Artists of the Month - April 2017
by Judie Apablaza
Venice in Blue, Jay Ewing
The Fountain, Angela Alvarenga
Umbria, Bill Washburn
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Jay Ewing was our Artist of the Month first place winner in the Premier category. Jay submitted an outstanding oil painting titled “Venice in Blue,” painted in monochromic colors using black and Payne’s Gray, imparting a bluish tone to the piece.
His wife is his photography partner, taking more than one thousand photos on their romantic and magical trip to Venice. They thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Italy and subsequent “plein air” opportunities with 20 watercolor paintings completed in an eleven day stay. Jay was in his element with ancient ornate facades, great lighting and breathtaking views of historical art and architecture at every turn. Jay has a solid, formal art background from Art Center College of Design and 20 years of commercial and graphic design background and professional work experience. Mr. Ewing enjoys traveling and painting with watercolor while juggles a deepening talent in oils with the spontaneous medium of watercolor. Angela Alvarenga won our blue ribbon in the Open category. Her striking watercolor painting, “The Fountain,” was inspired by a photo of Spanish colonial architecture that caught her eye. Her bright, cheerful colors and spontaneous style charmed us all.
Angela majored in animation at Cal Sate Fullerton and has worked in the commercial art field as an assistant to the Art Director. She has also illustrated a published children’s book related to the water cycle, titled “It Starts With A Rain Drop.” She takes her watercolors with her wherever she goes and enjoys the versatility and easy clean-up that watercolor gives her. While taking care of her two and four years old children with all the demands of a busy family, she still manages to fit in free lance art work. She has been impressed by our Verdugo Hills Art Association workshops and demonstrators. She spoke with glowing admiration of the many accomplished artists in our club and the “brush mileage” that is evident in their work. When demonstrators use a particular technique and method, Angela is more than willing to experiment and try something new. We are very pleased to have Angela as a new member. Bill Washburn was our second place winner in the Open category. Bill’s Prismacolor pencil drawing was titled “Umbria.”
Bill and his wife Susan spent a month in Italy sketching as well as painting portraits and landscapes. Both of them enjoyed the passage back in time as they painted their way through medieval cities, villages and picturesque countrysides. Bill termed it a “working vacation” with their home base being a farmhouse that they had rented, with painting and sketching excursions during the day. Bill has many years in the commercial art field in advertising management. He enjoyed his professional life at advertising agencies as a creative director working with creative concepts and ideas while managing people. He always longed to return to fine art and found the time in the evening to return to Art Center to refresh his painting skills. Bill enjoys drawing, watercolor and oils. His favorite medium would be working in oils and doing portraits. Susan, also an accomplished artist, enjoys painting landscapes. Bill is very versatile and is more than willing to enjoy painting landscapes, too. We extend a warm welcome to Bill and his wife Susan, who are returning members to our Verdugo Hills Art Association. |