American Artist, December 2009

• Editor’s Note
• Letters
• What’s New at www.myAmericanArtist.com
• Art Mart Quick Sketches Exhibitions
• Business of ArtTechnical
• Q+A 2009 Editorial Index Bulletin Board

 

• A Very Spanish Appetite: The Paintings of Luis Meléndez by John A. Parks - The greatest master of the Spanish still life came to artistic triumph through professional failure.
• The Perfect Gifts for Artists by M. Stephen Doherty Find holiday gift ideas for the artists in your life. Painting Landscapes in Exact Scale by Marc Dalessio - Marc Dalessio explains how he paints landscapes using an adaptation of the sight-size method normally associated with studio work. His method is to paint what he observes in such a way that the subject and painted image are exactly the same scale when viewed from a constant position.
• Building Rich and Full Layers by John A. Parks By subtly layering pastel, Marlene Wiedenbaum creates a luscious and convincing sense of the world.
• The Benefits and Limitations of Painting Personal Imagery (Available Online) by M. Stephen Doherty George Towne first painted portraits of friends and members of his community as a way of instilling meaningful content in his artwork and motivating himself through long hours of painting. He now applies what he learned to creating drawings and paintings of models that are only acquaintances but whose appearance and personality appeal to him.
• 24 Watercolor Portraits (One for Each Year of a Child’s Life) by M. Stephen Doherty -  Carol Carter began a series of annual portraits of her son shortly after he was born, and she continues to add to her Growth Portraits series now that he is 24 years old.
• Love at First Touch: The Pastel Paintings of Linda Gross Brown by James A. Metcalfe - Ohio artist Linda Gross Brown loves the freedom of working with her fingers, creating pathways through her peaceful scenes with light and shadow.