Sunday afternoon I found myself out of the studio and on the campus of my Alma Mater Lipscomb University to watch other people paint, other AMAZING artists who I admire.
Lipscomb University’s John C. Hutcheson Gallery presented “New Tradition: A Contemporary Look At Representational Art” an exhibition by the Cumberland Society of Painters reception and demos. The exhibit features works from eight artists presenting their individual views of the world through art, including Dawn Whitelaw, Roger Dale Brown, Michael Shane Neal, Pam Padgett, Paula Frizbe, Anne Blair Brown, Kevin Menck and Jason Saunders.
Dawn Whitelaw is amazing.
As they all are...
I especially enjoyed the demo by Michael Shane Neal. He is a portrait artist and master of his craft. Portraiture is the hardest genre to learn to paint and he makes it look effortless.
Below are a few photos from his demo which consisted of two twenty-minute sessions with a model.
Shane isn't particular about his brand of brushes or paint. On Sunday he selected a variety of Rosemary and Company brushes and Grumbacher paints.
Shane does, however, use a particular set of paints on his palette, the same as his mentor's Everett Raymond Kinstler and their inspiration and muse John Singer Sargent: White, Cad Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Light, Alizerin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Sap Green, and Black.
Shane prefers to paint portaits life-size and uses his palm to judge size.
He tones his canvas in a cool mixture of Burnt Umber and Ultramarine blue and blocks in the basic shapes with a warm mixture of Burnt Sienna and Alizerin Crimson.
Shane applies paint thinking to himself, "is the shape a ball or a cube." Darker colors recede. Lighter colors come forward.
And in less than an hour, he already has a remarkable likeness.
If you would like to see this exhibit, it will be available through the middle of October.
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