WSA News

May Artist of the Month

Meet Mark Richards

Artist Mark Richards describes himself as an “Artist Adventurer,” whose escapades began at age 11. He won his first award for painting at 13 and is grateful that art has always played a major role in his life. Richards pursues art to “find universal truths: both aesthetically and spiritually.” He likes to think of his art as part of the greater good. He paints “from life, from memory and from emotion” and seeks to evoke emotion from the viewer.

Inspired by his grandmother, Richards grew up in Toledo, Ohio, went to Ohio State where he trained as an American Realist and graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a degree in Sculpture. His career was in professional photography which allowed him to pursue art in the workplace. Now retired, he is enjoying the evolution of his painting. He considers his greatest strength to be his color fluency or tonalism. His style has morphed from realism to abstraction and sometimes back again. “I believe that all art is composed of abstractions of color forms, and all abstraction comes from nature.” He has spent the last 5 years pursuing abstraction.

His abstractions have an emphasis on color exploration and “ask the viewer to explore different emotions and meanings.” Richards refers to his works as “Color Seasons’: “ephemeral images…that suit the temporary nature of the motifs from nature with long freely applied sweeps of thick paint coursing across each canvas; colors surging forward and back.” These vibrant paintings will be on display at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in their show titled Flow.

Because his work is primarily color based, Richards is able to bounce between abstraction and realism. He always uses oil as his medium but often will thin the oil so that it behaves almost like watercolor do a quick study or underpainting. He enjoys plein air painting and often can be found painting at the MFA. He has recently been working on The Dead Christ with Angels in the Renaissance Gallery at the MFA. Other artists that he admires are Neil Welliver, Charles Sheeler, Louise Nevelson and Marsden Hartley.

Richards has always been intrigued by the history of European Art and Buddhist Iconography. In addition to painting, he creates wood sculptures inspired by Northwest Coast Indian Art. His sculptures are “totems: a memory stick” of important events and emotions, related to family, nature, the meaning of life.

“Truths are revealed when you make art. The more you practice the more truths are revealed. These truths are both spiritual and artistic; in art the basic elements are revealed.” Landscape painting, Richards believes, is the “artists’ expression of self within the context of the natural environment. He refers to these abstract landscapes as “magical landscapes; color being the key tool to unlock the magic.”

Instagram@MarkRichards7892

The WSA is happy to welcome new exhibiting member Rob Colman. Drawing on inspiration from Leonardo DaVinci, Rob discovered the artist within and has created a captivating body of work. To see and read more about Rob’s artwork, visit his WSA artist page 

Welcome to the WSA Rob!

April Artist of the Month 

Meet David Holt

Unlike many artists, David Holt has never taken a lesson. As a child he drew all the time. As an adult he decided to add color to his drawings and began oil painting. When Holt was working, art was a hobby, a way of relaxing, and he often painted at night while listening to music, in a spare bedroom which he made into a studio.

Looking for a less cumbersome medium, Holt tried his hand at watercolor. “Many people warned me that watercolor was very difficult to master but I developed my own technique and I love the convenience.” Holt’s process begins with a detailed freehand drawing; “This is the most difficult part; when I start to add color, things begin to flow. I use vibrant colors and I am able to achieve the photorealism that I love.” Viewers are often surprised to find out that his paintings are watercolor for this reason.

As far as subject matter, Holt is looking for anything that sparks his interest. “When I finish a painting, I’m always thinking, ‘what’s next?’” He enjoys different types of landscapes, cityscapes and still life. He often focuses on iconic spots in Boston, Plymouth, Cape Cod and other places where he travels or sometimes imagines from compilations of photographs. Because his drawings are so comprehensive, he does most of his work in the studio from photographs. He uses illustration board rather than watercolor paper.

Although Holt has not had formal training, he has always subscribed to art publications and has studied the work of fellow artists. He has become a member of many art organizations: he is currently an exhibiting member of the Cape Cod Art Center, New England Watercolor Society, American Watercolor Society, Plymouth Center for the Arts, North River Arts Society and Hull Artists. Although it sometimes gets confusing, he faithfully exhibits at all of them and has won several awards. Finding himself in the company of the most accomplished Boston artists, he has also exhibited at the Annual Juried Show of the Guild of Boston Artists. 

