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.

Art show at the Loveland Museum Gallery

 This summer our  "Wild Life Sessions" group will be having a show at the Loveland Museum Gallery.  We will have an opening  and meet the artists night on June 13, 2014.   Victoria Lisi will be doing a (free) portrait demonstration on July 6.  There will also be a workshop taught by Victoria Lisi and a 'paint along' this summer to go with the show.  Details to follow....

"Cathexis" by Amy Lewark

"Sitting Pretty" by Dana Hildebrand

by Dave Holman

by George Coll

"Illusion" by Steve Engeman

"Reclining Nude" by Suzi Holland

"Escape" oil by Mary Giacomini

"Naughty Santa" by Venetia Ellis

by Victoria Lisi

Dave Holman

We are fortunate to have Dave Holman  as part of our group.  Dave is a very talented professional artist that comes to our weekly sessions.  He is proficient in painting in several mediums including oil and soft pastel.  With his  classical background training, he is able to capture  the likeness of the models with ease.  He paints a wide variety of subjects and themes.  You can see more of Dave's art online on his blog,  at his Loveland, Colorado studio, Fine Art America, his Facebook Artist page or one of the outdoor shows he participates in year round.

George Coll

George Coll is an extremely talented professional artist and downright nice person to hang out with. He has let us use his studio every week for our life drawing/painting for years.  He loves the challenge of painting from life.  He usually completes an oil painting (portrait or figure) in 2 hours or less.  His hard work over the many years I've known him has made him an even better artist. He is excellent at capturing a likeness in his portraits and his paintings are fresh.  You can see more of his work on his website, blog,  u tube or maybe catch him on one of the many outdoor shows he participates in.

Venetia

The youngest in our group is Venetia Ellis.  She is an exceptionally talented high school senior who plans to go on to college for animation this fall.  She brings a variety of media, and sometimes she makes magic with a just a box of Crayola crayons. It has been a delight to watch this charming girl grow into a fine artist.

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.

Figure Impressions of Steve

Our little group wouldn't happen these days if it wasn't for our organizer Steve.  Each week he arranges creative professional models for us.  One night after several models cancelled, he posed for us.  Here are a couple of his drawings from our long pose life sessions.  Steve usually uses pastel or charcoal and completes several drawings in an evening.  A drawing that is partially unfinished is a far stronger image than one that is overworked.

Josh

"Steam Punk Josh" 

"Josh"

At least 5 years ago we drew a model that arrived in his motorcycle leather, had piercing blue eyes and held his pose like a rock. Josh had never modeled before and was an amazing model.  "Steam Punk Josh" is Will Bemis' drawing in graphite from that evening and "Josh" is Mary Giacomini's conte portrait.  These were done Alla Prima in a 3 hour life  drawing session.

Drawing Hands

 

Drawing hands is the most difficult part of the human body to depict gracefully.  Will Bemis depicts hands in a masterful way.  Close observation and eliminating some detail  makes these hand drawings in graphite natural and realistic.  Will often creates in graphite, focusing on the value and form-and does it quite well.  He gets the credit for keeping our group together for many years by arranging the models,  exposing us to new & different music and treating us to hearty homemade bread.

Mary Giacomini's figures & faces

I have been participating in the Loveland Wild Art Sessions since our beginnings at the Wild Art Center in 2007.  The majority of figure drawing I did this year was on toned paper.  I filled up a sketchbook of toned paper that I would use graphite with some conte and white charcoal.  Another favorite drawing support is using Cold Press Arches Watercolor paper that I tone with a warm watercolor base then proceed to draw with graphite, conte and charcoal pencils.  My focus is on how the light hits the body.  We don't always draw nudes.  Sometimes we paint or draw a portrait.  You can see more of my work on my blog, website & on FAA.

Amy Lewark's Creations

Conte on colored paper

Conte on pastel paper

Conte and pastel on pastel paper

These are just a few examples of Amy Lewark's fine figurative work.  Amy works in Conte Crayon, pastel and charcoal.  You can see more of her art at AmyLewark.com.  All of these were all created "alla prima." (in one long session -3 hours with breaks)