I know its a bit late but here are the pics from the Opening Night at William Jessup University. We had a good crowd, considering this was the first ever Art Event at this University. I look forward to being involved with this good group of people in the future. It was surely a good learning experience in choosing and administrating a group of fine artists. The show runs until May 12.
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| Skivington's painting worked really well in this space |
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| Hopkins and Magsig share a wall |
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| Viewers admire a Terry Miura painting |
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| Ordaz and Denny Holland |
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| Frank Ordaz and Beth Rolphes of BlueLine Gallery in Roseville Ca |
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We spent Easter with a friend of mine that I have known since Art Center days. His name is Les Leggett. If I have ever gotten into trouble or have done anything stupid that I regretted later , Les was usually in the mix. He came by to look at the Gallery and I had him pose for a live portrait session. His face tells a story.... can you tell?
And I have not totally ignored the " Murph" painting. I am starting to add color and plan to use this painting in portrait competitions... unless it comes out lousy. Besides being the architect around Auburn he is also an artist of whimsy. I plan to incorporate his styling into the background. We have started to pal around town and everywhere we go everyone in town knows the Murph.
In the above pic, the Murph poses with his daughter Mo. She wears living art and her creations are always a delight to the eye.
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| A Shmalz |
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During the past several months I have had the pleasure of teaching oil painting to a group of 4 talented home schoolers. Their grandmother approached me last summer and wondered if I could teach them oil painting and then have them duplicate a picture of Easter that she had picked for her Churches' Celebration of the Arts . At first I was hesitant but when I met these gifted teens I was impressed and felt that if anyone could pull this off they could. We decided on a tryptich . Each panel was 24 x 48 tall. Jared would paint one panel as would Paige. The 2 youngest , Karisa and Samantha would share a panel.
I had the group grid off a scan of the painting and then they enlarged the painting by observing where the figures and objects fell in relation to the grid. That way, all three panels would match.
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| Jared starts to draw his section |
These young people were eager and extremely teachable . I can't say I have met a better behaved and motivated group of young artists.
After we penciled in the outlines I had them start glazing in portions of the painting in ivory black that matched the mood and patterns of the original. I had the group work on sections at the same time. One week we all worked on the sky. The next week we worked on the ground stones and fence etc. The trick was to have them work as a team with similar colors and always glazing and building up the painting.
Samantha the youngest, really captured my heart as she was so eager to paint and to try anything new. Her sister is also an extremely talented cello player and at the age of 16 she was asked to play in the Auburn Symphony. She is that good.
I would mix colors for them and then demonstrate how to use the brush and apply the strokes to mimic the feeling of whatever object they were trying to represent. Try to feel that cloud as you paint I would tell them. Its just not the swish of the brush. You are trying to convey truth with that paint. Imagine it and paint it and they did!
Paige performed this past Sunday , where this painting was displayed , and she blew me away by her piano playing. I was at the back of the hall and a piano concerto started and 2 large video screens showed just the hands as the pianist played a moving rendition of a classical piece. I guessed they had chosen the piano teacher to perform and at the end I saw Paige stand up and I was floored. She played with so much power and force. It reminded me of the scene from the movie A Room with a View. She also sang with the most sweetest and sensitive voice.
Jared played the violin at the performance and was a all around good guy.
So every Tuesday night , the Gallery was transformed into a giant paint factory.
Paige really took to the idea of glazing and she really has a talent for painting. She wants to continue taking lessons.
This painting was completed by home schoolers who , six months previously had never picked up a paint brush. Pretty darn impressive.
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| Sam , Karisa , Paige and Jared |
And there is more, I resume teaching this month at Sun City Lincoln. We will be concentrating on Portraits. In front is one of my star pupils, Karen Granada. She has grown as an artist in leaps and bounds. She gets it!
I have had the pleasure and honor of teaching these fine people for about 2 years going now. I teach every other month. That way , they don't tire of my schtick. I am in the planning stages of putting together a painting trip to FRANCE at a beautiful Villa in the south of the country. One of my students , Paulette has really been behind me and has hooked me up with a gal here in the states who owns this beautiful Bed and Breakfast Chateau. The cost will be between $2800 and $3000 for 10 students. Keep checking back for further updates. The Plein Air in France with Frank Ordaz will be next year 2012 in the Fall or Spring. Details forthcoming and start saving now. Don't miss this opportunity to have fun painting in France and in turn create a wonderful memory. Spouses welcome!
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Also , out of the blue I was contacted by an artist through my website
ordazart.com and I was asked if I did an online critique? I answered that I had not and what we came up with is really working. It goes like this. She pays me $50 dollars through paypal and then she sends me a painting that will be critiqued . I look it over and then we connect through SKYPE. Through this amazing technology she can see me and I can show my computer desktop with her painting displayed in Photoshop. I then can correct or explain areas of concern and she can see it real time. The session lasts about an hour. We will start our 4th session soon. If you are interested in a critique with a real pro .... just let me know.
The Horton Iris farm was in full swing but I felt too exhausted to paint on Saturday so I just drove there and hung out amongst natures quilt of color. It was soothing to the soul.
And it just so happened that as I went over to see Doug Horton's goats I witnessed the birth of 2 small goats. Mother and babies are doing just fine!
Just tonight I got a call that my mother fell and broke her hip. Seems like I will be flying to L.A. to give her some love and attention as she will undergo surgery.
blessings
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