I’ve been taking an Anatomy & Elements of Drawing class at the Art Students League since 2012. I really enjoy it because I can exercise my hand drawing skills, which I rarely used since I received my Associates in Fashion Design. All my career work is done by computer. The class also helped me keep sane & relieve stress during a very difficult time in my life. I could just lose myself for hours, studying the human form & drawing my interpretations of the lights & darks that fell over the contours of the model. And while my drawings had their imperfections, they were mine, a piece of me in each one. My instructor, Nicki Orbach is great because she connects with each of her students, helps find their strengths & ability, and guides them to explore the farthest regions of their imagination thru various mediums & techniques.
Last November I started taking the Painting, Color, Design, & Composition class. I wanted to try my hand at abstract acrylic paintings. My instructor, Charles Hinman, was the ideal choice for me. Not only has he been exhibiting his work since the 1960s, but he is a true visionary. He works with three-dimensional canvases, which he creates in his studio. I was able to go to his retrospective show and was blown away by his work. I had seen pictures of some online, but to see them in person was an experience in itself. The way he plays with dimension, light & shadow, as well as color, while maintaining clean, minimalist lines. So far, with my own paintings I’ve been experimenting with textures, using different mediums with acrylic paint.
Unfortunately my scheduling was conflicting with the class so I wasn’t able to go regularly. I was able to go back this week and was beyond happy that I did. The class monitor announced that our class was scheduled to exhibit our artwork on February 10th. This exhibit is part of the Student Concours, which is held January thru May every year. Student artwork from each class is displayed, some even available for purchase. The instructors judge all the pieces and award “Red Dots” to the best ones. In June, they hold the “Red Dot” Exhibit, and some are purchased for the League’s Permanent Collection. I’m going to submit artwork for both classes (my drawing class exhibits our work on February 24), just for fun. It would be great if my instructors pick my pieces to show. I’m really excited about the prospect of displaying my work for the first time since my high school semi-annual exhibits. I’ll keep you posted :-)
Feel free to post comments or share similar experiences.
~Izzy
