I’ve had a busy spring with classes at the Academy of Realist Art and workshops with the Penn Studio Schools to sit down and write a post. Being an adult learner and going back to basics with my art training has been a humbling experience to say the least. As a student at the Academy of Realist Art I am learning to do sight size drawing using 2-D Bargue or cast drawings. Although this type of drawing is not particularly my style, I am learning a lot about line and accuracy.
I also took a live song bird drawing class hosted by The Concord Museum where I spent and hour and half with an American Robin and a European Starling as they flittered about in their cages. These birds are rescues under the care and supervision from a representative from Mass Audubon. Needless to say, trying to draw a live bird was a challenge since nobody sat still for more than a second. I just did a bunch of quick sketches of poses and gave up trying to do a finished piece.
I also took a few online workshops from Penn Studio Schools. One focused on drawing birds with Maja Sereda to further develop the drawing aspects of my practice. And the second class was with Al Gury on Alla Prima/Direct landscape painting approaches. As much as the drawing classes have made me like drawing more, I still love to move paint around more than anything. I was happy to be back painting with Al which helped invigorate my landscape painting practice.
