CONGRATULATIONS MAGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations to Maggie Di Matteo!!!!!!! Maggie  is a 16 yr old art student from Oxford, CT. Maggie’s recent  graphite drawing has been selected to be exhibited in the New Hampshire Institute of Art’s National High School Art Competition. Her classical cast drawing of the ear,  (that she has put in 7 weeks of patient observation into), has landed her a place in this competitive exhibition.  

 My feeling is talent is great and Maggie’s got plenty of it, but its hard work, diligence, and a great attitude  that are the keys to success in all endeavors. Maggie’s got that combination of qualities. It is how she came so far so quickly. Maggie’s been coming to the studio for about ten weeks now for the portfolio development class.

Her drawing will be on view March 17^th, 2012 at the campus of the New Hampshire Institute of Art. The awards ceremony will take place at 2pm that day. Finalists in this competition are eligible for awards and scholarships totaling 10,000 dollars. Good luck Maggie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 For more information you can visit the New Hampshire Institute of Art’s website www.nhia.edu

New to the class is Toni Risucci. She is also coming along really nicely. Toni is just getting started on her observational skills by exploring insects and flowers through the process of contour line.

The insect she is visually analyzing was a gift from my studio wall when we first moved in this particular space in 2004.Though I like to think I’m nature girl, I have to confess it took me a week to get up the nerve to touch this creature.(Shreaking would have been the inevitable consequence had he moved!) Wasn’t quite sure he was dead or playing possum!Now I like to think he is a gift from one of my favorite artists, Albrecht Durer.

... But life in nature manifests the truth of these things.... Therefore observe it diligently, go by it and do not depart from nature arbitrarily, imagining to find the better by thyself, for thou wouldst be misled. For, verily, "art" is embedded in nature; he who can extract it has it. -- Albrecht Durer

While searching for an image of Durer's "Stag Beetle" watercolor, I came across this great site of  Dr.Jessica Palmer, artist and micro-biologist. Bioephemera.

It is her research into the integration of art and science.Check it out!