Author: Jeff Daugherty

November 10, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

How To Ask for Help with Your Art

You’ve faced this conundrum before. Maybe you’re having difficulty following your map, and you’re reluctant to ask the car next to you at the stoplight for directions. Maybe you’re too proud to ask your parents for help with this month’s rent. And if you’re an artist, or you want to be an artist, you might have found yourself hesitant now or at some point when it comes to seeking out help with your art.

There’s no shame in asking for help. After all, nobody becomes a skilled artist overnight. Vincent Van Gogh famously practiced sketching day and night, year after year, before he even let himself attempt to paint with a brush. Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais studied for years under John Ruskin, taking much inspiration (as well as Ruskin’s wife) from him.

Although there are many people who certainly seem to have a knack for creating art, bear in mind that they had to start somewhere, and that drawing, painting, sculpting, or any other artistic skill can be learned. But if you’re too proud, you won’t be able to take advantage of the greatest resource that an aspiring artist could ask for: the help of others.

Here are five ways to ask for help with your art:

1. Contact an artist whose work inspires you

Who knows? Maybe that famous artist will respond to your email and you’ll have found a mentor who can not only give you some tips on improving your craft, but also advice on breaking into the art world. If you don’t get a response, don’t be discouraged! They’re probably very busy.

2. Talk to your art teachers, former or present

Are you taking art classes currently? Did you take them some time ago, in high school or college? There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to reach out to your art teachers. Their advice could prove very helpful. After all, they already taught you some of what you know! If they’re available locally, stop by, or drop them an email if that’s easier. If you’re still in school and taking art classes, talk to your teachers after class. They can give you one-on-one advice that makes the class all the more worth it.

3. Join a local art community

Try to see if there’s a local community with artists who have similar interests to yours. It could be something hyper-specific, like a collective of Etsy pottery artisans, or something broader, like a local arts center. But look around, because you can learn just as much from your peers as you would from a mentor figure.

4. Join an online art community

If you cannot find an art community locally, join an online one. There are online art communities such as DeviantArt, as well as online forums such as Reddit that promote discussion and constructive criticism between artists. It’s also very cool to know that if you join an online community, people from all over the world will be seeing your art! You can either ask for help with your art or just post it and see what people say.

5. Go to one of Westchester’s art establishments

If you live in Westchester, there are a number of resources at your disposal. The Bott Shoppe has materials for all sorts of art, as well as lessons, tutorials, and exercises to help you develop your skills and portfolio. There are classes and workshops at ArtsWestchester, and the Mamaroneck Artists Guild is a great community with around two hundred members that you can join if you’d like to get your work out there.

The art community can seem intimidating and at times extraordinarily pretentious, but if you talk to artists, you may find that many of these people would enthusiastically give you a helping hand if given the opportunity. Whether they’re tutoring you in technique, providing you with resources to learn and grow as an artist, or just provide moral support, it’s always good to have somebody in your corner.

Although your art is all yours, and depending on your medium of choice, may not be collaborative, it’s still very helpful to have somebody there to critique or advise you. Don’t be scared to reach out to artists in your community, or stop by a local establishment of the arts where you can get all the encouragement and help that you need to get your art career rolling!

October 27, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

Keeping Local Art Alive

With the New York City art scene just a train ride away, residents of Westchester might not be as inclined to patronize local art establishments.

Yet there is a thriving art culture in Westchester!

When imagining classic Americana, one might recall old Saturday Evening Post covers, featuring hardscrabble Americans of yesteryear–soldiers, Boy Scouts, baseball players and fans, students, parents, families. What many people may not know is that Norman Rockwell grew up in Mamaroneck, and spent much of his career in Westchester. The artist who tackled such difficult issues as race and Communism, and has a portfolio full of works that demonstrate what it means to live in suburban America, was undoubtedly inspired by his time in Mamaroneck. Many of the models in his early paintings were from Mamaroneck and New Rochelle. Had the residents of those towns not supported local artist Norman Rockwell, he might never have gone on to have such an illustrious career.

Another hallmark of art in Mamaroneck is Archie Comics. Although the long-running publishing company relocated to Pelham in 2015, Mamaroneck will always be embedded in the comic book’s blood (or ink). The comic tells the stories of a group of high school friends in the fictional town of Riverdale, a small suburb not unlike Mamaroneck. While the comic generally portrays a bygone era, anachronistically set somewhere between the 1940s, when Archie and co. made their debut, and modern times, it has been updated for TV recently. The series “Riverdale” brings Archie and his friends into the twenty-first century, although its humble Mamaroneck beginnings are acknowledged–in one episode, Jughead walks by a Mamaroneck-bound bus. Although the comic book company has moved to Pelham, Mamaroneck has certainly made its mark on the world of Archie.

A controversial figure who lived in Mamaroneck for a spell was the filmmaker D.W. Griffith. Although he pioneered groundbreaking filmmaking techniques, his most famous film is The Birth of a Nation from 1915, which glorified the Confederacy and is said to have helped inspire the next generation of the Ku Klux Klan. However, D.W. Griffith used his success in the years following his racist epic to move to Mamaroneck in 1919, where he bought a sprawling estate and began making movies locally. The films he made in Mamaroneck include Orphans of the Storm, which required him to transform a portion of Mamaroneck so that it would resemble Paris! The local townspeople obliged Griffith, and hundreds of residents participated in his films as extras. Now there’s a story of people supporting local art.

