconds and then draw. It is quiet, there is much intensity. Everyone there knows that if they can but only capture this shape, they are on the way to a lifetime of drawing enjoyment. Then why do they continue to come back year after year? Even after they have perfected the basics of figure drawing, they crave the freedom of pure line drawing.

People often ask me how I organize a class. It is easy. I give my wife a handful of waded up papers with names on them and she locates and schedules models. Then people sign up and she does something with telephone numbers and calendars and calculators. That's where I come in!