Upcoming Salon/Lectures From Strathmore Paper and Rosemary & Co Brushes

We have two upcoming salon events focused on materials, which will both take place the first week of February in the GCA.

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On Wednesday, February 5th we will be hosting Symi Jackson of Rosemary & Co, a small English company that manufactures some of the most respected brushes in the business. Ms. Jackson will discuss the various strengths and qualities of brush type, hair type and size, as well as proper brush care. 

Afterwards, Symi will be available for a Q&A session complete with a full display of Rosemary & Co brushes, which will be available for sale. This is a great opportunity to purchase these excellent brushes without the associated overseas shipping costs. All event attendees will also be automatically entered to win $75 worth of Rosemary brushes, redeemable at the event.

The Rosemary & Co presentation will take place from 5:15-6:15 PM in the GCA Cast Hall.
The Q&A session and brush purchase will begin at 6:15 until 7 PM in the GCA Lounge.

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On Friday, February 7th, we will host Sarah Becktel from Strathmore Artists Paper. She will present a 90 minute hands-on lecture entitled "The Essentials of Paper". This lecture will focus on understanding the various qualities of paper fiber, weight, texture, grade, surface and permanency and how to choose the proper paper for specific projects and mediums.  Attendees will participate in exercises designed to demonstrate the effects of mark-making materials on a selection of different papers.

The presentation will cover all aspects of fine art drawing papers including:

• History of Writing Surfaces: parchment to papyrus to paper
• History of Paper: from China to Europe
• How Paper is Made: past and present
• Handmade paper vs. Machine made paper
• Components of Paper: fiber, watermark, surface texture, sizing, weight, permanence.
• Environmentally friendly papers and alternative fibers
• Types of Paper: newsprint, sketching, drawing, bristol, illustration, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, mixed-media
• Grades of Paper: student, artist, professional
• Paper Storage

Attendees who RSVP by Jan. 31st will receive FREE:

• Strathmore papers & literature
• Selection of drawing materials
• Watercolor brush

The "Essentials of Paper" presentation will take place from 5:30-7:00 PM in the GCA North Studio

Work In Progress Works from the South Studio

Here some work in progress paintings and drawings from the morning session in the South Studio. Keep an eye out for the final pieces at the end of the month.

Anthony Baus

Athena Kim

Connor de Jong

Leeanna Chipana

Patrick Byrnes

Rebecca Gray

Seeram Mangroo

Announcing the 2014 GCA Open Studio Night!

 We are proud to announce our second annual Open Studio Night, which will take place at GCA on February 21st, from 6-8 PM.

Candelabrum with Turtles
Anthony Baus and Rebecca Gray

 Last year's inaugural event was a huge success, showcasing a wide variety of works from core/part-time students, alumni and faculty to four tightly packed studios of onlookers.

 This year, we will once again open our four studios to the public, with each studio presenting a different type of work: figure sculptures in the sculpture studio; cast drawings and paintings in the cast hall; landscape and still-life work in the north studio; and figure paintings and drawings in the south studio.

 In addition to the salon style exhibition, we will also host an ongoing portrait drawing and painting demonstration. Guided informational tours will be open for participation periodically throughout the evening, which will also serve to explain the philosophy of the school and the methods used to create the artwork.

Everyone is welcome, so be sure not to miss what will certainly be a wonderful evening!

Monday Portraits

Here are some portrait sketches from yesterday's 4 hour Monday afternoon session.

Edward Minoff and Mary Jane Ward painting and drawing

Athena Kim

Jacob Collins

Leeanna Chipana

Mary Jane Ward

Patrick Byrnes

Rebecca Gray

Rick Piloco

Edward Minoff

Back From the Holidays

We're back from the holiday break here in the core program, ready to break the pencils and brushes out and get back into the studies.
We enjoyed a wonderful, festive little Christmas party the last evening of school, with a big Pictionary game, Santiago modeling for a group of dedicated students, and plenty of good cheer. Happy new year to all of the GCA community and followers out there!

Choosing the Pictionary category wisely

"This one?"

Leeanna painting Santiago in the North Studio

Colleen drawing alongside