Monday, October 22, 2012

Melina Nelson Bair-Photographer for November/December

Featured in the Sebastian River Art Club's Art Center for the month of November is photographer Melina Nelson Bair.  This writer saw her work in the Press Journal's "Picture of the Day" and contacted her about showing her beautiful photographs in the Hume Gallery space of the Art Center.  On the postcard below is pictured a detaiil of the actual photo that caught my eye.  We are proud to present her work to you, which will be on display through November and December.  Please join us for an opening reception Saturday, November 3rd, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

See more of Melina's work at by clicking on http://melinanelsonbair.zenfolio.com/

Portion of Melina's exhibit
While you're at the Art Center, be sure to see all the other wonderful works on display there, including the Little Jewels--over 100 petite works by our excellent artist members.  And please vote for your favorite "Sebastian Scene" which is the theme for November for our member artists.  Look for the colored dot on select paintings indicating they conform to the theme, and place your vote in the ballot box at the A/C's entry.


"Flamingo" photograph by Melina Nelson Bair


Judy Burgarella
Art Center Chairman
And Blogger for the
Sebastian River Art Club's Art Center

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Portrait Demos finished!

Theme for the Art Cetner this month is "Impressionism," and many are already on view, with others being feverishing created by our exhibiting A/C artists.  On view in the Hume Gallery continued are the Plein Air Paintings (made on-site in the open air), Challenge paintings (3-hour fast-painting challenge, with some time stretched out at home), and Judy Burgarella's (this writer) "Art of the Portrait" demonstration paintings (below).  Next month's theme in the Art Center will be "Sebastian Scenes," so if you're looking for a sourveneir of this beautiful rivershore town, come to the Art Center and pick one out.  Also on view are precious little 2-1/2" to 3" square paintings on canvas, wooden easels included, by our Club artists, available for purchase with all proceeds going to our Scholarship fund.

"Art of the Portrait portrait demos presented by yours truly were conducted in six separate sessions on Tuesdays 3-4 pm from August 28th through October 2nd, and was very well attended.  Videographer Bob Barbour (eyesforlight@gmail.com) recorded each hour-long session, and DVD's will soon be available. 
It was exciting to see so many people interested in portraiture, my favorite subject.  Each week was a different medium, starting with pencil, then charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic and finishing up with oil.  The demonstrations consisted of mapping out the face, determining negative space and spacial relationships, how to create a realistic eye, and then getting right into the act of creating a portrait in the six different mediums.  Demonstrations were free and open to the public, and the finished works can be viewed through October at the SRAC Art Center, 1245 Main Street, Sebastian, FL on the City Hall Campus.  Donations benefit the Club's Scholarship Fund. 

Mostly-finished portraits
Pictured above, top left to right, "Guido Costa" pencil (not finished), "Norwood Stanhope" black and white charcoal (not finished), "Noah Lavender" pastel, "Kathy Costa" watercolor, "Patti Goins" acrylic, and "Tania Ortega-Cowan Oil.

COMING THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2012, 3-4 pm - Christine Thomas will show us how to paint on silk - I've seen her work on this (she's also a fabulous artist) and it is spectacular!  This demo is also free and open to the public. 


At this time, it is a day after the Club's Annual Fall Show at the Clubhouse, and I heard it was a very well-attended successful show.  The Crabby Bill's show on Riverside Drive will be coming up soon, and I will have more news on that. For more information about SRAC's Art Center, please visit the previous posting.

Of note, the Sebastian River Art Club is proud to have recently contributed $250 for the use of the newly-created Sebastian Senior Center, across the courtyard from the Art Center.  Yay for for those volunteeers and generous businesses for creating something so wonderful for our seniors.  A lot of laughter comes from that buiding, so I guess they're all having a good time.
Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the
Sebastian River Art Club