Blog

In July I will be participating in an oil painting workshop with one of my favorite artists and teachers, Dawn Whitelaw, at the Southgate Studio and Fine Art in Franklin, TN. After more than 30 years of teaching painting, Dawn Whitelaw still thinks of herself as a student. Like the painters she so admires, Sorolla, Sargent, and Zorn, she fully understands the importance of not only painting from life, but also keeping it simple. "It's not about rendering every eyelash or tree limb, but about finding the character for your subject and presenting the essential information," says Whitelaw.

Dawn Whitelaw maintains a studio at "The Factory" in Franklin, Tennessee. The opportunity to paint landscape plein air with colleagues from Alla Prima International and The Cumberland Society of Painters adds richness and honesty to her studio work. For more than 25 years she taught basic principles of oil painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She credits the community of teachers and students around her for both her success and growth as an artist. Among her influential teachers are Scott Christensen, Cedric Egeli and Jim Pollard, but most of her instruction and inspiration comes from nationally preeminent artist Everett Raymond Kinstler. She considers one of her career highlights to be juried into two sessions at the Santa Fe Institute of Art with Kinstler as the instructor.

Her ability to capture life in paint has been noticed. Her awards include the Certificate of Merit for her portrait at the National Portrait Convention in 1991, Best of Show at the Portrait Society of America in Washington DC, and the Award of Excellence in the Oil Painter's of America exhibition in 2002.

With each painting, Dawn learns to see life in a new light. Whether painting vast open areas or intimate spaces, she delivers every stroke of paint like that of both a skilled master and a student discovering paint for the first time. For more information on Dawn and her workshops, log onto http://www.dawnwhitelaw.com 

One of our favorite haunts in our town, Florence, Alabama, is Deibert Park. This Park was established a few years ago by the city of Florence, AL, on land that was donated to the city by Mrs. Kirk Deibert. Mrs. Deibert donated the land with the stipulation that it would be used for a public park. The Park contains several walking trails, a children's playground, a children's museum, and fish ponds. We like to visit there to walk and to paint. "Turtle Heaven" is the result of a recent visit there.

Recently I received a message from Patricia Bongart, widow of the famous Russian impressionist, Sergei Bongart. Patricia's message was regarding an article, "Sergei Bongart: Notes on Painting," posted on the Internet by Norm Nason. According to Ms. Bongart, these notes are not sanctioned by sergeibongart.com and contain inaccurate information. She suggested that anyone interested in the Bongart method should consult http://www.sergeibongart.com/bongart_method.html to learn more about the master painter's technique. Ms. Bongart sent me a copy of the publication, Sergei Bongart: Touched by the Gods! I highly recommend this book to all painting enthusiasts and students; it is a fascinating read as you learn about the life of Bongart and his painting method. It is a real treasure trove of insightful information; the book is available through http://www.sergeibongart.com/. The artist and wife of Sergei Bongart, Patricia was selected for her talent and featured in the book, Masterworks of Impressionism. She has received major awards that include both national and regional honors. The Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma City selected her for a television feature that includes her work and a demonstration. Her work is widely represented in collections throughout the United States and abroad.