A spectacular event took place on Friday and Saturday, July 13 and 14

The Teaching Studios' 2nd Annual Plein Air Competition was held at Sagamore Hill Historic Preserve in Oyster Bay, NY. 35 selected artists competed for over $3000 in prizes supplied by Jerry's Artarama, as well as a $1000 grand prize supplied by Teaching Studios. The event culminated in an exhibition in the newly converted arts space in the Rodgers Building in downtown Oyster Bay.

This competition was open to public viewing and featured live plein air painting demonstrations from our juror Erik Koeppel, as well as the phenomenal landscape artist Lauren Sansaricq.

Winners

Steve Dolan - First place
Rick Piloco - Second Place
Charlie Churchill - Third Place

The exhibition is ongoing: July 16- August 14

The Arts Space in the Rodgers Building
120 Audrey Avenue
Oyster Bay, NY 11771

Gallery Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 1-4pm

Selected artists

Alexander Adell
Luis Alvarez
Alan Appel
Charles Basman
John Morra
Spenceer Brainard
Cathy Chiavaro
Charlie Churchill
Mike Conlon
Susan D'Alessio
Noel Darvie
Anthony Davis
Sebastian Deregibus
David Dibble
Steve Dolan
Mercedes Dorson
Dennis Foy
James Jahrsdoerfer
Philip Jordan
Robin Kappy
Maura Kelley
Steve Kovach
Emilie Lee
Eric March
Walter Mosley
David A. Paulsen
Juan Pena
Richard Piloco
Doug Reina
Kenneth Salaz
June Long-Schuman
Boris Tyomkin
Jessica Vandenburg
Loraine Volz
Patricia Watwood
Larry Wechsler

Juror

Erik Koeppel is one of the leading plein air landscape painters in the US today. He has had numerous solo exhibitions and has taught Plein Air workshops for the Hudson River Fellowship of the Grand Central Academy in NYC. He has been the subject of feature articles in American Artist Magazine and Plein Air Magazine.

Prizes

1st Prize

$1000 award given to the best overall painting, as decided by our juror.
$750 Plein Air Kit from Jerry’s ArtArama
Also, the Grand Prize winner will be profiled in American Artist Magazine in their coverage of the event.

2nd Prize

$550 Plein Air Kit from Jerry’s Artarama, which includes (for example):
Monet French Easel 57067
Charvin Plein Air Set
Vermeer Filbert Set of 5
Vermeer Flat Set of 5
Vermeer Round Set of 5
Creativo Artpak
Large Double Palette Cups
Petite Air-Tight Brush Washer
8"x10" Centurion OP Linen Panels (6 pack)
9"x12" Raphael Linen Panel

3rd Prize

$340 Plein Air Kit from Jerry’s Artarama

Sponsors

Instructor Bennett Vadnais in show at George Billis Gallery

Teaching Studios Instructor Bennett Vadnais is in a group show this month. His painting is the main image for the showcard. Way to go Bennett!

Please join us at the George Billis Gallery Thursday, July 19th, for the opening reception.

Patricia Watwood: Myths and Individuals - Solo Show

As part of our ongoing series of engaging Teaching Studios faculty about what is happening in their careers: Workshop and Visiting Instructor  Patricia Watwood has agreed to share some thoughts about and images of artwork from her solo show at the Forbes Galleries that opens this week.
	Patricia Watwood: Myths and Individuals Notes from the Artist Myths and narratives are important tools that humans use for sorting out our relationships to each other and to the world. In this body of work, I am seeking the individual and personal contained within our myths, and conversely, seeking the universal within the individual. I construct images that invite the viewer to contemplate, connect, and find relationships. I wish my paintings to be visual poems awaiting your interpretation.
	Tradition has nothing to do with the past. To follow a tradition is to embrace a manner of working in which the values and aspirations of the past are continuous with those of the future. I do not chase the past. I chase what artists in the past have also chased—a celebration of the human form, a passion for and humility before nature, a belief that metaphor and narrative can help us puzzle out the mysteries of our time here on earth, and a belief in the emotional power of the common visual language of representation.
	My figures and portraits are designed to convey the beauty and stillness of the visual world. My paintings travel through worlds of mythology, allegory, and contemporary human life. They reflect my search for meaning, and fulfill my desire for spiritual connection with my subjects and viewers. The exhibit shows over 30 paintings and six drawings, spanning over 10 years of time. Patricia Watwood: Myths and Individuals February 17 to June 9, 2012 The Forbes Galleries 60 Fifth Avenue at 12th St. Manhattan Free, open to the public 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tues-Sat. Thursdays open to groups by appt. 212-206-5548 Catalogues are available from her 2011 solo show at the St Louis Universtity Museum of Art, $20 each (plus tax and shipping). Please contact us at info@teachingstudios.com for more information.

The Urban Landscape with Bennett Vadnais

As part of our ongoing series of engaging Teaching Studios faculty on what they are working on in their studios, Bennett Vadnais has agreed to share some images and thoughts from one of his latest paintings. This one is still very much in-progress.

I began this painting by doing many studies of the subject outdoors. This included quick color studies to capture the light effect as well as several pencil drawings that explore the form and structure of the architecture.

After gathering this material I enlarged the composition to my canvas and painted it in monochrome. For landscape subjects I’ll often use Mars Violet with white. I work out drawing and value patterns in this monochrome before applying color in many layers that range from transparent to opaque.