L'Atelier aux Couleurs
Encyclopedia
l'Atelier aux Couleurs: the Art Academy, also known as the "Tin Barn School", is an art school in California, founded by Camille Przewodek and Carole Gray-Weihman in 2003. The school is housed in the old downtown section of Petaluma, California
in the actual painting studio that they share. In 2007, artist Alfredo Tofanelli became a partner.
L'atelier aux Couleurs: the Art Academy is unique in that it only offers painting classes and workshops by experienced premier plein air painters of today- painters of a diverse background, some who are classically trained and others who have been protégés of well known master painters.
L’atelier aux Couleurs workshops focus on painting landscapes, still lifes and models from life, so attention is placed primarily on painting en plein air
. Their workshops take place on location painting landscapes, village or town scenes and an occasional model or still life outdoors. At times, emphasis is on indoor models or still lifes with either artificial or natural light.
The workshop instructors strive to teach newcomers as well as experienced painters their own approach to painting en plein air. The teachers at l'Atelier aux Couleurs concentrate on working individually with students in order to maximize individual learning. Students come away more aware of surroundings, the effect of light and its movement, color shifts of warm and cool, and how design occurs naturally. The instructors’ focus is utilizing value, color, soft and hard edges, using the correct color palette for the conditions of the day and time, simplifying nature and seeing the big shapes, and various visual approaches to aid in producing a successful painting. For the advanced student that has a firm grasp of the mechanics of painting, the instructors will demonstrate the important elements of mood, passion and attitude that make a good painting even better. L'Atelier aux Couleurs strives to teach students to see the big picture, to know exactly what they are trying to achieve with their painting. The goal is to not only provide the student with high caliber instruction, but also inspire and a maintain a level of excitement for painting that carries them beyond a workshop experience.
Painting a beautiful flesh color has long been one of the eternal mysteries of painting. At l'Atelier aux Couleurs, one can learn the method of color perception that was directly taught to Camille Przewodek and John Ebersberger by master Impressionist Henry Hensche
, whose teacher, Charles Webster Hawthorne
, was William Merritt Chase's
teaching assistant.
When students enroll in workshops instructed by Camille Przewodek, John Ebersberger, and also Przewodek's protoge, Carole Gray-Weihman, they will learn the historic Hawthorne / Hensche mud-head approach to studying color relationships as it applies to the outdoor portrait and figure. Palette knives are utilized to emphasize the importance of the relationships of the large areas of color (masses). In Ebersberger's figure workshops, topics of study include setting up the action of the figure, relating the figure to the landscape, and the importance of color in aerial perspective. Ebersberger's workshops also cover the basic steps of drawing the figure and the head in charcoal, realistically and expressively.
Expressing the full spectrum of natures beauty, John Ebersberger's paintings reflect the twin strains of Impressionism
and Classical Realism
. After earning a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art
in 1977, he began studying under Cedric Egeli, the nationally known portrait painter and son of Norwegian painter, Bjorn Egeli
. It was Egeli who introduced John to Henry Hensche, the master impressionist who had served as Charles Hawthorne's teaching assistant in the 1920s in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Struck by the intensity of light Hensche was able to achieve in his canvases John studied every summer with him until his death in 1992.
Below is an excerpt of a piece John Ebersberger wrote about Henry Hensche.
Camille Przewodek has stated that, "impressionism, which has come to mean the effect of light on color, demands that the artist pay conscious, careful attention to what she sees and how she sees it. Like playing scales on the piano, practice is critical to understanding and expressing both how light creates color and how color notes convey light. I struggle against formulas and try to keep a fresh eye when exploring the color of each scene. That's why I continually do outdoor studies, and why I stop work on a painting when the light changes, returning to it only when the weather and light conditions are the same."
Light and color are Carole Gray-Weihman’s main inspirations, also. In the October issue of American Art Collector Magazine, Gray-Weihman stated,“being inspired by what I see, ultimately has me searching for more. I try to look at what to eliminate or simplify in order to make a statement--to not just record the light effect, but the mood of the place or of the day. Often, we get too attached to a comfortable idea behind our work. We limit ourselves and the possibilities of our interpretations. As much as I’m passionate about interpreting the color and light effect of a scene, that’s usually just the springboard for me to dive deeper. Though I’ve spent fifteen years studying the Hawthorne/Hensche approach to seeing color, how I paint and what I teach, comes from the culmination of that training, as well as personal introspection, and what I’ve learned by studying under many well-known painters of today.”
