Category Archives for "archived"

0 Mural Brightens Wall of Nursing Home

The scene depicts a light, vivid view of the bay, including a steamboat, old cars, and a hotel. The mural looked just like something out of the 1950s.

http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/people/features/article_c8e8d150-6f15-11e2-a656-001a4bcf887a.html.

“I drew up the plan after meeting and observing some of the residents there on the wing,” Gilbert said. “Those men and women spent their better years in this time period. I tried to depict the highlights of the time on their wall.”

Nursing director Tami Philyaw said that the mural was just what the doctors ordered.

“We picked the ’50s because it’s a fun time,” Philyaw said. “When we play ’50s music now, you’ll see (residents) bee-bopping in their wheelchairs.”

Nursing home resident William Haraway enjoys looking at the mural.“It makes me think way back,” he said. “I think the old cars she put on there, she done a real good job with them. She put a lot of hard work in it. I think she did it just because she loves to do things like that.”

“It makes me think way back,” he said. “I think the old cars she put on there, she done a real good job with them. She put a lot of hard work in it. I think she did it just because she loves to do things like that.”

“It makes me think way back,” he said. “I think the old cars she put on there, she done a real good job with them. She put a lot of hard work in it. I think she did it just because she loves to do things like that.”

Enroll in classes on mural painting to build an understanding of covering a large amount of space on a wall with paint. Murals can serve many purposes, from beautifying a space to providing a form of enjoyment for people. Once you learn how to plan and execute a mural, you can bring happiness to people by decorating their walls with a joyful scene.

0 Artist Treats Trash as Art

“The way I view the whole industry thing is: Isn’t it as natural as anything? We’re part of nature, and we’re creating this,” Connolly says of trash and the accumulation of human junk.

“We’re buzzing around on the surface (of the Earth) and creating all this crap. In a way, junk comes from all the elements that exist here. It’s not like we went to some alien planet and got them.”

Some of his paintings examine trash being overtaken by nature, such as flowers and grass growing on cars in a junkyard or a tree growing out of an old, abandoned silo. Connolly paints on glass and does detail work before painting in the background, which is opposite from regular canvas painting.

He says that his paintings aren’t necessarily a warning of human excess or a foretelling of the end of the world.

“I figure (trash will) just be a geological layer, and the Earth will heal itself,” Connolly said. “I don’t think people are going to be any issue to the Earth. We’re just like little mosquitoes.”

Interested in art and social commentary? Enroll today in a class on acrylic painting to find out how to express your ideas on canvas or any other medium. Once students understand the basics of painting, including color mixing and brush strokes, they can also expect to experiment with painting on canvas, wood, glass, and more.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/painting-music-junk-all-part-natures-art.

0 Man Blends Sculpture, Painting in Works

“I want people to be able to say, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this ever,’” he said.

http://tonawanda-news.com/feature/x730434884/North-Tonawanda-artist-blends-painting-sculpture-you-can-touch.

Allen’s paintings are three-dimensional. He uses a mixture of plaster of Paris, pumice, and other materials to build up the texture on the canvas before painting over it. Allen also enjoys using warm, rich colors that convey an enticing appearance. His work in acrylic paints is coated with clear glaze, protecting the artwork. The end result is art people want to touch.

“That type of response is going to secure the fact that this is what I should be doing and that I made the right decision,” he said. “I’ve always dibbled and dabbled in art … I always loved it. I just recently got serious about it.”

Take a class on acrylic painting to learn how to express yourself on canvas. Once students master the beginning steps, they will be able to pursue their particular passions. Not all paintings have to be serious. Some can give stylized treatments to classic subjects, such as portraits and landscapes. Others can utilize bright colors to create their own take on their artwork. Students will have the chance to experiment with a variety of different types of acrylic painting, including using materials like Allen to create rich texture and a touchable art experience. Soon, pupils will be able to use glues, papers, and other medium to build a sculpture on canvas.

0 Former Teacher Revisits Passion in Retirement

His favorite artistic genre is painting, and he now derives a lot of subject matter from the scenery he soaks in during his travels around the globe with his wife.

http://thedailynewsonline.com/entertainment/article_fe28bf88-6baa-11e2-9a87-001a4bcf887a.html

“When I was still teaching, I had less time to paint,” Barry said. “I painted some in the summer or when I could fit it in. Now I can spend more time on the content, instead of just ‘whipping them off.’ I’m enjoying it more now.”

