Tag Archives: Artists Talks

A Special Thursday Night! June 17th! Andrew Pitt will demonstrate on Zoom for NFWS!

As a special treat we will have British artist Andrew Pitt on Zoom for NFWS Members from London! We will email Zoom invitations on the Monday before the Event!

Andrew Pitt was born in Maldon, Essex in the UK. He started painting at the age of eleven, inspired by watching visiting artist who came to Maldon to paint the Thames Sailing Barges.

Although he is primarily a watercolour artist he also paints and teaches oil painting. 

He has been teaching workshops and residential courses for over 40 years and has held over 20 one-man exhibitions. He has contributed many articles to the English art magazine, “The Leisure Painter’’ and his first book, ‘’Seasons and Reflections: Notes on Painting in Watercolour” was published in 2019. In 2008 Town House Films Ltd produced an instructional DVD called, ‘’Watercolour: Pure and Simple with Andrew Pitt’’.

Andrew lives in Suffolk, England with his wife Rachel and her small flock of chickens.

Here is his Artist’s Statement

Painting, particularly in watercolour, is endlessly fascinating because we are not painting what we know but what we have just found out. My aim is to paint a picture which represents the subject as I see it without compromising the fluid, transparency of the watercolour medium.

To achieve a lively, fresh painting is a high risk activity, but when a watercolour is successful it is difficult to beat using any other medium. I try to keep my technique and materials as simple as possible. I paint using a direct – all a prima – method, which dispenses with the traditional ‘’light to dark’’ approach. I go for the end straight away, the way I want my picture to look when it is finished, using the minimum of planned over-painting; a method which emphasises the freshness, and essential beauty of watercolour. I also want the viewer to feel my paintings celebrate the subject and convey the enthusiasm and pleasure of the artist. 

September Members Meeting and Demonstration by Drayton Jones

After a short and informative members meeting, we will welcome Drayton Jones, and award winning, nationally exhibited watercolor artist from Fayetteville, NY.

 Jones is an active member of the Cazenovia Watercolor Society, participates in local shows including St. David’s and The Dark Isle at Lorenzo and teaches various workshops. Recently he became a Signature member of Watercolor West, a nationally recognized Watercolor Society. He has studied under Nicora Gangi, a full time nationally exhibited,  award- winning painter/artist. Gangi says “Drayton Jones’ sensitive style of expression, through the medium of watercolor, poetically captures the drama of natural light on his subject matter, whether it be the soft rolling hills of central New York or the tranquil beauty of our surrounding lakes”. Jones also received acclaim by Syracuse Post writer, Katherine Rushworth, in her article, Sunday June 10th, 2007 declaring “one of the highlights in the show was discovering the work of Drayton Jones. His style is reminiscent of the great American watercolorist John Marin, but Jones is crisper and less abstract in his approach.” Ms. Rushworth called his work “fluid, bold” and “daring””.

Everyone, member, not yet member and watercolor lover alike, is welcome to join us. We are a group that shares enthusiasm for watercolor and watermedia, welcomes  friendship old and new,  and  enjoys good snacks!!!

May 2019 Members Meeting and Demonstration by Pat Dews

Twice a year, in May and October NFWS partners with the Burchfield Penney Art Center to host a demonstration by the NFWS Workshop Artist. Our Spring Workshop Artist is internationally renowned water media artist, Pat Dews.

Pat Dews, a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City is a signature member and Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, National Collage Society and the New Jersey Water Color Society.

Dews creates experimental works in watermedia on paper and canvas.  She paints the abstract essence of nature.  The shapes and textures of flowers, rocks, water, crumbled walls, rusty objects are translated into richly layered paint surfaces. Collage is often integrated.  Dews skillfully juggles organic and geometric forms, transparent and opaque paint – all held together by a basic abstract underlying shape.  It is this intricate dance, rendered in strong color and value which produces her award-winning paintings.

 

Come to the BPAC early, check our the exhibitions, and the gallery shop. All are welcome!

 

 

February Members Meeting and Demonstration by Mary Hardegen

A respected watercolor painter, NFWS Signature Member Mary Hardegen will be our demonstrator in February.

