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FREE Art Lessons

We will begin by touching on various aspects of drawing: seeing with the artist’s eye, values, creativity, abstraction, armchair research and where to go from there. The goal is to encourage your artistic abilities. It will be a journey of discovery.

Introduction
It is time for me to pass on what I have learned from my years as a lifelong painter and illustrator, because I have had a wonderful life doing what I love to do.

I have traveled the circuit as an artist, from traditional through impressionistic, from exploration of imaginative cosmic space to atmospheric-nautical with ink, paint, and pastel. In my late years I now use the computer as my art tool. I wrote, illustrated, and published my first book “Keeping Ahead of Winter” after I was eighty-years-old.

I taught oil painting at the San Mateo County Arts Council and taught drawing in my studio at the Twin Pines Art Center, in Belmont CA., now called 1870 Art Center. My work is in the permanent collection of the Peninsula Museum of Art.

Leonardo Da Vinci wrote, “The feeling is what guides you to reach out for the knowledge.”

You will need:
· A medium size drawing pad (if you are just starting to draw, buy a newsprint paper pad -- it is cheaper and you will be more relaxed)
· Number 2B, 4B and 6B drawing pencils
· A pocket knife
· Ruler
· Kneaded art eraser
· Charcoal or conte crayon optional
· An Emory board or a small piece of sandpaper stapled to a piece of wood to shape the point of your pencil
· A drawing board, or use plywood or Masonite
. Masking tape to hold your paper on the board
· Fixative to protect the drawing from smearing (hair spray will do the trick)

Art materials can be bought at your local art store or online at: Dick Blick http://www.dickblick.com/ or Daniel Smith http://www.danielsmith.com/
~~~

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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Upcoming Book


Written and Illustrated by Ruth Silnes

Did you ever wonder:
  • Why the arts are essential besides the giving of pleasure?
  • What makes an artist function?
  • What do the arts all have in common?
  • Do the arts really help our health, education and economy? 
      The answers are in this book
 
The book tells of the tremendous power of the arts for society, about its gifts and the benefits for children, the similarities of the arts, creativity and health, advantages for seniors, how artists' minds work, and the arts' connection with mathematics.

YOU and THE ARTS
is a short book, filled with the author's delightful illustrations and written in easy to understand language. It is for travelers, teachers, artists and art lovers.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

hi Ruth,
great and simple explanations on your blogs, where can i buy your upcoming book in bay area?
jon. K
artist-

Unknown said...

hi Ruth,
great and simple explanations on your blogs, where can i buy your upcoming book in bay area?
jon. K
artist-

Ruth Silnes said...

Hi Jon,
Email me at info@ruthsilnes.com with your information and put the book title in the subject line. I don't have details at this time. I will let you know as soon as I do. Cheers, Ruth