Barry has been involved in art for decades. He decided that going to school for business just wasn’t for him.

“I dropped out and went in the service,” he said. “When I came back, I went to college and got my art degree. I spent 32 years as an art teacher.”

His passion even translated into his own family. His four daughters all have careers in art.

“I’m so proud of them,” Barry said. “They each went into art, but they also each found their own niche which matches their personalities.

Enroll in a class on acrylic painting to find and develop your own niche in art. Acrylic painting is one of the most accessible forms of art, particularly for those new to painting. Classes will delve into color theory, which is useful to understand when mixing colors. Students will have the opportunity to explore painting subjects that they are most interested in.

0 Comic Artist Shares Techniques

When he was young, Fulford’s parents believed that comic books weren’t appropriate for him to read. When he finally got his hands on one, it changed his life.

http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x846060590/Comic-book-artist-shares-talent-for-drawing-stories-with-children-at-Somerset-library?zc_p=0

“They expanded my brain because they showed me a world where anything can happen,” Fulford said. “They were so exciting.”

Fulford met with a group of children interested in comics and drawing recently at a public library. There, he set up the framework of a comic and got help coming up with characters and scenarios from his audience.

“I like a character who doesn’t start off as a superhero but becomes a one later in the story. She may be boring, but she’s kind,” Fulford said.

He took the children through the entire process, including drawing actions and dialogue. Fulford even covered the use of words to convey sounds, like “bam” and “smack.”

“It’s a good thing we don’t have thought bubbles in real life, or everyone of us would be in detention for like a million years,” he said.

If you’re interested in comic drawing, consider signing up for classes to help develop and perfect your techniques. Classes will cover everything from figure and character drawing to how to use panels — or not use them — to help illustrate and advance the story. Through expert teaching, you will be able to use vivid comic drawing to tell riveting stories to audiences of any age.

0 Woman Stumbles Upon Own Artistic Abilities

“I don’t actually know where it comes from,” she said of her artistic ability. After she graduated from school, she bought her first painting by taking out a bank loan. She said that paintings had always made her feel good.

http://www.journalnow.com/relishnow/the_arts/visual_arts/article_bd6d9da2-6041-11e2-aa64-0019bb30f31a.html

Lautemann’s first art class was where her passion really ignited. Though her talent was not yet present, her passion was there. Her teacher, Frank Rowland, encouraged her to continue practicing to hone her skills but to never lose her love of painting.

“He was really light-hearted and fun,” Lautemann said. “He didn’t have tricks, but he taught light and dark, shading, form and color. He was a wonderful teacher. He was an amazing painter. He would start each class drawing. He had the gift of being able to paint and talk about what he was painting at the same time.”

After studying with several other teachers, Lautemann started selling her paintings. She now has a passion for portraits, which teachers say reflect her career as a psychotherapist.

“I have a passion for creating paintings; I have a passion for doing good, solid counseling,” she said. “I didn’t know what I was missing before I learned how to paint.”

Take a class on painting today to find out where your passions lie. With a number of specialized sessions available, you can explore a genre of painting that you’ve always been too scared to try, like landscapes or portrait painting. Expert teachers will be able to direct your efforts into projects that you are interested in.

0 Volunteer Donates New Life to Library Walls

“I did this not as a commission, but as a volunteer,” Lee said. “I love libraries. I spent a lot of time in libraries growing up.”

Lee covered the walls of the Porter Memorial Library’s children’s section with colorful action featuring a monkey as the main character.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/01/30/news/down-east/machias-public-library-going-bananas-in-unveiling-new-childrens-mural/

“The library board had some ideas about bringing more life to the children’s area, where they use a monkey puppet for story time,” Lee said. “They had this vision of a monkey, living in a jungle space, and I incorporated some educational elements like numbers and letters to make it somewhat interactive.”

The painting stretches across the walls in the library, showcasing bright, child-friendly colors and characters. Part of the painting shows vivid flowers attended to by friendly bees. Others shoe a silly looking monkey cavorting across simple vines and interacting with strangely shaped birds.