Mary shares the following:
“Exposed to watercolor at a young age, I knew that my artistic abilities would ultimately be devoted to it. Watercolor itself offers a lifetime of experimentation to learn its elusive qualities. Intrigued more by what the paint itself displays than the actual subjects I choose, I am inspired by anything that captures light and color, especially landscapes. An expressive medium with unique results every time makes it an exciting medium to share with others through hands on experience, which is why I also enjoy teaching others about watercolor.

My work has been exhibited locally and nationally, receiving awards and being purchased for personal collections.

I have been a member of NFWS for over 12 years, serving as President and in several other roles. I also participate in the Southtowns Watercolor Salon. Centennial Art Center, and Western New York Artists Group.

I have taught classes in a variety of settings. I currently do not have a website but can be contacted through email.”

Join us for an evening of friendship and inspiration. Everyone is welcome!!

January Members Meeting and Demonstration by Vicki O’Reilly

For our January 17th Members Meeting we welcome NFWS Signature Member Vicki O’Reilly whose mastery of luminous florals and keen observation of nature and our surroundings delight lovers of watercolor across the Niagara Frontier.

Vicki has shared the following:

“I have admired watercolor paintings my whole life, but until 15 years ago, I had never worked in watercolor. In 1997, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art and art history from U.B., taking classes part time while I raised my two children. I also studied locally with a studio artist in portraiture and life drawing in oils, pastels and charcoals. I was first introduced to transparent watercolor when I met Denise Sperry at a figure drawing class and was intrigued by the medium in which she worked. Denise told me that she gave classes in technique, and I immediately signed up. From then on, I have never looked back.
I draw inspiration for my paintings from observation of my everyday environment as well as experience gained in my travels. People are often the subjects of my paintings and at other times I find a landscape or cityscape of a place intriguing. Flowers, however, are a special subject for me and often I find myself drawn to them, wherever I may be. I believe that we all sometimes take the beauty around us for granted and I try to paint in a way that makes people take notice. My goal when I paint is to relate my poetic response to my subject. I will frequently zoom in and exaggerate the color or value to intensify the drama, create a sense of mystery and communicate my excitement. Each painting holds a challenge for me both technically and spiritually, as I work to depict visually what I feel emotionally.
I am a signature member of NFWS and have been honored to receive awards for pieces exhibited in their juried shows. I served on the Board of Directors for 3 years and continue to be active in the society. I am also a longtime member of the Williamsville Art Society where I served as past President and chairperson of several committees. I continue to exhibit in their shows as well and have been honored with several awards. In October 2016, I was accepted as an exhibiting member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. I live in Buffalo, New York and have continued my art education by attending numerous workshops both locally and internationally.”

Everyone is welcome to join us for an entertaining evening of friendship, learning and inspiration.  See you in January!

November Members Meeting and Demonstration by Katie Turner

Our monthly Members Meetings are brief and open to the public. We welcome everyone interested in watercolor, the regional arts community and learning. There is always a demonstration by remarkable watercolor artist, and snacks are provided!

November’s artist demonstrator is Katie Turner! Love her statement –

“When I paint, I am deeply immersed in watching colors mix.  It’s fascinating to play with paint – poking it – leading it – spraying it – coaxing it into walking across the paper.  I almost always see shapes from nature, most always flowers.”                                                     ~ Katie Turner

Originally from Buffalo, Katie is a watercolor artist who loves working on slick surfaces. Exposed to the art world at an early age by her late mother, a watercolorist from Buffalo, Turner continues to develop her individual style with passion and dedication painting evocative, fresh and intuitive pieces.

Although Turner spent many years in the graphic arts field, writing articles, publishing zines and working with various media, she never strays far from watercolor.

Publications: Creative Genius (Book), NLAPW, April 2018; Stone Canoe: A Journal of Arts, Literature and Social Commentary No. 12, March 2018; Celebrating 120 Years of Pen Women Coloring Book, Jan 2018; NLAPW Magazine, Winter 2017 & Spring 2015; In the Company of Women Book, Jacobs Press, June 2016; & several articles in Somerset Gallery Magazines, Scrap & Stamps & more.

Membership: International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA), National League of American Pen Women (Visual Artist), Signature member of Central New York Watercolor Society, Signature member of Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society, and sitting on the Board of the Central New York Art Guild.

www.KTArtStudio.com