Ian Factor's New York Academy Of Art Experience: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Post Ball / Pre Open Studios and Some New Work...

Tribeca Ball was last week, MFA Open Studios this week so the activities never end here at the NYAA. This blog is a little assemblage of photos taken in and around the school over the last two weeks.

Only about a month left of class before the summer break and I'm scrambling to get everything done...seems like an impossibility at this point, five paintings and two presentations to do on top of everything else. The push is on.

I'm JUST getting into the sketches and studies which I plan to develop this summer and into next year as my Thesis work. In addition to all the class work I need to get done, I'll be trying to get a grasp on this new direction as well. So in my next blog I'll have more to report on that. I have one charcoal sketch below that represents the beginning of the beginning in this direction.

In the meantime, I hope to see everyone at the Open Studios this Friday the 19th from 6-9pm!!!

One of my newer pieces, in progress:
"Crow Pose" 48" x 60" Oil.

Detail of "Crow Pose".

Here's a working charcoal drawing of mine,
beginning the "movement" series.
30" x 22" Charcoal on Tan Canson Paper.

My Palette.

Sweet Graphite pencils!

Alfred Rosenbluth, MFA 2013

Zoe Suenson Taylor, MFA 2013

Wade Schuman and his Band, Hazmat Modine at Terra Blues.

JP Roy's Painting II Class Crit.

Sunlit Studios

John Jacobsmeyer lectures during our Composition class.

Ilsa Brittain, MFA 2014 with some casts.

Some of the casts.

Wade Schuman's "Man and Beast" Class.

Roberto Osti Drawing during the Tribeca Ball.

My studio prepped for the Ball.

Models getting ready for the Ball

The night of the Ball, music and art.

Zoe Suenson Taylor, MFA 2013 at the Ball.

Cast and the stars.

Students working on Anatomy on a Sunday evening.

Katie Fogg, MFA 2014 working on Anatomy.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Michael Grimaldi Master Class

This week's Blog will focus on a weekend Master Class with Michael Grimaldi.

I attended the class in the midst of trying to get caught up with all my homework, which seems to be a never ending state here at the Academy, so when the opportunity to spend an entire weekend away from my studio, the weekends being the only solid time of the week I have to actually spend on my class assignments, it's a difficult decision This was no exception, as with the Tribeca Ball coming up and MFA Open Studios two weeks later, coupled with the intense amount of work I have to get done by end of semester, it was not a perfect weekend to spend doing something other than my own projects...

The Master Class proved to be totally worth the two days away from studio, Michael's teaching methods and communication skills are strong and clear and his easy going approach makes it a pleasure of a learning experience. He did two demos, one graphite drawing demo and one oil on canvas demo, and he also presented us with a powerpoint presentation of his work and some of his process.

Overall a great weekend, especially after the incredible stress of the previous week and my lack of energy after that Friday. The Academy continues to be a roller coaster of emotion and mental challenge, and though the weekend with Grimaldi wasn't exactly a vacation, (we were there working from 10-6 on Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday and then I got back to my studio for the rest of the night till school closed) it was a positive and energizing reprise from the escalating intensity of the daily training at the NYAA.

Below are some photos from the weekend. Hope you enjoy!