Mira Hecht, Abstract Artist

About 25 SAA members spent a few hours with Mira Hecht, an Abstract artist and instructor at the Corcoran.

We started with an art history lesson (abbreviated) showing how painting evolved from realism to today's abstractionism.   We had a taste of movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism, Modernism, and some of the work of Kandinsky, Klee, Miro, O'Keeffe.  We even touched on the emergence of photography and its affect on the painting of realistic scenes and portraits.

We were then treated to examples of Mira's work. x

Before the meeting.  What do we do best?

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Florence Gang welcoming 25+ members

One of Mira's pieces...

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,,,and another

A very pleasant and informative afternoon.  Thanks Mira!  ...And for those who were there, please tell the rest of the members your impressions in the Comment Box below....

October 16, 2010, with David Daniels, watercolorist

The SAA joint meeting with the Washington Watercolor Society was called to order at 2:20pm at Davis Library.

Florence Gang announced a decision by the Board of Directors to donate $500 to Montgomery College.  She also announced SAA has applied to Black Rock and Friendship Heights for exhibits in 2011.

Lieta Gerson then introduced our program guest, David Daniels, watercolorist.

David began by speaking about "why" he paints...

Because of his science background, he is a curious individual and wants to try something new with each painting.  He feels if an artist experiments instead of painting in the same way each time, he will experience growth as an artist.  He encouraged each of us to approach each painting as a challenge to try something different.

He always paints on large (4' x 6') paper which is glued to alumilite?, unmatted and varnished. but he reminded us that this type of presentation is usually not accepted in watercolor shows.  He recently began using squirrel hair brushes, uses many different brands of paint, and freely uses frisket to preserve white of paper.

Before starting to paint, he does background studies...value, composition, design and color, which gives him freedom to just paint since all the decisions are already made.  He also spoke about the importance of shape, value, color temperature, dominance and variety.

After demonstrating his painting technique (lots of water and letting colors flow into one another), he presented one of his large, finished paintings.

Click for a series of interviews with David Daniels, and see him at work in his studio.

Photoshop at MC with Professor Riggs

On Saturday, September 25, eleven SAA members met with Professors Riggs and Johannsen for several hours of a hands-on Photoshop workshop.

Each member brought in photos or worked with photos that were supplied.  Basic information was covered that would help an artist develop and modify a photo that would satisfy one's sense of composition, color, tonality, etc.

Here is Joe Giacalone, in the foreground, building a 'gif' photograph of one of his abstract paintings for his web site.

Professor Johannsen is helping Art Hammer.

Thank you to Professors Riggs and Johannsen!!