ELAINE QUEHL, Quilt Artist, Teacher, Dyer, Designer

Monday, December 7, 2015

Painting in the Style of Mary Pratt, an Inspiring Weekend

At the age of 80, Newfoundland painter Mary Pratt is still painting. It takes months to create a piece such as her "Red Current Jelly". I am a huge admirer of the light and colour in her work. I also love her use of the colour red.

So I jumped at the chance to take a two-day painting class in the style of Mary Pratt, with instructor Andrea Mossop, this past weekend at the Shenkman campus of the Ottawa School of Art. The class was about learning to paint with colour capsules, achieving luminosity, glow, sparkle and shine.

We had to bring an inspiration photo. I chose this photo of a fountain, taken at Ville Lante in Italy in 2012.


Our first task was to sketch out the basic shapes and lay down a colour map using a very light wash of paint, and then the work of painting all the colour shapes began.

After two days, this is where the class ended. I probably have months of work ahead of me to finish this, but I am pleased with my weekend as I learned a great deal that I hope will make its way into future art quilts. The whole subject of refracted light has me facinated.

I am heading back into the studio this week. Still playing with some sketches and ideas before I haul out some fabric.

6 comments:

  1. Did you know that there is a Mary Pratt exhibit on at the National Gallery 'til January, I believe. Love her work too!

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    1. Thanks Susan. I saw the Mary Pratt exhibit in September, and I think it runs until January. That's how I found out about her.

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  2. Wow, that sounds like a fun class! It will be interesting to see the painting progress.

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  3. What a wonderful opportunity, Elaine AND what a GREAT start you have here. Enjoy the process. I hope we get to see the progress as it happens!

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    1. It was a fantastic opportunity, to finally have some quiet time, and take a class myself Carolynn. I learned a lot! Don't hold your breath on the progress ... I was there more to learn than to actually finish a painting.

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