Alfredo Tofanelli established himself as an illustrator and graphic designer in the Los Angeles area before returning north to San Francisco. He held a faculty position for ten years at Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles, teaching courses in life drawing, painting and computer graphics. In the Bay Area he worked as an Art Director at The 3DO Company and Electronic Arts and also as a web developer. Tofanelli received his Fine Arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. While at Art Center he studied under Craig Nelson, Peter Liashkov, Dan McCaw and John Asaro. After leaving his Art Director career behind, Tofanelli then studied with Plein Air Painters of America members; Joseph Mendez, Ken Backhaus and Skip Whitcomb. From 2004-2006, he studied the Hawthorne/Hensche approach to color with Camille Przewodek and Carole Gray-Weihman.
Visiting Master Painters who have taught and continue to teach at l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Skip Whitcomb, Ray Roberts, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Gay Faulkenberry, Randall Sexton and John Ebersberger.
Petaluma, California
Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. In the 2010 Census the population was 57,941.Located in Petaluma is the Rancho Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San...
in the actual painting studio that they share. In 2007, artist Alfredo Tofanelli became a partner.
L'atelier aux Couleurs: the Art Academy is unique in that it only offers painting classes and workshops by experienced premier plein air painters of today- painters of a diverse background, some who are classically trained and others who have been protégés of well known master painters.
L’atelier aux Couleurs workshops focus on painting landscapes, still lifes and models from life, so attention is placed primarily on painting en plein air
En plein air
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism...
. Their workshops take place on location painting landscapes, village or town scenes and an occasional model or still life outdoors. At times, emphasis is on indoor models or still lifes with either artificial or natural light.
The workshop instructors strive to teach newcomers as well as experienced painters their own approach to painting en plein air. The teachers at l'Atelier aux Couleurs concentrate on working individually with students in order to maximize individual learning. Students come away more aware of surroundings, the effect of light and its movement, color shifts of warm and cool, and how design occurs naturally. The instructors’ focus is utilizing value, color, soft and hard edges, using the correct color palette for the conditions of the day and time, simplifying nature and seeing the big shapes, and various visual approaches to aid in producing a successful painting. For the advanced student that has a firm grasp of the mechanics of painting, the instructors will demonstrate the important elements of mood, passion and attitude that make a good painting even better. L'Atelier aux Couleurs strives to teach students to see the big picture, to know exactly what they are trying to achieve with their painting. The goal is to not only provide the student with high caliber instruction, but also inspire and a maintain a level of excitement for painting that carries them beyond a workshop experience.
Painting a beautiful flesh color has long been one of the eternal mysteries of painting. At l'Atelier aux Couleurs, one can learn the method of color perception that was directly taught to Camille Przewodek and John Ebersberger by master Impressionist Henry Hensche
Henry Hensche
Henry Hensche was an American painter and teacher. Born in Germany, Henry Hensche came to the United States by way of Antwerp, Belgium. He was ten years old when he arrived at Ellis Island aboard the British steamship S.S. Kroonland, along with his sister Erna, and his father Fred. His mother died...
, whose teacher, Charles Webster Hawthorne
Charles Webster Hawthorne
Charles Webster Hawthorne was an American portrait and genre painter and a noted teacher who founded the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899....
, was William Merritt Chase's
William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design.- Early life and training :He was born in Williamsburg , Indiana, to the family...
teaching assistant.
When students enroll in workshops instructed by Camille Przewodek, John Ebersberger, and also Przewodek's protoge, Carole Gray-Weihman, they will learn the historic Hawthorne / Hensche mud-head approach to studying color relationships as it applies to the outdoor portrait and figure. Palette knives are utilized to emphasize the importance of the relationships of the large areas of color (masses). In Ebersberger's figure workshops, topics of study include setting up the action of the figure, relating the figure to the landscape, and the importance of color in aerial perspective. Ebersberger's workshops also cover the basic steps of drawing the figure and the head in charcoal, realistically and expressively.
