Post 457: Art Education and Self-Taught Artist Thoughts

Art Education and Self-Taught Artist Thoughts

In our Prince William Art Society (PWAS) group, we have artists of EVERY conceivable level and medium - of beginner to professional, of watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, digital artists, photographers and mixed media and more. We have art educators (current and past), the officially art educated, visual artists, self-taught artists, and art admirers. Every member brings a lot to the group with their experiences, inquisitiveness, and expertise.

 

Photo by Antenna on Unsplash 

PWAS Artist Opinions

I asked the PWAS members their thoughts on art education and self-taught artists, and asked these questions to spur their thoughts.

1. What do you see as the benefits to the path you took? 

2. Were there drawbacks? 

3. Did you get an art education to have an art career? How did that pan out?

4. Do you like managing your art focus on your own? 

5. Are there things you had to learn that you haven't used since?

6. What is something you WISH you had learned that you learned much later?

7. What classes are you taking now to further your art knowledge and experience?

 

Well, I received some AWESOME feedback from our members so enjoy these messages... A big thank you to all that replied!

From PWAS Member Bettie Sperty

My story: I was not an art school student, did not have the luxury of going to college, and am mostly self taught. I was always drawing as a kid and into adulthood.

As an adult, after my children left home to further their own educations, a friend told me about The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. I discovered they offered classes there and eventually took my first class ever. It was a class using acrylic paints, which I had a little bit of experience with. That’s when I realized that classes aren’t about “teaching you how to paint” or draw or whatever, but to inspire you, to share tid-bits about the medium or materials and to interact with other artists of all levels and backgrounds. That’s what I get out of classes. 

It’s been many years since I took that first class, but have randomly taken workshops at other venues - using various mediums, with various artists - on occasion when time, funds and life have allowed.

1. What do you see as the benefits to the path you took? 

I think that going the route I took I did not have the pressure of the regular classroom. And being of a more mature age, I was not distracted by trying to navigate a new life of freedom and adulthood as one would have in college.

2. Were there drawbacks? 

None

3. Did you get an art education to have an art career? How did that pan out?

No art education and I did not have an “art career”, but when I did work, I was often able to work in a creative field: store and window display, floral design, custom mural painting, holiday decor for upscale model homes, etc.

All of these were positions that required me to use artistic elements such as balance of color, size and texture, contrast, color harmony, focal points, etc. as well as physical placement of the subject so that it will be seen by the viewer. 

4. Do you like managing your art focus on your own?  

Yes. though I do look outside myself for inspiration, advice and suggestions from others.

5. Are there things you had to learn that you haven't used since?
Nope 

6. What is something you WISH you had learned that you learned much later?
That there were classes out there in the world for adults. 

7. What classes are you taking now to further your art knowledge and experience?

I have been enjoying weekly oil painting at Creative Brush Studio in Manassas. It’s considered a class, but it’s more like a workshop. Everyone works on whatever they want, at their own pace. Mary (the owner/instructor) is there to give suggestions, answer questions and then a lesson at the end of the class time. It’s a wonderful, friendly environment and it makes me take at least that one day, for those few hours, to do nothing but paint! A gift to myself.

From Brand-New PWAS Member Terry Sandin

Terry and his wife Cassandra just joined PWAS...

I am one of your new members - I only just joined.  Your email reminded me of my first years of painting and how much I enjoyed it.  I was really tracking to become a marine biologist or anthropologist while gobbling up all the art courses I could at Oregon State University.  I was really tempted to pursue more artistic endeavors...but - sometimes life gets in the way...After graduation I was going to be drafted so I became a naval aviator.  

After Vietnam, multiple aircraft carriers, and the cold war - I began negotiating treaties with the former Soviet Union and nuclear testing agreements.  Upon retirement from the Navy, 9-11 came along and I worked in the counterterrorism world.  All these kinds of activities never allowed me time to pick up a brush.  Just this year my wife encouraged me to try and see if any creative juices remained - so I began experimenting.  

I knew nothing about exhibits or selling or even other artists in the area.  I started with acrylics and charcoal and have been trying a wide variety of subject matter.  My latest projects have been a Spider, an impression of one of King Tuts Jewelry breast plates, and a helicopter - all in work as we speak.  I do have one painting accepted in the Open Space Arts Center for their Spring Exhibit that just opened (a butterfly - can you believe it).  So, we will see how it goes.

My art career fizzled because of a myriad of reasons...Although I never had any regrets about my art education - I always felt it helped me relate to the people in the countries I visited and lived in.  I saw some of the finest collections of art in the world in all my travels.  So I consider my art connection essential to understanding fundamental behavior and history of our fellow humans.  (that's the combination of anthropology and art coming out)

PS. I admire the digital artists and expect that genre to explode in all kinds of directions - It will become an immensely important technical skill for today's young artist.

 

Photo by Raychan on Unsplash 

From PWAS Member from Mickey Winslow

I am Madelyn ( Mickey) Winslow and I have been a member of PWAS since I graduated from Nova with a degree in Fine Art in 1980. I have been drawing and painting since I was a little child & especially after my Mom bought a Milton Bradley art kit for me. It had oil paints, water color paints & drawing pencils in it and of course, paper and canvas sheets. I had an aunt who saved paper for me when she found extra sheets in her job as an office cleaner. 

