This afternoon we went on a field trip to see Ties That Bind: American Artists In Europe at the Frye Art Museum. Our assignment was to spend enough time to really absorb and understand each piece, and then pick three to analyze and sketch. The setting at the Frye is very peaceful and I had a great time contemplating the paintings and sitting on the lovely wooden floors with my sketchbook.

Afterwards, we met in the coffee shop where Juliette led a discussion on the role of museums and art in our society. We also talked about the intentionality in the design of the space and I learned that the design of the Madison Studio, where we work at Gage, was inspired by architectural elements at the Frye. Particular attention was paid to the experience of transitioning from the busy outer world to the quiet interior space. At the Fry, architect Richard Sundberg used a reflecting pool and massive doors at the entrance to signify a boundary or threshold to another, more peaceful space. After crossing the reflecting pool, the visitor is gradually acclimatized to the space as the natural light dims along the pathway through the entrance. When designing the Madison studio, it was decided that the transition was equally important in setting the right tone for the quiet and contemplative work. Precious space that could have been used for easels was instead transformed into a quiet anteroom. Curtains adorn the doorway, a Persian rug covers the floor, an earnest wooden table with benches serves as a common meeting point while book shelves lend a scholarly library atmosphere. Behind the table is a collection of beautiful classical plaster casts, all backed up by leafy greenness outside the windows.

We got off to a great start this morning when the second, third, and fourth year students joined us around the table for coffee and a welcome back discussion of summer activities. The Atelier students and faculty are such a wonderful bunch of people – I really felt right at home.

After lunch we met with Juliette to go over the project list for the coming year. I have my work cut out for me – the list is huge with several fully rendered drawings from month-long poses in the life room, and about twenty studio projects including two Bargue Plate copies, another master copy, a fully rendered cast drawing, and a fully rendered still life drawing.

Juliette and David gave a number of great pearls of wisdom, including

• You have been called to do this – no one ends up here by accident.
• You are only competing with yourself.
• Their job is to find our weakest areas and hammer on them all year long.
• You will feel utterly persecuted (it’s not personal – we pay them to do it).
• You should brace yourselves for an emotional ride. It happens to everyone and if you are not prepared for it you will be caught off guard.
• Learning art is like training for Olympic greatness. Sometimes our coaches will crush our swim goggles so that we learn to swim with water in our eyes.
• There’s nothing about drawing that should be fun. It is like a marriage after ten years. Still worthwhile, but not always fun.

Tomorrow morning we start in the life room with some gestural warm ups and then lots of block-ins. Our afternoons will be spent on more block-ins of plaster casts and we will embark on eight weeks of Barnstone’s analytical drawing excercises. Top it all off with rendering basic white spheres and a master copy here and there. Should be fun!

Today was orientation in the Madison Studio at Gage. I moved into my studio space and met my fellow first year students, assistant instructor David Dwyer, and our three studio monitors. Tomorrow we begin . . .

It’s a beautiful clear and cool Seattle evening and I’m listening to the Swing Years on KUOW as I organize my art supplies. Tomorrow is orientation for the Aristides Atelier at Gage Academy where I hope to spend the next four years learning classical drawing and painting. The supply list arrived on August 1st and I’ve been accumulating an item here and an item there ever since. Tomorrow I will haul this rather massive pile across the 520 floating bridge and up to Capitol Hill where I will share a studio space with my fellow atelier students.

For posterity, here is the supply list:

• Canson XL 50lb Sketch Pad
• Strathmore 400 Drawing Paper
• Strathmore 500 Charcoal Paper (white)
• Staedler Pencils 2B, B, and HB
• Nitram Charcoal(medium and hard vine)
• Sanding blocks with 220 grit sandpaper
• Kneaded eraser
• Large bulldog clips
• White artist’s tape
• Metal ruler
• X-Acto knife with protective cap
• 12” bamboo skewer (or bicycle spoke)
• Plumb line
• Small plastic container for collecting charcoal dust.
• Black mirror 5” x 7” (piece of black Plexiglas)
• Small sketchbook 5” x 8”
• Two padded 19” by 25” drawing boards.

To this list I added a few other items

• Maulstick(dowel with leather ball at one end – helps to steady the drawing hand)
• Larger sketchbook for classroom notes.
• Alvin 7002 View Catcher
• Chamois
• Electrical tape
• Breakaway knife
• Factis black eraser
• Paintbrush

I can’t wait to get started!