Our Paint the Town Labor Day Show not only provides an opportunity to see hundreds of original artworks by nearly 140 members of the Montgomery Art Association, but you can also watch some of our artists make art live. This year’s show includes seven such demonstrations, which are open to the public and free.

The demos will take place inside the history Kensington Armory (aka Kensington Town Hall) at 3710 Mitchell Street. Can’t join in person? We hope to broadcast demos live on our Facebook page. Watch live, or see the recordings later.

Saturday, August 31

Lis Zadravec
Colored Pencils
12-1 pm

An award-winning artist and instructor, Lis will demonstrate how she uses colored pencils to their maximum potential by creating a pet portrait inspired by a John Singer Sargent painting. 

Originally from Chevy Chase, MD and educated at the Corcoran School of Art in DC, Lis demonstrates an uncanny ability as master of her medium, colored pencils. She believes there is nothing that this pigment, in its precise, pointed stick, can’t do or that oil paint could do better. She approaches her work like a painter; Not striving for photo-realism, she loves to see the artist’s hand in work.

"I want to inspire," she says, "not with just what a media can do, but what a person can do. After all, a well-trained artist is a person who can do anything." Her work has been published in numerous books and magazines, and Lis is the winner of countless awards in DC-area and national art shows, earning signature status in the Colored Pencil Society of America and Colored Pencil Community of Australasia, Inc.

RSVP via Facebook to Lis' demo

Barrie Ripin
Terracotta (Fired Clay) Sculpture
2-3 pm

Barrie will give a tutorial on a playful path to try out clay sculpture using a minimum amount of equipment and experience. There will be a demo and examples of sculptures are various stages of completion.

Barrie initially came to clay sculpture years ago to get a better grasp of artistic anatomy for figurative and portrait drawings and paintings. It did that, but clay sculpture became addictive in its own right. He enjoys exploring new subjects and techniques and his award-winning works have been exhibited in many venues in the area. Barrie is a past president of MAA, exhibit curator of the Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, studio artist at the Glen Echo Sculpture studio/yurt, and a number of other venues.

RSVP via Facebook to Barrie's demo

Stefanie Stark
Abstract Floral Painting
4-5 pm

Learn how painter Stefanie Stark of Bethesda creates abstract floral paintings, incorporating a signature drip technique and oil pastel marks into her art. Purposeful drips elevate Stefanie’s work beyond typical floral paintings and add dimension as well as emotion. “Something about the flow of each drip feels right and even necessary to me,” she says. “Each drip is like a release of feelings, similar to a tear, whether of joy or sorrow. Both stream down, forging a unique yet anticipated path."

Stefanie is known for her abstract floral paintings as well as intuitive abstracts, and she also dabbles in collage. She takes inspiration from nature and in particular, the beauty and fragility of flowers. Stefanie grew up in Washington, and her work has been exhibited throughout the region. Her paintings have earned awards and are part of private collections in the United States and abroad. 

RSVP via Facebook to Stefanie's demo

 
Sunday, September 1

Antonia Tiu
Pen & Ink Cityscapes
2-3 pm

Yes, you can draw with confidence! Toni will demonstrate how to be bold in your drawing by using pen/ink in a loose sketch style, with a photo as a reference. What is drawn is what it is—no erasing possible! She’ll then finish the drawing with watercolor washes, to add bursts of color.

Now retired, Toni received her architectural degree and license in The Philippines and came to the US to work for a corporate firm. Her childhood memories revolved around drawing and sketching. “I remember sketching on the dirt with a twig during play time and drawing on blank pages of my elementary books in school,” she says. “My pleasure from my drawings was worth the trouble I got into for messing up my books.” Today, Toni spends her time creating art with pen/ink, charcoal, oil and watercolor. Her subjects of interest are still life, cityscapes and landscapes.

RSVP via Facebook to Antonia's demo

Jing-Jy Chen
Chinese Watercolor Painting
4-5 pm

Using a bamboo brush, ink and watercolor, Jing-Jy will show how she paints her favorite subjects: flora and birds. She will demonstrate the three basic techniques of Chinese watercolor painting: outline style (detail), spontaneous style (free & bold), and half outline/half spontaneous.

In Chinese watercolor painting, it is very important not to mix the color beforehand. The brush is dipped into the color separately to double or triple load colors. The color will blend themselves on the paper as the brush stroke is applied.

Jing-Jy was born in Taiwan.  She came to the United State in 1967 to attend graduate school at the University of Rochester in New York. She is a long-time Howard County resident, has been an artist in the Artist-in-Residency program and has taught at many schools in Maryland. Currently, she teaches at her home studio in Laurel. Her paintings are exhibited at Artists' Gallery in Ellicott City and Delaplaine Art Gallery in Frederick.

RSVP via Facebook to Jing-Jy's demo

Monday, September 2

Elizabeth Elgin
Glazing Acrylics over Grisaille
11 am-12 pm

Elizabeth will demonstrate glazing color over a black and white grisaille (underpainting) using acrylics. This is a method often taught in classical ateliers when painting in oils, but the method is also very useful with acrylics as they dry so quickly. It allows light to bounce between layers, versus painting opaquely.

Elizabeth often says she's a member of the "It's Never Too Late" club, not getting serious about her art studies until her sixties. She started with acrylics, then learned oils, and is now exploring watercolor and gouache. She has been juried into membership of the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society, Oil Painters of America, and the International Guild of Realism.  

RSVP via Facebook to Elizabeth's demo

Alan Rich
Acrylic pour painting
1-2 pm

Alan is a master of a unique art technique:  fluid acrylic pour. Using hardwood panels and Plexiglas, he manipulates the color into organic flows and allows the paint to choose its own path. “The flow of color brings happiness to your mind and soul...calling it fluid acrylic happiness.” For added texture, he first applies a clear granular gel to the board, and once dry, applies color.  Alan says. “No matter how the paintings are viewed, there will always be a different story it tells.”

Alan’s day job is running a business that custom prints labels, so ink and color is an all day, everyday theme. The use of water-based industrial pigment to create his own colors within an acrylic vehicle gives Alan the freedom to experiment and allows the art to speak the viewer.

RSVP via Facebook to Alan's demo