March 2016 – Hudson River Valley Art Workshops

Interview with Margaret Dyer: Mastering Dynamic Pastels

March 19, 2016

Award-winning pastel painter Margaret Dyer has lived in Atlanta, GA, since her family moved from New York in 1960. She attended the Atlanta College of Art at the High Museum of Art and furthered her studies under painters Roman Chatov, Kate Fetterolf and Jim Richards.

A Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, Masters Circle in the International Association of Pastel Societies and award-winner in the American Impressionist Society, Margaret has made her living for over 20 years selling her work and teaching.

One of our most popular and motivating instructors, Margaret returns to the Hudson River Valley Art Workshops July 17 to 23, 2016 to teach her Pastel Figures class. Margaret has previously taught three-day Workshops here, so we’re really pleased that this year, students will have the chance to spend a full five days working with live models in the Studio.

Yellow bucket 8x10

How long have you been teaching and what got you started teaching?

It’s been so long ago that I can’t count the years. Maybe 15, 20 years ago? I really don’t know. I had been selling my work through galleries and festivals–you can imagine how difficult it can be to make a living strictly on sales–so I decided to try teaching as a way to supplement my income. I was afraid I might not be a good teacher so I signed up to teach a class far out of town. In case I failed miserably, nobody would hear about it. I discovered I loved teaching.

Denise with striped fabric

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I get thrilled when I see the student’s eyes widen in enlightenment. That ‘Aha! I understand!’ moment. I like knowing that I can play a part, however small, in opening new doors for someone.

Sunday morning

What would you tell your prospective students are the three best reasons for taking a workshop?

It is a luxury to have total immersion in art for 3 days or more. Learning a new technique can be invaluable. Getting to know the instructor and being a part of a wonderful community of artists.

Model dakota

What are you currently working on in your own art?

I am currently transitioning from pastels to oils. I too take classes and have found a teacher who is able to unlock what has been stubbornly hidden in me for many years. I am always striving to improve my work.

Evening 12x16

Where is your art currently being exhibited?

At this moment you can see my work at Sue Stewart Fine Art in Charleston, SC and Lagerquist Gallery in Atlanta, GA.

Cumberland island ponies

Is your work represented in galleries, and if so, what hints would you give to artists looking for gallery representation?

I am represented by Lagerquist Gallery in Atlanta, GA; Sue Stewart Fine Art in Charleston, SC; River Gallery in Chattanooga, TN; Allison Sprock Fine Art in Charlotte, NC.

If an artist wants to approach a gallery, I would suggest he or she have a body of work, maybe 6 -10 finished pieces to show the gallery operator. Be bold. Be different. Be consistent. Trust the gallery owners; they know what sells, they know the appropriate prices.

Little boy

Do you sell your work in any online gallery?

I sell my small works through my blog margaretdyer.blogspot.com and DailyPaintworks.com. I sell my larger works through galleries.

Rosza at Night

What is your favorite art quote?

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.” Pablo Picasso

Describe your studio.

Unfortunately my studio at the moment is in my mudroom. I have an easel between my laundry door and my office. I am splattering paint all over the floor and walls. It’s a mess.

But soon I will have a beautiful northern sunlight-filled room with high ceilings. I am converting a detached garage to a studio but it’s only at its beginning stages. I won’t have a real studio for many months. Until then, my studio is my mudroom, and I’m too embarrassed to provide a picture of it!

Name five of your “can’t do without” tools/products.

my iPad
my camera
my portable pochade box
a good black pastel or tube of oil paint
my glasses!

An Interview with John MacDonald: Landscape painter and Creative Coach

March 12, 2016

John MacDonald worked as both a full-time freelance illustrator and landscape painter for nearly twenty years. He won awards from Print Magazine as well as having work appear in the Society of Illustrators annual show. Since the late 2000’s, he has been painting full time. His paintings can be found in private, corporate, and museum collections throughout North America.

Professional memberships have included the Society of Illustrators, the Illustrators Partnership of America, the National Association of Plein Air Painters, the Graphic Artists Guild, and the Oil Painters of America. John is certified through the Creativity Coaching Association as a creativity coach and brings his coaching experience to his workshops.

We are looking forward to John’s return to the Hudson River Valley Art Workshops July 6 to 10, 2016, to teach his class From Plein Air to Studio, working with acrylics and oils. This Workshop has 3 full days of hands-on painting and instruction – it should be a spectacular and inspiring time of year to be painting on location in the scenic Catskills!

Slow Water

How long have you been teaching and what got you started teaching?

After sporadically teaching for years, in the last five or six years I’ve been scheduling a yearly calendar of workshops, usually limiting it to a half dozen so as to give myself as much painting time as possible. I’ve always enjoyed teaching and it seemed to be a natural extension of my art.

February Dawn Sorelle

What is your favorite part about teaching?

Seeing students grasp a concept, apply it to their paintings, and then seeing their joy as they see the quality of their work leap forward.

What would you tell your prospective students are three best reasons for taking a workshop?

Workshops give students an uninterrupted period of time in which they can focus solely on their painting. Such times are rare. Our lives are so busy.

We only learn when we’re trying something new. Workshops are an ideal environment–supportive and safe– in which to put ourselves on our edge, try new techniques, make mistakes, and learn.

Art making can be a lonely activity. It’s wonderful being in a group of fellow painters as everyone struggles, learns, and celebrates together.

Evening in the Valley CC

What are you currently working on in your own art?

