A late Spring snowstorm transforms the campus of Miller School in Albemarle into a wonderland.
Showing posts with label Miller School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miller School. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Stepping Into the Wardrobe...
A Magical Transformation in Central Virginia
A late Spring snowstorm transforms the campus of Miller School in Albemarle into a wonderland.
A late Spring snowstorm transforms the campus of Miller School in Albemarle into a wonderland.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Spring is in the (Plein) Air
Miller School Event Draws Painters to Scenic Campus
Art Lesson.
Once again, Miller School of Albemarle hosted local plein air artists for their annual painting event. My daughter puts it on every year so I'm always invited. It is a great time, beginning with breakfast in Old Main where I enjoyed some art talk with my fellow painters.
Not feeling particularly inspired, I walked toward the lotus pond. All of my past visits had resulted in paintigs of the lotus pond, so it was time to expand my vision. A very round and red plum tree caught my eye.
Ordinarily one wants to avoid "lollipop" trees, but here was my challenge... my mission for the morning, as it were. I set to rendering the little plum and her majestic fellows. But the resulting painting was... er... plain, not particularly plein. It was time for some subtle glazing to try to capture the aerial perspective and lighting of the entire scene.
Then came the realization that much of the richness of the scene came from the play of light, not only in shadow, but within the eye. There was more happening here than the camera could record. I recalled the experience described to me by my assistant this past Summer, of being given a coloring sheet in Kindergarden: "Color the tree trunk brown, the grass green and the leaves green." the teacher said. Her reaction had been to paint the tree trunk green, the leaves orange and the grass brown... all colors that can be observed on those subjects in certain subtle variations. If I remember correctly, the teacher was not amused, and initiated a parent conference over it.
Occasionaly I have had the opportunity to speak to school groups. One of my favorite opening questions is: "What color is grass?" Someone's hand shoots up and before it is recognized, a child will invariably blurt out: "Green!" Then the fun begins: "Do you see any OTHER colors in the grass?" and (if a large window is available) it is amazing to see how many colors the eager little minds actually see. Let's just say I've been surprised and educated by the words of the students.
I laid down a challenge for myself, to paint the glazes with the contrasting color suggested by the casting off of conventions, to achieve the lighting and mood of the actual scene. That is why I gave the top painting the title: "Art Lesson." A light green glaze went on the trunks (there was actual lichen there), orange and brown hues had to be used in the deepening of field and foliage.
As the morning passed into afternoon, I noticed a big oak's golden new foliage overlaying the windows of Old Main, Miller's grandest building. Now my challenge would be to render as simple as possible, a recognizeable portion of Old Main while avoiding "Architectural Rendering." The resulting painting is below.
Old Main.
Art Lesson.
Once again, Miller School of Albemarle hosted local plein air artists for their annual painting event. My daughter puts it on every year so I'm always invited. It is a great time, beginning with breakfast in Old Main where I enjoyed some art talk with my fellow painters.
Not feeling particularly inspired, I walked toward the lotus pond. All of my past visits had resulted in paintigs of the lotus pond, so it was time to expand my vision. A very round and red plum tree caught my eye.
Ordinarily one wants to avoid "lollipop" trees, but here was my challenge... my mission for the morning, as it were. I set to rendering the little plum and her majestic fellows. But the resulting painting was... er... plain, not particularly plein. It was time for some subtle glazing to try to capture the aerial perspective and lighting of the entire scene.
Then came the realization that much of the richness of the scene came from the play of light, not only in shadow, but within the eye. There was more happening here than the camera could record. I recalled the experience described to me by my assistant this past Summer, of being given a coloring sheet in Kindergarden: "Color the tree trunk brown, the grass green and the leaves green." the teacher said. Her reaction had been to paint the tree trunk green, the leaves orange and the grass brown... all colors that can be observed on those subjects in certain subtle variations. If I remember correctly, the teacher was not amused, and initiated a parent conference over it.
Occasionaly I have had the opportunity to speak to school groups. One of my favorite opening questions is: "What color is grass?" Someone's hand shoots up and before it is recognized, a child will invariably blurt out: "Green!" Then the fun begins: "Do you see any OTHER colors in the grass?" and (if a large window is available) it is amazing to see how many colors the eager little minds actually see. Let's just say I've been surprised and educated by the words of the students.
I laid down a challenge for myself, to paint the glazes with the contrasting color suggested by the casting off of conventions, to achieve the lighting and mood of the actual scene. That is why I gave the top painting the title: "Art Lesson." A light green glaze went on the trunks (there was actual lichen there), orange and brown hues had to be used in the deepening of field and foliage.
As the morning passed into afternoon, I noticed a big oak's golden new foliage overlaying the windows of Old Main, Miller's grandest building. Now my challenge would be to render as simple as possible, a recognizeable portion of Old Main while avoiding "Architectural Rendering." The resulting painting is below.
Old Main.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Lotus Pond at Miller School
'Old Main' Rises above the Tree Shaded Grounds
The Lotus pond is one of my favorite places at Miller School in Albemarle County.
The Lotus pond is one of my favorite places at Miller School in Albemarle County.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Winter at Miller School of Albemarle
Samuel Miller's Gift to Undrpriviledged Children
The frozen lotus pond.
'Old Main' was designed by Richmond Architect Albert Lybrock.
The Clock Tower of the Arts Building.
In 1859 Samuel Miller, a successful Lynchburg businessman wrote his last will and testament. Remembering his own childhood in the Ragged Mountains, he specified that the bulk of his estate be used to establish a school for children from the region. When Mr. Miller died in 1869, his vision became a reality and The Miller School was established.
The 1600 acre campus was a working farm. Students were instructed in the classics, but learned from firsthand experience agriculture and trades such as carpentry and metal work.
To house the institution, Richmond architect Albert Lybrock was commissioned to design a magnificent building combining Gothic and Elizabethan styles. The builder, Thomas Woodroffe, came from England. He bagan construction on 'Old Main' in the Summer of 1876. The building was dedicated in 1878.
The Richmond Dispatch reported on the event, lamenting that that it was “a pity this splendid building should be in such an inaccessible place!”
In 1886, the building was featured on the cover of Scientific American magazine. "If you build it, they will come."
Today students from around the world come to Miller School. [1.]
1. Miller School - The History
Ice on lotus pond.
The frozen lotus pond.
'Old Main' was designed by Richmond Architect Albert Lybrock.
The Clock Tower of the Arts Building.
In 1859 Samuel Miller, a successful Lynchburg businessman wrote his last will and testament. Remembering his own childhood in the Ragged Mountains, he specified that the bulk of his estate be used to establish a school for children from the region. When Mr. Miller died in 1869, his vision became a reality and The Miller School was established.
The 1600 acre campus was a working farm. Students were instructed in the classics, but learned from firsthand experience agriculture and trades such as carpentry and metal work.
To house the institution, Richmond architect Albert Lybrock was commissioned to design a magnificent building combining Gothic and Elizabethan styles. The builder, Thomas Woodroffe, came from England. He bagan construction on 'Old Main' in the Summer of 1876. The building was dedicated in 1878.
The Richmond Dispatch reported on the event, lamenting that that it was “a pity this splendid building should be in such an inaccessible place!”
In 1886, the building was featured on the cover of Scientific American magazine. "If you build it, they will come."
Today students from around the world come to Miller School. [1.]
1. Miller School - The History
Ice on lotus pond.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
