Latrobe High School Impressionist Residency

It is always an honor to be asked to conduct a residency at Latrobe High School in Latrobe, PA. This will be my 6th residency if I remember correctly.....but my memory is not always correct! The result of this brief residency is that I have only 5 days to teach some color and painting techniques to students. The class period ends up being about 40 minutes of working time. I am ALWAYS impressed at the willingness and effort of these students and they are like sponges and end up with really good pieces.

Our first day is spent using only primary colors to have the students learn to use these colors to mix all other colors. They have a warm and cool blue, warm and cool red and warm and cool yellow plus white and sometimes a little bit of black. We usually choose Impressionism as this is a great era of art that reflects in the use of light, brush strokes and color. The students are allowed to choose an artist in this era to exemplify. I am not looking for a copy but rather a strong use of color and insight into what an underpainting does in the final process of a finished work.

Lydia Ross, the art teacher, also paints as do I although not during the class period. The students can then watch a work in process also. Because I am there only a short time, the photos shown right now show the beginning stages and our last day of critique before I leave. I will be sure to post finished works when Ms. Ross has time to catch up with me!