As a student in the local college, I was fortunate enough to learn to prepare my art for showing at the college’s three art shows. Two were in a conference room for a few days. This last one was in the art museum on the main campus.
Preparing for a show is so much better than possibly not bringing a painting to completion and sticking it in the corner of the studio in perpetuity. This experience taught me to really strive for finishing details (timer permitting) and to finish off the edges, mount or frame the pieces, as well as install hanging hardware. I am truly grateful to Mrs. Lovero-Fox for her guidance and dedication to a complete education for her students. She also has a steadfast ability to herd cats gathering up all of the artwork, artist statements, bios, photos, and art titles and materials descriptions. I know it was not easy, especially with one particular artist, who shall remain nameless, who invariably brought art in still wet. 😉 All that and in time to have a beautiful and thoughtful presentation for the gallery visitors.
I was very proud of my first entries… “The Wildlife of Tampa Bay.” I started with spray paints, inks, collage, crayons… you name it, on cradled wood panels. From there I drew in the main subjects and dripped acrylics and more to form the likenesses of a manatee (didn’t photograph well… looks much better in person), coyote, and pelican. I also used glass beads, paint markers, and cold wax and spray paint through stencils. In the end, the background was mostly pushed into the distance and calmed down allowing the figures to pop forward.
For the second show (Painting 2), I was a machine. I painted way more than what I was able to display. This is my studio attempts at portraiture, which I struggle with… but I never back down from a fear or a challenge and so I took it head on. I know there is something wonky, yet endearing about these artworks. Humans have an uncanny ability to spot even the slightest imperfections in the face… so all the more reason to keep on trying. Portraiture is one of the most difficult subject matters, but I welcome the experience.
I started with the “Butterfly Muse” as this was painted for a class I took with Lioba Brueckner of Germany. She typically paints goddesses and warrior princesses, many of which wind up on tarot cards.
“The Shepherdess” was inspired by a workshop I took with Brad Kunkle of Wilimington, North Carolina. He is an amazing artist who incorporates gold leaf in his pieces, also featuring beautiful women.
Several of the other pieces I painted were for my classes at The Milan Art Institute of Sarasota, Florida. The girl doing the handstand, “Street Jam,” “Geisha Girl,” “Sunglasses at Night,” and “Indigenous Moon” were all pieces I did in my mixed media style as part of Milan’s curriculum. The final piece was based on an online tutorial I did of “Crimson Ribbons” by Regina Lyubovnaya a Russian-American painter residing in California.
My final painting in the art shows, and the one of which I am most proud, is “Playful Ballet.” It was inspired by photos in my source folders that were shot of children swimming underwater in tutus. And another of a photographer who snapped pictures of children treading in a queue waiting to jump off boulders in the Mediterranean. I used A.I. to help me create the girl swimming in the tutu, then I stuck in the dolphin in Photoshop and added the octopus and corals in the rush time remaining so as not to bring the art it too wet! The theme is also heavily inspired by the artwork of Dimitra Milan.
Here is Mrs. Lovero presenting in front of my art.
Now that I have taken the only two painting classes PHSC offers, I will have to find other means of displaying my art. I live in the country where resources are limited… but we did live in St. Pete for several years and I may have to reestablish connections there!
I also want to acknowledge my private art tutor, Diane Becker, who has taken me on for the past month or so. She is a beautiful artist who paints amazing realistic portraits in Brooksville. While I don’t aspire to paint photorealism, I value her experience and she has helped me immensely. She will be helping me prepare for art classes I am having with Dan Gerhartz, Arhtur Gain, and my final production week and portfolio project with The Milan Art Institute.
You may find Diane’s artwork here: Professional Artist in Pasco & Citrus County FL – Art For Sale | Diane Becker StudioDiane Becker Studio
