NEW ART PROJECTS GOIN ON?

A small Hijack:

vivien - did you go to grad school, if so where? I am looking into grad schools, but you can't tell a whole lot from websites. I don't care where in the world it is.

I am looking for a school that is mildly to very prestegious, doesn't cost too much (or can be paid with by being a T.A.) and has a strong painting and sculpture department, preferably with figurative sculpture.

Does anybody know a place nowadays that teaches traditional human-form life sized marble sculpting?

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truth
I have only worked with charcols, pastels, tempera, and acrylics, (Golden only), so, like the virgin bride, I have no basis for comparison. I spent time in my youth watching an aunt paint still lifes in oil, and I learned to enjoy the aroma. Someday I'll try oils. What can be sucessfully applied OVER acrylics. I know pastels hold (with fixative). I have always finished acrylics with acrylics but would like to experiment with different ways to make finishing touches. Any suggestions?

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I for one hardly ever mind 'hijacking', especially on art threads...

anyway, on the Gamblin site, the write up about palettes is way down on that techniques page, the second link.

his company has old master type paint formulations, often involving a metal part of the compound, and more modern colors. I presume other companies do at least some of this.

I'm not nudging that you should use Gamblin oils over any others, but I like the breadth of information he gives, his interest in nontoxicity, and his personal helpfulness... he is glad to get email'd questions. I've met him and he is very knowledgeable, a good lecturer too.

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truth
Thanks, Osso. I just subscribed to Gamblin's on-line newsletter.

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Portal - no, I made a decision not to go for my Master of Arts - I've got my Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) which is 4 years full time study - I had done my Foundation Year when i left school so only had the 3 years to do - which i did part time, whilst working, so it took longer.

A tutor friend who is a senior lecturer in Fine Art feels that you should go out and do your own work for a year or two at least before doing an MA.

I wanted to go out and build on what I'd learnt and get work into galleries - which is something i am doing. in an ideal world that is how i would make my living <sigh>

Then i decided to give teaching a go - and found i enjoy it. I don't want the stress of exam courses but I enjoy the challenge of talented people who are prepared to experiment. I have several very gifted students.

There are some very good art colleges here, but I don't know any that specifically do figurative sculpture as, with arthritis it is a part of the degree I avoided and it isn't so much my 'thing' as painting I'm afraid.

Many of the London colleges have considerable prestige as does the Edinburgh college of art. Scottish artists are still showing the influence of the Scottish colourists and their work is vibrant and exciting and really buzzing just now.

St Ives in Cornwall has buzzing summer schools if you could afford it? no qualification involved. Cornwall is beautiful and St Ives if full of galleries (a lot of them tacky but some good)

If you ever go to Paris do NOT miss the Rodin museum - the drawings and sculptures are wonderful. (in his old house)

What about applying to be a Rome Scholar?

jln

i like to do just the underpainting in acrylics, as oils have much more richness and can be pushed around, scraped through (and the acrylic underpainting shines through clear and clean) and they just have a nicer quality somehow. I use virtually no medium with the oil paint most of the time but scrub, scumble, palette knife, brush, splatter, rub it on with a rag whatever. Stand oil is an interesting medium that allows you to lose brush marks totally or mix it with the paint to a thick treacly pouring consistency and trickle lines and squirls that hold their shape (but are slow drying and glossy).

like you i often use pastels over acrylics, sometimes the odd mark in oil pastel and sometimes collage.

Collage is better with hand made papers and papers you have painted yourself so that colours are not straight from the tube but more subtle. They integrate better into the work and don't just sit there looking 'stuck on' as an afterthought.

hope something out of this ramble is some use to one of you!

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The Rodin museum is Fabulous. I did have the privelage to go. I'll look into those schools, they give me a good start, thank you. *looking up scottish colorists*

I hear conflicting views from my teachers - about waiting or not waiting before graduate school.

Good to hear that you teach. That is what I want to do, but in the US - to teach high school - you have to go through two years of really boring drivel that is not particularly relevant to teaching and then you student teach for a semester (and have to buy your own laptop computer for this.) So it seems like a smart idea for me to go for the extra four years (since high school teaching degree would be about 3) and be able to teach college which merits much higher pay. I'd like to teach high school someday. There's somthing about sparking early creativity that's very fulfilling.

There's also a program where (after I graduate) I can enter a lottery to be able to get a certificate in one year, and student teach for one year. I may do that. It's very confusing, planning so far ahead.

Your work seems mature - is there not a viable art market where you live? I heard London is better for sales than the states.

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truth
Thanks, Vivien. I am very curious to start with oil over my acrylics. I DO think it is useful to wait a bit before returning to grad school. I waited--and worked to save money--between three degrees. No momentun was lost. The breathers were most welcome.

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Vivien, thank you for reminding me about oil over acrylics. I had forgotten about that technique. I do like pastels over anything. Yesterday a very generous woman donated over $5,000 worth of art supplies and art books to my program. I was overwhelmed. It's like Christmas. Opening every box is like discovering a whole new world for the students. A friend of mine just left to do his MFA in San Antonio. He's 24 and has his whole life in front of him. What a great gift as well.