It’s crucial that we support local art establishments and local artists. In Mamaroneck alone, we have places like the Bott Shoppe, Pinot’s Pallette, and the Mamaroneck Artists Guild. Local art establishments help to encourage local artists. Goodness knows where the art world would be if great artists, including some of our local artists, hadn’t gotten any encouragement and support. It’s very important to offer support to local art establishments and the artists that visit them.

Perhaps the next Norman Rockwell, or Archie Comics, or D.W. Griffith (albeit a more tolerant and diversity-friendly one) will come from Mamaroneck. For such a small town, it has such a rich history of talented artists–and will hopefully produce some of the artists of the future.

October 13, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

Art Museums In and Around Westchester

Westchester is great because of its proximity to so many fun activities, and art is no exception.

There are several art museums both in Westchester and nearby that are just a short drive away, making for easy and fun day trip locations. Depending on what kind of art you’re interested in seeing, you could be just an hour or two from discovering your new favorite museum!

If you’re looking for an art museum in Westchester, you don’t have to go much further than Purchase, which is home to two wonderful art attractions.

The first is the Neuberger Museum, located at Purchase College. The Neuberger Museum is notable for its vast collection of African art, which has been growing since the museum’s founding in 1974. The collection includes masks, figures, and sculptures.

The Neuberger Museum also has collections of paintings from artists such as Georgia O’Keefe, Milton Avery, Jackson Pollack, and even Mark Rothko. It features prints from Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, and Sol LeWitt. There are sculptures outside the museum, but if it’s outdoor sculptures you’re after, the next stop in Purchase has many to offer.

The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens are located at the worldwide headquarters of PepsiCo. Having been closed to the public for years, the Gardens reopened earlier this year, now with a smartphone app that allows for those touring the sculpture gardens to listen to audio tours. Pick a day with nice weather, and tour the Sculpture Gardens alone or with someone!

Both of these attractions make for fun, easy day trips, and since they’re so close to each other, why not visit both in a day?

A little ways upstate, in Beacon, Dia:Beacon is worth the trip if you want to see modern art. It features works from Sol LeWitt, Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, and Louise Bourgeois, among others. There are sculptures outside, so be sure to walk around the whole museum, inside and out. Dia:Beacon offers free guided tours on the weekends, at 12:30 and 2 PM. When you’re finished with the museum, check out Beacon, NY, a small, lovely town with coffee, lunch, and thrifting opportunities.

Also in upstate New York is Storm King Art Center, a sprawling, beautiful sculpture park which has both permanent installations and temporary exhibitions. Featuring a curated collection of sculptures that has been growing since the 1966 purchase of thirteen David Smith sculptures, Storm King is breathtaking. The sculpture park was recently used as the location for an episode of the popular Netflix series Master of None, and has become greatly respected in the art community over the last five decades.

If you are less interested in modern art and would prefer to see some incredible works from centuries past, consider the Yale Center for British Art. This museum, home to the largest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom, features works by artists such as John Constable, John Everett Millais, and William Turner. It encompasses many eras; medieval, pre-Raphaelite, and even some modern art can be found here. Although this museum is a little farther away than the other two, it is certainly worth the visit!

Any one of these museums makes for a great day trip. If you’re wondering what to do this weekend, look no further. Pack a lunch or plan to get lunch locally, and set out to discover art not too far from home!

August 1, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

Adult Coloring Books — A Creative Way To Unwind!

Today is National Coloring Book Day! Did you know that there are coloring books available for adults? Today we celebrate coloring books for all ages, and encourage you to give adult coloring books a try!

 

 

Stressed out? Looking for something creative to do when you can’t think of anything to draw, paint, or otherwise create? Maybe you don’t think you’re an artistic person at all, but just want something fun and relaxing to do in your free time. If any of these are the case, you should check out adult coloring books.

Adult coloring books have been around about as long as regular, “kids’” coloring books, but it has only been in the last few years that they have gained significant attention. A major trend in 2015 and 2016, adult coloring books have proven their staying power, no doubt due to their ability to destress while stimulating the brain.

Antoni Martinez, speaking to the Huffington Post, says “I recommend it as a relaxation technique. We can use it to enter a freer, more creative state.” Indeed, coloring can work as an “appetizer” of sorts to whet an artist’s appetite before diving into their work. Alternatively, it can stand alone as an exercise rather than a warm-up, and allow you to let your mind wander as you work creatively without overthinking.

Art therapist Marygrace Berberian, speaking to CNN, agrees with this assessment, adding “Coloring definitely has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus, or bring about more mindfulness.” Coloring can be done by oneself, or in the company of others. You can use crayons, colored pencils, or markers. The only other thing you need is a coloring book!

Why not try out an adult coloring book? You can get everything you need at your local craft store, and if you go to the Bott Shoppe, you can stick around and do some coloring alongside like-minded, creative individuals. Then take your coloring book home and use it in your free time or whenever you need to unwind!

 

Here are three options for adult coloring books that you can buy online or in-store at the Bott Shoppe: