Lisa Gloria in her studio
Artists Lisa Gloria and Cindy Procious think everyone deserves the opportunity to study traditional art techniques, and they're on a mission to bring it to everyone - online. By offering information-
"The reality is," says Lisa Gloria from her studio in Aurora, Illinois, "anyone with the drive and motivation to be self taught should have the opportunity to learn to paint. There were so many times when I was learning that I wished for someone just to show me what to do. And now, we want to do that for other people."
It began with YouTube videos in 2007, then the blog in 2008, where Lisa and Cindy posted tips, tricks and techniques with a no-nonsense attitude and a good deal of humor. It quickly grew into innovative offerings like demonstration videos, and live webcasts of paintings as they happen. And then it grew again into web-based workshops, where students from all over the world log into a private room to paint along with instruction and commentary.
From her studio atop a mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Cindy Procious can stream her day's work painting directly to the PCs of other artists all over the world. "In a lot of ways, the online oil painting workshop is actually better," says Cindy. "The students can watch our painting demonstrations close-up from start to finish, and there's no traffic or travel to deal with. Plus, they get a video of the whole thing to keep and watch anytime - what other workshop can do that?"
After the first workshop was offered, a student wrote to say how grateful she was. She couldn't travel to workshops because she was the sole provider of care for her husband. Others have indicated that childcare, scheduling and the economy have made workshops impossible for them. It's also a creative and stimulating way that parents of homeschooled children can augment art education.
Future plans for the coming years include DVDs, more workshops and other informational services, with a focus on the self-educated artist. "We think everyone can do this," says Lisa. "We think we're proof."
For additional information, please contact Lisa Gloria or Cindy Procious, or visit http://www.ArtStudioSecrets.com.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
