Art Watch: An apple for the student

Posted by Lele Galer on January 19, 2016

Portrait of an apple from Willowdale Academy

If you have ever been to Landhope in Kennett Square off Routes 926 and 82, you may have seen a sign for "Willowdale Art Academy" and wondered what that was. Oil painter Karen D'Allaird started Willowdale Art Academy 5 years ago to give young students art classes that teach the fundamentals of drawing and painting.

Classes are taught only Mondays and Tuesdays, and class size is limited to 8 maximum. Twice a year, the Academy has a student art show, where the students' works are displayed in gallery style for the general public, their family and friends. Time after time, the adults who visited the shows would ask Karen if she could teach them too! Two years ago, Karen started to teach art fundamentals to adults as well as youth, and her classes are packed every session, with a waiting list.

Karen's approach is very traditional. Students start with drawing a sphere or an apple, "Start with something simple, learn the vocabulary, and build on it" she explains. This approach teaches the fundamentals behind all art, and builds up a student's competence and confidence.

"I teach the student to be more critical with their eyes. This is not just an apple, it is that particular apple…the students learn about color, value, and how to see…They will never look at an apple the same again, I guarantee you!" Adults are given six projects that each builds in complexity. After completing the assignments, the students are free to choose subject matter and material of the artwork that they create. Karen continues, "Everyone has the ability to learn how to draw. They need patience. If anyone wants to learn how to do it, then I can teach them! It makes me so happy, and I am so proud of my students."

Her typical adult student is someone who has always wanted to draw but did not have the time or confidence to pursue it. I have known Karen for many years, and it is as clear as can be that the Academy is her passion and her gift. She is "bursting with pride" for her students every day, and the positive energy in the room is contagious. If you think this class is for you or your child, checkout the next Willowdale Art Academy student art show, Sunday January 24th from 2:30-4:00pm. The web site is willowdaleartacademy.com Karen's own beautiful oil paintings can be seen on karen-dallaird.squarespace.com.

If you are a more experienced artist looking to retrace your steps and learn the fundamentals of oil painting, you might consider learning from Neilson Carlin, in his classes at Studio Rilievo in Kennett Square. Karen D'Allaird studied under Neilson, and learned not only how better to see and paint a subject, but how to teach with skill, thoughtfulness and compassion. It is a terrific thing that these two wonderful teachers are instructing others in the classic fundamentals, and how lucky are we that they are both in our own Kennett Square!

Thursday January 21st 5:30-7:30, The Henry Gallery, at The Penn State Great Valley Campus is hosting The Engineering of Art, showing through March 14th, in recognition of their new engineering lab on campus.

Chester County Art Association, located in West Chester, chose 16 artist members to be represented in this show. Each artist has an approach to design that can be interpreted to be inspired by engineering. There are wonderful sculpture artists including Helen Mason and Morris Cook, clay artist Rhoda Kahler, and a broad selection of contemporary painters including Diane Cannon, Lauren Acton, Mark Cole and Lynette Shelley. This should be a great show! To get to the campus, head north on rt 202, to 30 East Swedesford Road, main Building, second Floor.

On this Saturday, January 23rd, The Brandywine River Museum of Art is hosting a very timely "Plein Air Inside and Out" from 9:30-4 p.m. The Museum is allowing visitors to sketch, paint or photograph the gorgeous outdoors from inside the warmth of the museum walls. How fun to take inspiration from the very same river and trees that the Wyeths loved to paint. It will probably be a snowy day, so you might check out the way NC Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth captured the look of snow in such different ways.

Two local successful local artists who love to paint our Chester Country scenery both have solo shows in the area this month. Sarah Baptist shows her "oils" at Darlington Arts Center In Garnet Valley through March. Heather Davis shows her new collection of oil paintings at the Station Tap Room in Downingtown through March. Sally Wilson, artist and gallery owner at Wilson Vineyards in Nottingham is teaching art classes throughout the Winter, and hosting a variety of art shows every month too.

Lele Galer is showing her large oil paintings at Ten Gallon Hat Winery throughout January, and loves to show there because the walls are huge and great for big artwork! If you are an artist looking to show, call up Ten Gallon Hat Winery for a great venue. At Galer Estate Winery, writer Karen Myers is heading up a "Plein Air Writer's workshop", open and free to the public, this Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Using the beauty of the location as an inspiration point for writing poems, prose, or lyrics, writers are invited to hang out and write, then read their works..with a prize at the end for the most compelling work. There is also a writer's gathering at Ten Gallon Hat Winery on Sunday, "Wine and Words" from 1-3 p.m., with 5 celebrated local writers. Chat with them about their latest projects and learn more about how to incorporate your own creative writing into your daily routine.

About Lele Galer

Lele Galer is an artist who has chaired numerous art shows, taught art history and studio art, public art and has chaired, written and taught the Art in Action Art Appreciation series for the UCFD schools for the past 12 years. She worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and wrote for the Associated Press in Rome. She has been dedicated to Art History and art education for most of her adult life. Lele and her husband Brad own Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square.