New Online Art Lessons!

Now Offering Private Online Lessons (through Zoom):

Student working on 'Horse of Torino' cast drawing.

After years of running a small art academy (Tacoma Academy of Fine Art), along with various teaching gigs and students, I am creatively adapting to the current social distancing situation, and will be starting online art classes through Zoom. I am now taking on students for private lessons. I am excited for this new opportunity!

Student working on 'Michelangelo' cast drawing.

Lessons will be taught in 1-hour intervals

Due to the c-19 crisis, I want to make these lessons affordable, while still making an income for myself. Therefore, I will be charging on a sliding scale. $40 per hour is the base rate (this is a discounted rate off my normal fee), with discounts available to those in financial need, and increases appreciated from those who can afford it. 

Drawing the live model.

Structure: I will be taking the classical atelier approach to curriculum. Beginning students focus on drawing, then progress to grayscale painting, and finally their studies culminate with color painting (see examples below). I use this approach as a basis, although I will also consider other approaches and courses of study, per student's appeal. Duration of curriculum, goals, and meeting times will be discussed on an individual basis, with students.

To sign up, or for questions, email me at: tim.mansen@gmail.com. So contact me and let's talk about your road to creativity!

Take a look at some of my drawings and paintings...

Portrait Drawing with Tony Ryder

This is a drawing I did, working from a live model, in the workshop of Tony Ryder, this last December (at Gage Academy, in Seattle). This drawing took me 3 session to complete (12 hours total). Mr. Ryder is a fabulous instructor, master draftsman, funny and humble guy. I learned so much, met some great folks, and had a blast. Mr. Ryder runs an atelier (called the Ryder Studio -- https://www.theryderstudio.com/) in Santa Fe, NM, and I would love to take another class with him some day.

Living Creativity

I really enjoy reading biographies of artists whose work that I enjoy. Creativity is so interesting and mysterious.

I have really enjoyed looking at the work of Andrew Wyeth, and through the book, 'Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography' (Konecky and Konecky Publishers), I get a glimpse into his creative process, as he shares his thoughts about many of his completed works of art. Here are a couple examples...

The painting above is called 'The Kuerners' and it features Andrew Wyeth's neighbors, Karl and Anna Kuerner. This is a painting that is stark, simple, and also strange, as many of Wyeth's are, opening a door to our own imagination and narrative. But the reason I'm using the painting as an example here is that it is representative of Andrew Wyeths' creative process.

In the book 'Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography', Wyeth describes starting this painting with just the male figure and (originally) a taxidermy moose head, hanging on the wall behind him. But, apparently being unsatisfied with the painting, he set it aside and upon finally getting back to it, after 2 years, Wyeth sandpapered out the moose head, which 'gave the most perfect texture to the wall'. Then he painted in Anna (Karl's wife) soon after, thus completing the painting.

Creativity, and paintings, in this case, have a life of their own. Rarely do artists know what to make of their work, and how their 'completion' will come about.

Another example of this is seen below...

The painting shown above is 'Christina's World', also by Andrew Wyeth. It is probably his most recognizable work. This has become an iconic American painting, recognizable to many. But interestingly, upon completion of the painting, Wyeth in disappointment described the work as a "flat tire", before sending off to a gallery. But soon it ended up in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), where it currently hangs.

It is difficult for artists to be objective about their own work, and whether or not they will be received. Fortunately for Wyeth, he was appreciated during his life-time, understandably as he produced timeless, beautiful work. For others, although they may produce works of great beauty, this recognition will not happen until they have passed on, if ever. Maybe the artwork will resonate with just a single person. Is that still a success?

Creativity seems to have a life of it's own. It is transmitted through, and received by, those who are open.

After Rembrandt

I just came across some oil-painting studies I have done over the last few years. Here is a study I did after a Rembrandt self-portrait (see above). I like the loose approach I took with it. I think Rembrandt was just 23 when he painted the original. Beautiful work, but much more tight and polished than his later work, which was maybe riskier and more 'painterly'. 

Here (below) is the original painting, by Rembrandt...

And here is a later Rembrandt self portrait (below)...

Plein Air Painting - Purdy

Painted at the Purdy spit. I am glad that even during the times of Coronavirus we can get outside and be creative.