Representational Figurative Painting

Robert Lemler’s students report that they see immediate improvement in their art under his instruction. Next year, in June 2014, Robert will be teaching a workshop at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio on “Painting the Figurative Subject.” His course will focus on exploring the art of painting portraits, nude, and costumed subjects. 

Recently we caught up with Robert and asked him to share with us a little about his art.

Q: When did your interest in art begin and how long have you been an artist? 

A: My interest in drawing began at an early age. While in elementary school, I was encouraged to develop my interest in art and began occasional art classes. As a high school student, I won a scholastic competition sponsored by the Phoenix Illustrators Group which awarded the winners scholarships toward their educations. I then attended Northern Arizona University, majoring in painting and drawing. I never considered another educational path. I have worked as an artist and teacher my entire adult life. 

Q: What do you seek to communicate through your art? 

A: As an artist, I seek to interpret the visual characteristics of the motifs I chose to paint in a naturalistic manner. I hope to find a resonance of veracity that may be felt by those viewing my works. 

Q: What drives you as an artist? 

A: I am constantly driven as an artist by the desire to improve my skills while exploring the various motifs in which I am interested. I consider myself as primarily a figurative painter who also enjoys still life and landscape subjects. 

Q: What is a recent piece of art you created and what inspired you to paint it? 

A: Within the figurative subject, there are many possible interests to explore. In a recent painting of a seated nude subject I found interest in the dark tonality of a narrow depth of field. I was also interested in the further exploration of mylar as a painting ground. 

Q: Do you have a favorite brand of paints, brushes, or canvas that you use? 

A: I generally use good bristle brushes, Classens canvases, and Rembrandt or Utrecht oil paints. 

 Q: What advice do you have for artists seeking to improve their work? 

A: I always encourage aspiring painters to explore various tools and materials and to build their skills painting from life as much as possible. 

Q: What do you think is unique about Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio’s workshops? 

A: I have not previously been to the Whidbey Island Art Studio but desired to teach there based on the quality of the program and the talented artists they work with. 

Capturing Humanity

One of our goals at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) is to bring exemplary teachers to host workshops so that our students get the best possible instruction to help each one improve as an artist. We are pleased to have artist couple Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon hosting an oil painting workshop in portraits at WIFAS in July 2014.

Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon are award-winning artists who travel the world and paint its occupants. They enjoy passing on the knowledge that they have received from teachers who were significant to them in their artistic development. Scott is known for his ability to capture the humanity of subjects as well as his mastery of color and light. Susan is admired for her sensitivity and delicacy of hand, especially in portraits.

These two artists have the special knack for getting inside an artist’s head and making it come out your hand. With the unusual ability to easily go back and forth between both sides of the brain, Scott and Susan make great teachers because they can communicate while they paint to help other artists understand their process. This coupled with Scott and Susan’s ability to put their students at ease creates a wonderful learning environment. In addition to working to make the atmosphere comfortable and accepting, Scott and Susan also make a point of spending time with each artist in the class so that all students receive input from both teachers.

This workshop is sure to be an excellent experience for everyone who attends. However, if you are not able to attend, but want to learn from these master painters, you can:

• Order their video lessons availablethrough their website.
• View the images from their step-by-step painting demonstrations, also on their website.
• Order Susan’s book Visions & Voyages.

The most powerful learning tool is in-person, hands-on instruction. That’s what WIFAS is about, nurturing your artist talent and soul!

Nourishment for Your Soul

With so many art workshops across the country and even internationally, choosing the right instructor and setting for an art class can be overwhelming. 

Why come to Whidbey Island for your next art class? What sets Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) apart from other art studies offering art workshops? 

Our motto “Feeding the Artistic Soul” sums up what we do. A workshop at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio will feed your artist's soul in three unique ways. 

1. Our picturesque, pastoral setting. 

Whidbey Island, located across the Puget Sound just 30 miles from Seattle, is a wonderful place for relaxation and tranquility. WIFAS’s location in Langley, a quaint historical village, offers views of the water. In addition, the island’s farms, forests, bluffs, and beaches provide the foregrounds to many aquatic vistas. The quiet and romantic surroundings that are so much a part of the Whidbey Island experience help to restore and feed every artist’s soul. Coming to a workshop at WIFAS is like taking a relaxing vacation with picturesque gardens and farms, and water, island, and mountain views in every direction. 

  

2. Personalized approach. 

Each workshop offered at WIFAS includes personalized instruction for the artists in attendance. There is always plenty of room for everyone to have their own easel with elbow room to allow creative juices to flow. We place an emphasis on utilizing seasoned artists who provide good instruction delivered in such a manner that it sticks with our attendees long after they go home, continuing to strengthen and nourish each soul. In addition, WIFAS ensures that our students’ needs are attended to, from delicious snacks to personal questions answered.