I was interested in dress design & therefore; had hundreds of drawings of all kinds of models with dresses on. I designed the dresses. So much fun! While stationed in Japan for 3 years, I took an oil painting class with a Japanese Master oil painter & loved it! After that, I studied with other painting teachers here & at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, Alexandria. We had live models & there was a lot of competition. 

In high school I studied drawing & painting just as in college. I had one professor of art at NOVA who taught Design & I loved that too. I was given a scholarship to continue school at NOVA WHICH I did. I graduated Magna cum Laud with an Associate Degree in Fine Art. I also won First Prize in Painting in one competition we had. 

I was privileged to be taught by several art professors who were artists themselves & had had exhibits - one having her art displayed at the Women's’ Art Museum  in DC. I spent a lot of time at the art museums in Washington, D.C. including the Hirshorn when studying Design. I was able to substitute teach at our local elementary school in art classes & started an “After School Art Club" at my church one day a week & had 35 students per week & they loved it! I loved it too.  

I continue to paint & draw even now. I was a member of a private art gallery in old Town Occoquan for a year and a half. Very enlightening. Art means a lot to me & my favorite subjects to paint are lighthouses and animal portraits and also flowers.

From PWAS Member Zee Berrios

Concerning your questions:

 

1. What do you see as the benefits to the path you took? 

 It was a two-fold path. As self-taught, I developed a lot of different techniques that made my art "unique".

 

As an art student, I learned all about what the art world was really all about and the thousands of art expressions that existed.

 

The benefits of art education were many. Learning what made a masterpiece, the history of art, the different styles, the different techniques, the different mediums. 

 

Getting work critiqued was a huge benefit. Seeing through the eyes of others and learning from others helped in not being so self focused and reaching out to others with your creations. 

 

In art education we learned the difference between the types of paints  and mediums that defined the path on what I do now. 

2. Were there drawbacks? 

As a self-taught artist, It took too many years to develop a unique style. Missed the current styles and developments in art. Missed having the fellowship with other artists. Was not able to have a steady production of art pieces to share. Opportunities to expose were limited. The art that was produced was less spontaneous and more commissioned. 

 

As an art student, I was too involved in learning what others did and getting confused on which direction to go.

  

3. Did you get an art education to have an art career? How did that pan out?

Yes, a bachelor's degree in fine arts and a minor in photography. But it didn't pan out in art, so I also got a bachelor's degree in Education. 

 

Being an art teacher for middle schoolers, that "HAD" to take an elective and were not really interested in art, ended up being more of a social worker than an instructor, so I quit being a teacher.

 

As a photographer I was able to work as a free-lance photographer for UPI and other organizations, beside securing a job as a manager in a Photography Studio at a University Library. That job lead me to study Library Science and become a librarian.   

 

On the long run, after I retired from being a Librarian I went back to full-time painting.

4. Do you like managing your art focus on your own? 

Yes, initially but later the input of others became essential in the development of what I do now.

5. Are there things you had to learn that you haven't used since?

Yes, how to produce engravings of all sorts, ... serigraph, wood cut, linoleums, gouache, metal and gesso sculpting, (all art that is not necessarily painting with a brush), charcoal and India ink drawing and how to do "Fresco" murals.

6. What is something you WISH you had learned that you learned much later?

How to stretch and mount your own canvas, how to photograph an art piece and how to price your work, the difference in paint types i.e. permanent pigment vs. hue.... etc.

7. What classes are you taking now to further your art knowledge and experience?

None right now 

 

From PWAS Member Donna Liguria

I am a self-taught artist. Do I miss not having an official art education? Probably a little bit of a Yes and some of a No. It's just not the route my life took. And I didn't have the student debt for college either. I did have a basic art class in high school and later took an oil painting class at Piedmont Community College (wish I remembered more about that!), but I would love to have had at least more on the basics on art history-appreciation, perspective and composition. I'm presuming that the art education drilled these subjects into your head - perhaps becoming second nature? I'd like to know that answer. But I am glad to have missed the building of my own canvases adventure.

Nonetheless, you can learn so much from the internet now, or from books. Like learning any musical instrument, it just takes practice! I do love looking up a topic on YouTube and watching various artists work a topic, their styles and suggestions. The trick is of course to not get lost in the zillions of videos available and lose hours of time. Been there done that. Sometimes I resort to my various and interesting art reference books on hand to lookup things.

Taking a local art class can be expensive but taking the time to attend a GREAT class given by an awesome teacher can really boost your art focus. And actually, I have learned a TON just by joining the Prince William Art Society (PWAS - my local art group) - I see doing that as an art education in itself as you work with various artists in a variety of capacities - workshops, guest speakers, art shows, galleries, etc., just by talking and asking questions. And occasionally I get to share what I know and have learned thus far! Example: The PWAS Artistry Spin Blog.

And a bit of a drop here, the Prince William Art Society does have plans to offer classes to our members too, so I am all over that!

For Further Reading

DIY Art School: A Complete Guide to Learning Art on Your Own

Art NTK - Need to Know

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Author: Donna Liguria
Artistry Spin Blogmaster and an artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA, specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Esty site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.

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Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

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