Lately, I’ve been doing fewer small, plein air paintings and more larger , studio canvases, attempting to inject some of the spontaneity, simplicity, and freshness of plein air work into my larger paintings.

Berkshire Hills Sunset

Where is your art currently being exhibited?

Currently, I’m in five galleries:

The Iris Gallery. Boston, MA; Aspen, CO

Warm Springs Gallery, Charlottesville, VA

Sorelle Gallery, New Canaan, CT; Albany, NY; Saratoga Springs, NY

Christopher-Clark Fine Art, San Francisco, CA

Rich Timmons Studio & Gallery. Doylestown, PA

Back Meadow

What hints would you give to artists looking for gallery representation?

Create a body of work that is of your best quality, that is consistent, and of a subject matter that you’re passionate about.

Do your research. Find galleries that sell work similar to yours and in your price range. Study the gallery’s website.

Contact them for submission guidelines. No cold calls.

Be patient. Don’t get discouraged. Finding the right gallery is often a long process.

March Thaw Sheep Hill

Do you sell your work in any online gallery?

I don’t sell through online galleries but have begun to offer a few paintings for sale directly from my website. It’s important not to compete with my galleries and so I’ll be selling only small paintings directly.

Hoosic 1 29 15

What is your favorite art quote?

I have many. Here are three:

“Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes, work never begun.” – Christina Rossetti, poet (1830-1894)

”If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.” – Michelangelo, sculptor, painter, architect, and poet (1475-1564)

“Art enables us to find ourselves and to lose ourselves at the same time.“ – Thomas Merton, monk. (1915-1968)

Describe your studio.

Too small. Now that I’m working larger it’s a bit tight but it’s cozy, warm, and an enjoyable place to spend the day painting.

Studio1

Studio2

Name five of your “can’t do without” tools/products.

Prussian blue. I love it. If it weren’t unhealthy for me, I’d probably eat it.

Worn and disheveled brushes that give unique and accidental effects.

Frames. I can’t tell if a painting is finished if it’s not in a frame.

My 50% gray palette. It’s so helpful when judging the value of paint mixtures.

Mellow, moody background music and a pot of black tea.

An Interview with Victoria Findlay Wolfe, award winning quilter

March 3, 2016

Victoria Findlay Wolfe is an award winning quilter, fabric designer, international teacher and lecturer. Meet Victoria in this terrific video.

You can also meet her in person later this year – Victoria will teach a fun three-day class, Lemoyne Star Through Play, November 30 to December 4, 2016 at the Hudson River Valley Fiber Arts Workshops.

Victoria recently shared some thoughts on her art, and teaching.

How long have you been teaching and what got you started teaching?

I’ve been teaching for four years. I first taught in Australia at Material Obsession. Kathy Doughty is a friend and asked if I would, so my family and I made it a big trip, and all went and enjoyed Sydney. I had so much fun, that I came back and started taking bookings in the US.

Family Album

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I love watching people get the aha! moments! Watching their fear dissipate when showing them how simple all the things they say they would never do, actually are. When that “can do” attitude is found, the momentum then builds in their work, and is contagious to all around them. The power of a group setting is infectious!

What would you tell your prospective students are three best reasons for taking a workshop?

We all learned to sew in various ways, some things get learned … or not … So I base my classes on very elementary skills that I’ve realized most people never learned, and by the end of class we do the hardest thing…

Learning a basic skill that you’re missing will make your projects so much easier.

Learn a way to look differently at your process. Everyone needs a boot out of their own box once in a while. It’s good to shake up the way you work, to encourage more creativity.

Confidence… Building your repertoire of ways to work, ways to see, ways to sew, enhances your output.

FullSizeRender 4

What are you currently working on in your own art?

Healing. I’ve been working on quilts that have a deeper message of healing, either about someone, or for myself in response to something, and pushing my own limits creatively.

Where is your art currently being exhibited?

My Color Play is at the Texas Quilt Museum now in the Modern Quilt Exhibit, LaGrange Texas. A couple of quilts will be at QuiltCon in February, A few pieces will be in Gallery EOSS, March 17-April 16th. My Double Wedding Rings quilts are headed to Australia Quilt Convention, in April. A couple other shows and exhibits will be announced soon.

Big Block Star

Do you sell your work?

I do sell my work, I sell privately, and do several commission pieces each year. I also donate a lot of quilts to my Community Quilt drive, BumblebeansBasics.com.

Describe your studio.

I have a long rectangle shaped studio with windows on one short end. where my JUKI long arm sits looking out the window. The other three walls are completely covered in cotton batting, so I can work on 10-12 quilts at a time. All my machines and cutting station float in the middle so I can easily get all the way around my space. It’s wonderful! The studio is one building over from where I live, so I can easily close the door walk back home away from the mess!

Studio

I keep one book case full of fabric in my studio. When it’s full, I stop buying fabric… I don’t need any more, and after not buying fabric for one year, actually found myself with four empty cubbies… So if you figure four cubbies of fabric a year for quilts, I’m still set for about ten years!

I also keep an area to display small quilts that are inspirations to me. My Studio is my happy place, of course, so it must be filled with inspiration!

I’m always working on new various large star variation quilts. The LeMoyne Star class is my favorite to teach, the possibilities are just endless! It is a great design to play, manipulate, and be intuitive with! My newest one was made out of Double Knit Polyester! haha! Bring old quilt tops that you haven’t finished, or leftover blocks to class, Let’s Play and turn them into new beautiful Star quilts!