 

3. Class dinner. 

Every workshop presented by Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio includes a dinner hosted by Cary Jurriaans in her home for the instructor and all the students in the class. For many students, this dinner is a highlight of their time at WIFAS as they get to interact with their instructor and the other students in an informal, relaxed atmosphere. We guarantee the food will be delicious, ensuring that it feeds your soul as well as your stomach. 

 

You can find a list of our upcoming workshops on our website at http://whidbeyislandfas.com/workshops.html. Sign up for one or more of our upcoming workshops and get the nourishment your artistic soul.

Improving a Palette

We recently asked a couple artists who have taken workshops at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) to answer a few questions for us about our classes. Pat Brookes jumped at the chance to tell us how she has benefited from her WIFAS art instruction experiences. You can read what she has to share about our classes and her resulting growth as an artist in the interview below.

Q: Which workshop at WIFAS have you recently attended?

A: I have taken multiple workshops over the past couple of years at WIFAS including Jeff Legg, Dreama Tolle Perry, Ron Stocke, Pam Ingalls, Qiang Huang, and Jim Lamb.

 

Q: What did you find most helpful about the art instruction you received at the workshop?

A: I am finding that a limited palette seems to make my paintings integrated; less chance of mud, although even mud if you can identify the base color has an interesting quality.

Q: Did you learn any new techniques or were you reminded of old ones in a new way in the workshop?

A: I learned to make a color base, and then change up that base to darker, lighter, warmer, cooler.  In addition, I learned to make fewer pat-pat strokes and more meaningful placement of color. Various artists taught interesting techniques:

Pam Ingalls takes three strokes with one color before changing the color. She uses a limited palette only earth color is yellow oxide. Her setups are exciting and different.

Dreama may take one or two strokes and loads her brush, then lays the paint down. She also works with a limited palette that doesn't include earth colors other than transparent yellow oxide. Dreama uses specific brushes that she tells you about.

Qiang Huang also uses a limited palette, transparent paints and pure colors. His b rushes are non-specific and cheap, but he makes them work well! His work is extra ordinary and we all felt privileged to take a class from him

Q: What did you appreciate most about the setup or structure of the workshop?

A: I think that Cary goes overboard in making everyone feel welcome. We were fed and pampered as if we were in her own home.

Q: Were you inspired to paint a particular image during or after the workshop?

A: I sold my best painting done during the Jeff Legg workshop.  

Q: How do you feel your painting has improved as a result of a workshop you attended?

A: My friends tell me they can see a difference in my painting.  I have just been using oils for a year-and-a-half, but it’s messed up my ability to paint watercolor.  

Q: Could you share a highlight from your experience at WIFAS—either from the workshop or your time on Whidbey Island?

A: I just painted plein air with Jim Lamb at Double Bluff.  We started early in the morning and it was such a beautiful day. I enjoyed the experience of being outdoors and working at representing what I saw. There were tons of people on the beach and even Rainier was out. What more could you ask for?

Q: Are you planning on attending any other workshops with WIFAS in the near future?

A: I feel so lucky to have a quality place to continue my art education right here in my own town! Yes, I will be back.

An Artist's Perspective

We recently asked a couple artists who have taken workshops at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) to answer a few questions for us about our classes. Pam Leiper jumped at the chance to tell us how she has benefitted from her WIFAS art instruction experiences. You can read what she has to share about our classes and her resulting growth as an artist in the interview below. 

Q: Which workshop at WIFAS have you recently attended? 

A: I have taken two workshops at Whidbey, a figure drawing workshop with Henry Yan in 2012, and an oil painting workshop with Dreama Perry in 2013. 

Q: What did you find most helpful about the art instruction you received at the workshop? 

A: My first passion is figures, so my workshop with Henry Yan was inspirational. It was five days of heaven. I tend to labor over my figures, and Henry can capture the pose even with the quickest sketches. He has exceptional control using his razor sharp charcoal pencils, and he demonstrated beautiful techniques to soften shadow shapes. I would take his class again and again until I achieve the same skill in my own life drawings. 

Q: Did you learn any new techniques or were you reminded of old ones in a new way in the workshop? 

A: I do enjoy painting in oils, however I tend to make 'mud' with color. Dreama's palette is always fresh and she has lovely brush work, so I thought her workshop would help me with my own oils. She provided a very fun three day experience, as fun, nourishing and colorful as she is. She demonstrated her technique of laying down transparent color first, then covering with colorful opaques and controlled but bold brushwork. This has been useful for me, and I've been practicing this technique since the workshop.