Sign up for a class on painting today to begin to explore all the different projects available once you gain a basic understanding of the artistic genre. If you’re already artistically inclined, classes can focus on areas you’re most interested in, such as murals, decorative wall painting, and more. You will be able to take your skills to then next level, completing any project you want to. If you’ve never tried your hand at anything artistic, there are classes for you, too. Learn the basics, such as color mixing, color theory, how to load your brush with paint, and brush strokes to give you the background necessary to start creating.

0 Students Make Temporary, Recyclable Mural

Inspired by a movie documenting artists’ attempts to salvage recyclable materials from a landfill for art, the students decided that they wanted to create a tribute to Bradley while using recycled medium.

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130130/NEWS01/301300034/Mural-Tim-Bradley-made-entirely-recycled-items-Cathedral-City?gcheck=1

The boxer was both impressed and flattered when he saw the end result.

“It took these students a lot of time and effort to create this. This isn’t just drawing a picture,” Bradley said. “And for it to be made completely out of recycled stuff, that’s just awesome.”

Though getting the looks of the boxer just right was difficult, especially given the tricky medium, students were more than up for the challenge.

“This project shows students that if you are creative, you can make art literally out of anything,” said Louisa Castrodale, the school district’s visual and performing arts specialist. “And it doesn’t have to last forever to make an impact.”

Enroll in a class on making murals to delve into all of the wonderfully exciting possibilities of making your own lasting art. Students will explore unique mediums in making murals, such as recyclable materials, paint, and mosaics. Mosaic murals could be constructed from paper, paint samples, glass tiles, beads, metal, fabric, and more. The only limitations are the limitations of the students’ imaginations. Students will also gain valuable experience in translating ideas on paper to actual large surfaces for the murals. Once basic knowledge is established, all students will be able to choose the direction of their interests in murals.

0 Women Answer Call to Sew for the Needy

“I knew the conditions over there were really sad,” she said. “We have so many blessings here in America. These children have basic needs we don’t even give a thought to.  They don’t have the choices that we make all day long. The choices of what to eat and what to wear are more desperate.  The help we have in America is not available.”

http://www.ledgernews.com/cherokee_life/sewing-with-a-mission/article_fc75118a-6a17-11e2-b97d-001a4bcf6878.html

Potter asked her fellow churchgoers to help make dresses for poor villagers who needed them. Together, the women sewed 332 dresses to help dress the needy.

“I know the dresses won’t last a long time, but they will be a blessing and maybe they lead to more blessings in the children’s lives,” Potter said.

Learning how to sew is an excellent way to give back to the community. Enroll in a class on sewing today to learn several projects that will help you do something as grand as organizing a relief effort or as simple as sewing on a button when you lose one from your shirt. Sewing your own clothes is also a great way to save money. Classes will cover everything from altering your clothes by taking them in, letting them out, or hemming them, as well as making clothes from patterns. You will have the flexibility in choosing what sewing techniques to focus on during sessions, such as working with elastic, adding zippers, and more.

0 Fishing Mural a Good Catch for Town

Echevarria first discovered his love for murals when participating on one 14 years ago, having recently graduated as a design student with a focus in illustration.

http://www.timescall.com/news/carbon-valley-news/ci_22323684/frederick-recreation-area-mural-reel-thing-longmont-artist

“I was hooked,” he said. “It’s not a throwaway in a magazine, or a T-shirt that’s going to be passé in a few years. It’s something that’s going to endure.”

However, Echevarria’s murals go beyond the regular paintings covering walls. For his latest work, he used 500 clay tiles to illustrate many different things, including a trout leaping partially above the wall. Echevarria installed the heavy artwork during the summer, adding another challenge of sunlight and heat to the already grueling project. But the artist doesn’t allow difficulties to stand in his way.

“It’s kind of fun to go out and do something that’s a little beyond your comfort zone,” Echevarria said. “You’re terrified, but you get through it and you’re a little bigger internally. You’ve gone where you feared to tread.”

Enroll today in a class on murals to investigate all the different mediums and techniques that can be incorporated into a piece. Instruction will start with the fundamental skills needed for murals, including lessons on how to plan out what a mural will look like on paper and how to translate that to an actual space. Students will become familiar with scale, perspective, and composition, as well as gaining experience in everything from different types of paint to mosaic tiles for their murals.