Figure and Form: The Wild Life Sessions Show

Starting May 31, 2014  our life drawing/painting group is having a group show at the Loveland Museum Gallery.  The opening on June 13th is from 6-8pm and is open to the public.  The thought of a group show has been a dream of ours for many years and it's coming true!  Here is an excerpt from the Museum's webpage:  Please join us!

FIGURE AND FORM:
LOVELAND WILD LIFE SESSIONS

May 31 through July 27, 2014 Opening Reception: Friday, June 13, 6-8 pm

Green Room The love of the figure comes through in this group exhibit, juried by artist Filipe Echevarria. Following the long tradition of figure drawing, this Loveland group of artists meets regularly to refine their skills in rendering imagery from life. Including both paintings and drawings, this exhibit explores time-honored techniques of artistic training and is a celebration of beauty within the human form. Artists in this exhibit include George Coll, Venetia Ellis, Steve Engeman, Mary Giacomini, Danna Hildebrand, Suzi Holland, Dave Holman, Amy Lewark, and Victoria Lisi. In 2007, weekly meetings with live nude models began at a local studio in order to provide artists with the opportunity for regular figure study. During these sessions, the model holds a “long pose” for three hours, with occasional breaks, and the artists use various media including graphite, charcoal, pastel, and oil in the “alla prima” (fresh) style. Strong lighting exposes otherwise unseen features, yielding life in hidden places. These are The Wild Life Sessions

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

Live Figure Drawing: Free Open Session    space limited by first come, first seated basis Sunday, June 15, 1 – 3:30 pm FREE Have you ever wondered what compels artists to draw or paint from life? Find out for yourself by participating with the “Loveland Wild Life Sessions” open session group. We will provide a costumed model and working space. You are welcome to come and participate or observe. Bring your own art supplies if you wish to join in. If you’d like to ask the artists questions, you may do so during breaks.

Portrait Drawing Demo with Victoria Lisi Sunday, July 6, 1 - 3 pm FREE Observe as local artist Victoria Lisi demonstrates portraits drawing from a live model.

Draw Portraits Sunday, July 20, 1 - 3:30 pm Fee: $40 ($32 for museum members)    please register by July 13th Learn to capture human likeness and achieve the correct proportions with the placement of features such as eyes, nose, and mouth in facial portrait drawings. We will have a live model on site, or bring photographs to work from, as instructor Victoria Lisa helps you with the basics using pencil, charcoal, or conte.

Go Figure 2014

Several of the "Loveland Wild Life Session" artists will be part of this new figurative show.  Steve and Amy are two of the organizers.  Amy Lewark is the featured artist.  George  Coll is one of the jurors.  Suzi Holland, Danna Hildebrand and Mary Giacomini are participating.  There will be other artists participating as well.  Both original art and photography of the nude will be represented.  The opening is April 4, 2014 from 6-9pm as part of First Friday Artwalk in Ft Collins, Colorado.  The public is welcome to attend and meet the artists.

New Years Eve 2013

Amy Lewark working on her watercolor figure

Venetia capturing a portrait

Suzi's charcoal capture

Mary Giacomini's oil "Luau"

This past New Years Eve we did something new: painted or drew with friends.  Our model was willing to wear a grass skirt, flower lei and pose semi-nude (topless) to give us a warm feeling of being in the tropics while it was quite cold outside.  She propped her hand on a tripod since holding it up in a hula dance pose for long pose would be impossible.  These are some of our artists in action.

Bad Santa night

 Graphite/Danna Hildebrand

Oil/George Coll

Pastel/Suzi Holland

Pastel/ Suzi Holland

Graphite/Will Bemis

Oil/Mary Giacomini

For a holiday treat we had an evening life drawing and painting of  "Bad Santa".  Just in time for Christmas 2013!    We had two models for a three hour session who were excellent.  Several years ago we had a "Bad Santa" night and decided for an encore.  These are some of the group's artwork for the evening. Enjoy.  Laughter is good for the soul.

Suzi's Gestural Lines

"As a member of Loveland Wild Life I am interested in studying how light falls on the human form. I am always playing with line on the contours of the body's silhouette.

My preference is for gestural line and exaggerated foreshortening rather than a more formal approach.

At present I am experimenting with the colors beneath the flesh, and the how skin tones change with the light.  

My medium is charcoal and white conte, but I am introducing pastels into the color pallet in my drawings this year."    -Suzi Holland