Q: What did you appreciate most about the setup or structure of the workshop? 

A: Cary Jurriaans always does a great job organizing the WIFAS studio space. There was ample room to paint, easel space is allotted democratically, and she always has lovely refreshments on hand. 

Q: Were you inspired to paint a particular image during or after the workshop? 

 A: Since Henry's workshop, I continue to work on figures. I haven't mastered his technique… but will keep trying. Since Dreama's, I have tried a few oils. 

Q: Could you share a highlight from your experience at WIFAS— either from the workshop or your time on Whidbey Island? 

A: The WIFAS studio is located in the very picturesque village of Langley on Whidbey Island. It is such a tranquil and gorgeous setting— how can an artist not be inspired? My husband and wee dog accompanied me this last time. We splurged and stayed at the dog-friendly Langley Inn. I would return to WIFAS again and again just to visit the Island. 

Q: Are you planning on attending any other workshops with WIFAS in the near future? 

A: I will definitely return. I'll just keep an eye on the upcoming calendar! 

Stunning Plein Air Paintings

Annette Hanna will be teaching a Plein Air for Pastel workshop at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) in July. Annette uses this vibrant medium to create visually stunning landscapes, and will teach you to do the same.

Read our recent interview with Annette to get a feel for who she is as an artist.

Q: When did your interest in art begin and how long have you been an artist?

A: When I was a child the first thing I remember wanting was colored pencils, not toys or dolls. I've been drawing all my life and painting for about 40 years in oils, and probably ten years or so in pastels.

Q: What do you seek to communicate through your art or your art instruction?

A: I seek to communicate human experience, whether that be knowing a particular person or seeing a breathtaking landscape. There are many beautiful things in this world and I hope to recreate and share many of them.

Q: What drives you as an artist?

A: I just have a compulsion to create an image that can't be denied. Give me a pencil, brush or pastel stick and time evaporates. I constantly observe and see things that I don't think others see and want to put them down on paper or canvas.

Q: What is a recent piece of art you created and what inspired you to paint it?

A: I passed by a scene recently that lasted about five minutes and was so striking that I knew I had to paint it.

Q: Do you have a favorite brand of paints, brushes, or canvas that you use?

A: In pastels I like Unisons, but also use nupastels and some particular faber castel colors. My favorite paper is Wallis Belgian Grey.

Q: What advice do you have for artists seeking to improve their work?

A: The best advice that I give all my students is to get a sketch book and use it as often as possible. Visit art museums, galleries and local art shows, and keep painting.

Q: What do you think is unique about Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio’s workshops?

A: WIFAS, run by Cary Jurriaans, an extremely fine painter herself, has consistently excellent instructors, a friendly and supportive atmosphere, and is located in beautiful and inspiring surroundings.

Man versus Nature

Most painters receive inspiration from their surroundings. Living in the country has inspired and influenced David Gluck’s paintings. Most of David’s subjects for his Still Life paintings are objects collected locally. The same holds true for his figurative work. David tends to paint the people he knows and is familiar with. 

David says that since moving to the country he has come into contact with many salt of the earth type people, people who know how to live off the land in a way that their grandparents and great grandparents did before them. They remind him of a lost generation of survivors, the pioneers of the past. The theme of man pitted against nature is one that continues to inspire David.

For example, last year, David was an Exceptional Merit Winner at the 2012 International Portrait Competition for this painting The Trapper. This painting depicts a man whom David befriended. When David knew him, the man did not have a job or home of his own, but he kept himself extremely busy collecting scrap metal (basically, a modern-day forager). In this painting, David depicts this man as an early settler-trapper, a grizzled breed of men that lived with few material comforts and braved harsh winters to seek a living from the woods.

Read what David has to say about his painting process:

Q: What techniques do you use?

A: I paint in a very traditional manner. My approach isn’t varied or complicated, but I do put an emphasis on textural qualities. I think one thing that always has and always should distinguish a painting from a photograph is the tactile quality of paint.

Q: Describe your process.

A: I would say at least half of a piece is in the planning. I always do a series of studies starting with thumbnails and preliminary drawings for tone and composition. I end with colors studies before beginning on the final canvas. I try to leave very little to chance.

Q: What is your major consideration when composing a painting?

A: Broad tonal relations are my primary consideration. I am a tonalist as opposed to a colorist, which means light and dark relationships are the crux of my work. I spend a lot of time working out a perfect shadow pattern, especially in my model’s face. It is important to have the features illuminated in just the right way to suggest a certain mood and psychology.

David Gluck will be teaching a Classical Still Life painting workshop at WIFAS this summer, June 3 to 7, 2013. You can learn more about his workshop on our website.