Andrew Wyeth, American Artist

He was the quintessential example of a true American artistic genius. He was Andrew Wyeth, my favorite American Master Artist.  (1917-2009)

When Andrew Wyeth died in 2009, he left behind a body of work that depicts a simpler, yet somewhat complicated time in American History.  He wove together his love for the African American community over the hill from his home, and the farming community just outside his doorstep.

After reading a number of books on this mans life, I discovered Andrew’s disciplined artistic journey began as a young boy and his respect for the human spirit never wavered.

He is the only artist I’ve ever known who was given unequivocal license to enter the homes of those he knew.  At any time of the day or night, he would enter with canvas, brushes and paint, to render some of his most haunting work of his subjects while they were sleeping, cooking or just sitting and looking out the window.

Several years ago, in Atlanta, GA., The High Museum hosted an Andrew Wyeth exhibit that contained an extraordinarily large body of his work.  Just viewing one of Andrew Wyeth’s emotionally charged paintings was such a powerful experience that seeing such a large body of his work in one place was almost overwhelming.

Andrew Wyeth once said, “I search for the realness, the real feeling of a subject, all the texture around it, I always want to see the third dimension of something.  I want to come alive with the object.”  

Andrew’s desire was to capture a moment, not a frozen moment, but a fleeting moment.  I suppose that’s why his work is so haunting.  He succeeded! - Jill Saur  

Andrew Wyeth Painting

Painting Class - Roswell, GA

Congrats on some very beautiful works of art this past week by my awesome students!

Keep on keeping on and remember, “Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.” ~Andre Gide

To see more of my students work or to inquire about taking an art class, please visit my website.  CLICK HERE

Art Classes Atlanta, GA.

What a great week it's been in art class!  Here are two finished works and several other beautiful pieces in progress.  Sorry to those with fabulous works in progress that I didn't get time to photograph!

I'll end with a quote from, "Watercolor Fares Forth" by Eliot O'Hara, that I read to some of my students this week.  This is in regard to practicing restraint when working on a piece of art.  "Brenda Putnam said of her portrait bust of Amelia Earhart, "I want to make her look as if she could do miracles, not as if she had done them."  She was projecting into the personality of her sitter a quality that they both shared, that of power enough left over to say more or do more when the occasion requires".  He goes on to talk about extracting from your subject the essence of what you're trying to say and not necessarily every minute detail.  I think Eliot O'Hara, an American Master, makes some great points.

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To see more of my students work or to inquire about taking art classes, please visit my website.  CLICK HERE

Art Classes Atlanta GA.

Thomas Merton said, "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time".  I believe that in this losing and finding of ourselves, there is a mysterious beauty that brings healing, growth, and realization.  Painting connects me to my Creator, undoubtedly the ultimate artist!

Here are some of the latest works of my creative, effervescent, and wonderful students.  To see more of my students work, or to inquire about taking art classes, please visit my website. CLICK HERE