So, what is next for Holt? He has been asked to teach at the Cape Cod Center for the Arts. He is looking forward to the next challenge and passing on the techniques he has developed to other artists. (Perhaps most special is mentoring his grandson who is sharing in this artist’s passion.) (Another) of the greatest rewards for Holt comes from the positive feedback of his viewers. He enjoys the ability to “capture a time and place, an object or any subject that (he) finds interesting and transforming that image into a vibrant painting or drawing.”

The WSA is happy to welcome new exhibiting member Laura Scheuerell. She is an acrylic painter as well as a mixed media artist with a keen eye and heart for nature. We are grateful to the Howard Street Studios members for sending Laura our way. To see more of her artwork, visit her WSA artist page 

Welcome to the WSA Laura!

March 

Artist of the Month

Meet Phyllis Paster

Watercolor artist Phyllis Paster grew up in Albany, New York and attended a private school in the countryside through 12^th grade. When she was not outdoors gazing at the rolling hills, during down time, she could usually be found in the art room; “I was always very interested in art as a child; I would paint, sculpt or carve balsa wood boxes. But I never touched watercolor. I did not understand how you could have any control on wet paper.” She also fondly remembers, “My father owned a jewelry store and my works of art were always taped behind the cash register for the customers to view”.

Paster went on to college and attained a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at Boston University. After teaching sixth grade for one year, she embarked on her long career in health care including Children’s Hospital in Boston, a start-up HMO in Wellesley, and medical group management. In 2001, she put her skills to work in a different direction and launched her own organizing business, It’s About Time. She works mainly with the elderly and her goal is to help this population maintain independence. A genealogy researcher as well, she enjoys listening to rich stories about their individual lives and researching their family trees.

In 1991, Paster was feeling the call to focus again on her love of art. She began taking courses at The DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and was fortunate to find teacher and mentor Dudty Fletcher who taught figure classes. As she recollects, “I was introduced to watercolor and I was smitten. I just love the immediacy of it. You know right away if it is working or not.” Marjorie Glick and Marilyn Swift are other great influencers on her watercolor technique. She has taken workshops in Europe and throughout the US and has spent a great deal of time doing plein air painting in Gloucester.

This artist continues on her lifelong watercolor journey and writes eloquently about her experience: “Each time I approach a new painting I hope to capture the image as well as my feelings about the subject. My goal is to become one with the pigment and to mix with the water on the paper. I delight as the wonder of the pigment, the water and the paper unfold before me.” Frederick Franck’s words from his book The Zen of Seeing have special meaning for Paster: “When I am seeing/drawing, I take hold of the thing, until it fills my total capacity for experience. Once I have this taken possession of a hill, a body, a face, I let go, let it free again, as if releasing a butterfly. Yet it remains mine forever.”

Paster also has been creating alcohol ink tiles which satisfies her passion for spontaneous results with more exciting and vibrant colors. These are sold along with notecards on her Etsy site, The ArtPhylStudio. She also creates gelli plate acrylic monoprints. She has been an exhibiting member of the WSA since 2004 and participates with a fellow artist in Celebrate Newton the annual juried crafts show.

Watercolor remains magical and mysterious to Paster. She wrote a lovely piece called “Recipe For A Watercolor:”

~Select a piece of watercolor paper and decide on a subject to paint

~Summon one of the Watercolor Muses like Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent or Maurice Prendergast for Inspiration

~Fill a brush with water and pigment and paint a few dabs of light color here and there on the paper. Then paint away!

~Enjoy the spontaneity and magic of the watercolor paint on the paper

~Each surprise is a unique opportunity to improvise and take advantage of the characteristics of the watercolor

~When the painting is finished, add a white mat to frame the picture and step back to take in the whole painting while munching on a chocolate chip cookie. Make last minute adjustments as needed but don’t overwork the painting!

~Enjoy the new painting and the cookies.

Jessica Caruso was recently juried in as an exhibiting member of the WSA after having been an associate member for three years. She is a keen observer of the natural world and we look forward to seeing more of scenes that capture her artistic eye. To see more of her artwork, visit her WSA artist page.

Congratulations Jessica, we hope to see you at the next show!