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Portal Star....I would forget the "prestigious"
and concentrate on finding a place that will
take you where you want to go....where you
can build on your own true artistic self....

Kayla....absolutely wonderful news about the gift....

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shepaints wrote:

Portal Star....I would forget the "prestigious"
and concentrate on finding a place that will
take you where you want to go....where you
can build on your own true artistic self....

Kayla....absolutely wonderful news about the gift....

A place that I -want- would be most important, but sometimes a name can help you get a teaching job, or a spot in a gallery.
Waiting can be good, but the sooner you start, the sooner you get out!
Iv'e also been taking college classes for a long time... And the last time I took off of school to try to make money, it ended up costing me because I couldn't get a job anywhere on campus, and the freelance jobs weren't enough to pay the bills.

I've never done oil over acryllics, but Iv'e seen it. I figure it's probably like painting over thick textured acryllic gesso.

I got a box of oil pastels as a present, it's been a long time since Iv'e done anything with them.

Kayla - how exciting! What is your program? Are you a Texan? And where did your friend go in san antonio? I took a few classes at an art school there.

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Portal Star wrote:

is there not a viable art market where you live? I heard London is better for sales than the states.

sadly not many galleries where i live but i do show at others further afield (it means travelling a lot though). I haven't tried London yet but will in a year or so. that is my main aim. It is tough to get into London galleries.

The teaching is adult ed - i don't really want the stress of teaching exam classes as my painting is the most important thing to me. I really enjoy the groups i teach as i have some very talented students who constantly surprise me with their imagination and ability. Also, i write my own programme of studies and can be flexible and work around students particular interests, no syllabus to stick to!

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A long time ago I was got into a very prestigious school. It did help, but I spent many hours waiting tables and tending bar as well. I then went back to school, UC Davis, and majored in psychology. I now run a creative arts progrm for adults with developmental disabilities. I'm not making a fortune, but I'm having the time of my life. My daughter went to a very good school out here in CA and it did help her get interviews to top companies in SF, but she majored in business. I thought my friend was going to be doing his MFA at the Univ. of San Antonio, but I may be mistaken. Another friend is working on her Masters at Kansas State. As I see it, the problem is getting a job after you get out. Art jobs are scarce in CA. My girlfriend has her degree in art and education, plus a teacher's credential and she's subbing. I'm blessed to have a job that pays ok, has good benefits and allows me to create everyday. I did a minor in art history at Davis. Most of the post grads in the department were hoping for jobs in museums or teaching. I guess you have to go with your gut and be passionate. Knowing how to pour beer doesn't hurt.

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Portal Star wrote:

I've never done oil over acryllics, but Iv'e seen it. I figure it's probably like painting over thick textured acryllic gesso.

I got a box of oil pastels as a present, it's been a long time since Iv'e done anything with them.

quote]

not necessarily thick textured - i don't ever use acrylics very thickly,certainly never impasto as i don't like their plastic quality then. The underpainting may be very thin and washy or opaque (but not not impasto). The reason i may use them in underpainting is because when you scratch back through the overpainted oil, to the underpainting, the colours shine through clean and clear, whereas scratching back to the oil layer below doesn't react the same at all.

(priming is acrylic primer on canvas or very often just unprimed canvas. which i love to work on, seal with acrylic clear matt varnish before going onto oils)

I only ever use oil pastels in touches as i really don't like images worked totally in them - especially if they are thinned with turps - yeugh! they look muddy and dead

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If you can get in, go for the Rhode Island School of Design (RSDI). This would be my choice, if I were to be looking for another degree and/or one in the fine arts.

My niece is currently attending the DaVinci School in Florence, Italy. She loves it, and is doing very well. I think by the end of this year it will have cost us about $25,000. Though she is a fine young painter, she is studying art restoration. We think that is a wise choice as it will provide an excellent income inside the art world, and still allow her to pursue her own creative vision.

She's been tapped to do restoration work in Nepal this summer, all expenses paid plus a salary. When she returns, she has a job with a florentine art restoration outfit.

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That's excellent.
I'm just curious, asherman, and ignore this if you choose to but did the whole family chip in to provide your niece with this most wonderful opportunity or are you, personally, footing her bill?

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This particular niece's education is paid for by a Trust, that I pretty much control. Would you like for us to adopt you so that you to might be eligible for consideration? LOL.

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Hell yes. Where do I sign?

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Be careful of what you wish for. A nephew during the holidays contacted us to bail him out of jail. I suspect that he's still a guest of the State. I have limited funds and power to help, and so must be careful who and when I help. Trust conditions are strict, and I don't even think about bending the rules. You might work your heart out and not get on my "A" list.

Actually, I think you are perfectly capable of achieving any goal you might set for yourself. Self-discipline, patience, and dedicated effort will work wonders.

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I was kidding asherman. I'm almost fifty and doing alright, thanks to self-discipline, patience and dedicated effort.

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well my current 'art project' (back on track!) is the Private View of a show I have 40+ paintings in tomorrow.

It isn't a good time of year for selling, cold, everyone is broke after Christmas ....

It's at a local gallery about 15 miles away in a rather nice village. It should be fun anyway even if not good for selling. Sales would be nice <sigh>

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