Expressing the full spectrum of natures beauty, John Ebersberger's paintings reflect the twin strains of Impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
and Classical Realism
Classical Realism
For Classical Realism in International Relations, see Realism Classical Realism refers to an artistic movement in late 20th century painting that places a high value upon skill and beauty, combining elements of 19th century neoclassicism and realism.-Origins:The term "Classical Realism" first...
. After earning a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art
Maryland Institute College of Art
Maryland Institute College of Art is an art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, making it one of the first and oldest art colleges in the United States. In 2008, MICA was ranked #2 in the nation...
in 1977, he began studying under Cedric Egeli, the nationally known portrait painter and son of Norwegian painter, Bjorn Egeli
Bjorn Egeli
Herbjorn Peter Egeli was a Norwegian artist.-Early life:...
. It was Egeli who introduced John to Henry Hensche, the master impressionist who had served as Charles Hawthorne's teaching assistant in the 1920s in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Struck by the intensity of light Hensche was able to achieve in his canvases John studied every summer with him until his death in 1992.
Below is an excerpt of a piece John Ebersberger wrote about Henry Hensche.
- I believe that a reverent love of nature is the foundation for Henry's technical virtuosity and supplied him with the fortitude to hold on to his vision in the face of the many isms that distracted lesser painters throughout this century.
- Henry was, to me, essentially a spiritual painter. And by that I mean that at his finest, his paintings provide an entrance point to a deep experience of the universe. Of reality. Beauty takes us to this place--a plateau of awareness unencumbered by ideologies or systems of thought.
- Jiddu Krishnamurti called it choiceless awareness. This striking at the truth requires true love. For Henry, it is the love of light, and the color it creates in joint venture with our eyes. Henry said, To write a love song you have to be in love. The experience comes first--the painting is a record of having had that experience. Or to quote that renegade Henshe-ite from the deep South, Tommy Thurmond, You ARE the tree!.
- Paintings are to teach man to see the glory of human visual existence. So Henry told Robert Brown in a 1971 interview for the Smithsonian Institutes Archives of American Art.
- This is a philosophical stance that places high value on our human experience. Henry is asserting the majesty of our human experience and its spiritual nature. I remember he told a group of us once that we didn't deserve the paradise of heaven if we couldn't appreciate the beauty that was all around us, right here on Earth.
- Indented line -John Ebersberger
Camille Przewodek has stated that, "impressionism, which has come to mean the effect of light on color, demands that the artist pay conscious, careful attention to what she sees and how she sees it. Like playing scales on the piano, practice is critical to understanding and expressing both how light creates color and how color notes convey light. I struggle against formulas and try to keep a fresh eye when exploring the color of each scene. That's why I continually do outdoor studies, and why I stop work on a painting when the light changes, returning to it only when the weather and light conditions are the same."
Light and color are Carole Gray-Weihman’s main inspirations, also. In the October issue of American Art Collector Magazine, Gray-Weihman stated,“being inspired by what I see, ultimately has me searching for more. I try to look at what to eliminate or simplify in order to make a statement--to not just record the light effect, but the mood of the place or of the day. Often, we get too attached to a comfortable idea behind our work. We limit ourselves and the possibilities of our interpretations. As much as I’m passionate about interpreting the color and light effect of a scene, that’s usually just the springboard for me to dive deeper. Though I’ve spent fifteen years studying the Hawthorne/Hensche approach to seeing color, how I paint and what I teach, comes from the culmination of that training, as well as personal introspection, and what I’ve learned by studying under many well-known painters of today.”
Alfredo Tofanelli established himself as an illustrator and graphic designer in the Los Angeles area before returning north to San Francisco. He held a faculty position for ten years at Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles, teaching courses in life drawing, painting and computer graphics. In the Bay Area he worked as an Art Director at The 3DO Company and Electronic Arts and also as a web developer. Tofanelli received his Fine Arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. While at Art Center he studied under Craig Nelson, Peter Liashkov, Dan McCaw and John Asaro. After leaving his Art Director career behind, Tofanelli then studied with Plein Air Painters of America members; Joseph Mendez, Ken Backhaus and Skip Whitcomb. From 2004-2006, he studied the Hawthorne/Hensche approach to color with Camille Przewodek and Carole Gray-Weihman.
Visiting Master Painters who have taught and continue to teach at l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Skip Whitcomb, Ray Roberts, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Gay Faulkenberry, Randall Sexton and John Ebersberger.