Tina Kraft is a talented South Florida artist with connections to our besties at the New York Studio School. It was at NYSS where we met many of our great instructors such as Fran O’Neil, Charity Baker, Catherine Lepp, Sam Wade Levy, Shruti Ghatak, and Jonathan Harkham. Our own Keith Pfieffer is currently pursuing his MFA there, and Mary Shea is no stranger to the school either. (Mary Shea’s “Drawing with Color” class starts in 2 weeks, by the way.) That was a long winded family tree, but hopefully it gives some context to why I’m looking at these branches.
Tina Kraft came specially recommended to teach with us by the very highly regarded Fran O’Neil, an esteemed instructor at the NYSS, and a star with us since 2019. Lucky for us Kraft agreed to teach a couple of workshops at SAL this summer! More about that later.
Nosing through Tina Kraft’s portfolio, I found this drawing of trees.
This drawing of trees by Tina Kraft shows some methods in common with Van Gogh. Look at the marks. See how the whole composition from each edge of the rectangle is filled with descriptions? The lines go right up to the edge. The lumpy ground is dotted with pattern and texture, circles and squiggles. The generous tree canopy brings volume and movement because they’re described with a choir of curved contours across shared undulating clouds of leaves. The diagonal trunks and branches bring form and rhythm with each angled straight structure. Nothing is at a perfect vertical or horizontal, so the whole picture is in motion, and all of it is infused with energy! See how each group of marks leads you to the next group of marks? Everything is in a sort of social relationship. Nothing is isolated. These drawings give the viewer unlimited pathways in, around, and through the composition. There’s much to discover!
A big part of why we enjoy working with graduates from the New York Studio School is seen in the way they draw. There is an intensity to the descriptive information in the marks. Forgive us for being art nerds, but honestly we think it’s thrilling. These methods are rooted (sorry for the pun) in classical approaches all the way back through Rembrandt, but they aren’t static or stodgy. These keenly observational marks propel us forward into modern ideas that describe our experiences being alive now. They even lead to abstraction. NYSS artists and instructors changed the way I think about drawing, and I love them for that. More later! For now, enjoy a few more drawings of family trees.
[image_with_animation image_url=”8262″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] I asked Paul D. McKee who some inspirational painters were for his upcoming Unconventional Painting workshop. He sent me this: Robert Rauschenberg David Wojnarowicz Anselm Kiefer Lawrence Carroll I knew the first three names (V-Notes on the way), and thank you to Suzanne Walker for repeatedly saying the name “Wojnarowicz” in …
Some people need a little extra push to get them to sit and draw. I’m one of those people. I’m a chronic multi-tasker. I tend to be scattered, I take on too much, and whatever I’m doing I feel like I should be doing something else. One very potent and wonderful invitation to focus is …
The surrealist movement was, in part, a reaction to fascism. As a student I assumed some of the surrealist art was motivated by political protest, a refusal to make sense or be pretty. Looking around today at a world I thought I understood, but now seems misshapen and horrifying, I think I understand why the …
I am thrilled to be showing new work at SAM Gallery! This is a portrait show with six fabulous Seattle artists. I’ll share about the making of these paintings, and post to V. Notes soon. SAM GALLERY PRESENTS: FREE RADICALS JUN 12 – JUL 7 2019 SEATTLE ART MUSEUM SAM GALLERY 10 AM – 5 …
Drawing of Trees by Tina Kraft
Tina Kraft is a talented South Florida artist with connections to our besties at the New York Studio School. It was at NYSS where we met many of our great instructors such as Fran O’Neil, Charity Baker, Catherine Lepp, Sam Wade Levy, Shruti Ghatak, and Jonathan Harkham. Our own Keith Pfieffer is currently pursuing his MFA there, and Mary Shea is no stranger to the school either. (Mary Shea’s “Drawing with Color” class starts in 2 weeks, by the way.) That was a long winded family tree, but hopefully it gives some context to why I’m looking at these branches.
Tina Kraft came specially recommended to teach with us by the very highly regarded Fran O’Neil, an esteemed instructor at the NYSS, and a star with us since 2019. Lucky for us Kraft agreed to teach a couple of workshops at SAL this summer! More about that later.
Nosing through Tina Kraft’s portfolio, I found this drawing of trees.
This drawing of trees by Tina Kraft shows some methods in common with Van Gogh. Look at the marks. See how the whole composition from each edge of the rectangle is filled with descriptions? The lines go right up to the edge. The lumpy ground is dotted with pattern and texture, circles and squiggles. The generous tree canopy brings volume and movement because they’re described with a choir of curved contours across shared undulating clouds of leaves. The diagonal trunks and branches bring form and rhythm with each angled straight structure. Nothing is at a perfect vertical or horizontal, so the whole picture is in motion, and all of it is infused with energy! See how each group of marks leads you to the next group of marks? Everything is in a sort of social relationship. Nothing is isolated. These drawings give the viewer unlimited pathways in, around, and through the composition. There’s much to discover!
A big part of why we enjoy working with graduates from the New York Studio School is seen in the way they draw. There is an intensity to the descriptive information in the marks. Forgive us for being art nerds, but honestly we think it’s thrilling. These methods are rooted (sorry for the pun) in classical approaches all the way back through Rembrandt, but they aren’t static or stodgy. These keenly observational marks propel us forward into modern ideas that describe our experiences being alive now. They even lead to abstraction. NYSS artists and instructors changed the way I think about drawing, and I love them for that. More later! For now, enjoy a few more drawings of family trees.
4 drawings of trees by van gogh
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[image_with_animation image_url=”8262″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] I asked Paul D. McKee who some inspirational painters were for his upcoming Unconventional Painting workshop. He sent me this: Robert Rauschenberg David Wojnarowicz Anselm Kiefer Lawrence Carroll I knew the first three names (V-Notes on the way), and thank you to Suzanne Walker for repeatedly saying the name “Wojnarowicz” in …
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Some people need a little extra push to get them to sit and draw. I’m one of those people. I’m a chronic multi-tasker. I tend to be scattered, I take on too much, and whatever I’m doing I feel like I should be doing something else. One very potent and wonderful invitation to focus is …
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The surrealist movement was, in part, a reaction to fascism. As a student I assumed some of the surrealist art was motivated by political protest, a refusal to make sense or be pretty. Looking around today at a world I thought I understood, but now seems misshapen and horrifying, I think I understand why the …
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I am thrilled to be showing new work at SAM Gallery! This is a portrait show with six fabulous Seattle artists. I’ll share about the making of these paintings, and post to V. Notes soon. SAM GALLERY PRESENTS: FREE RADICALS JUN 12 – JUL 7 2019 SEATTLE ART MUSEUM SAM GALLERY 10 AM – 5 …