Oldham
County Art Scene
Painters
technique to be studied
in series of six-week classes
Charcoal
drawings and
still-life drawings explored
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
LA GRANGE, Ky. (January 2011) Beginning in
January, local artist Mike Prather will be teaching adult oil painting
classes and sharing his knowledge of the medium with participants at
Gallery 104 in La Grange.
|
Photo
provided
Mike
Prathers graphic design business lets him stay creative
while painting.
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The classes are for beginners as well as more established
artists. Classes will be held from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays and
run through April. Three sessions will be taught, with each session
running a six week period with a week off before another session begins.
Prather, 47, encourages participants to bring their own materials, since
they will not be supplied by the gallery. A student art show will likely
be held at some point, he said.
By taking this class, Prather said students will learn that its
not that hard to learn how to paint.
He begins the class by teaching his own general-to-specific technique.
First, Prather asks the students to do a charcoal rendering, and
employ lights, darks and shadows. Then Ill have them do a monotone
painting of the still life and add color.
Prather has always been able to paint. I went to college as an
artist. Prather attended Western University, earning a Bachelor
of Fine Arts degree in 1985. He now owns his own graphic design and
illustration business, PratherDesign, which he began in 1994. The
graphic design business allows me to stay creative in painting. Theyre
a good complement to one another.
He said he prefers to paint in oil, as opposed to other medium. The
work stays wet longer and can be altered up to the next day if needed,
he said. The color palette is more brilliant as well.
Prather, who lives in Buckner, is now working on a series of Kentucky
Derby winners and likes to paint portraits. He especially likes to teach
others how to paint.
Im very good at teaching beginners how to paint because
of the technique I teach, he said. Prather has been a member of
the Arts Association of Oldham County for four years.
Prather has been teaching both the adult and childrens oil painting
class for some time at Gallery 104, said Kathy Dowling, executive director
for the Arts Association of Oldham County and its Gallery 104. He has
a following of three to four regular students who take his adult
painting class each session to continue to improve their skills.
Dowling said that Prather teaches some of the basics of drawing
and painting including an emphasis on color, light and shadow.
He has gained notice with his mural projects which hang at the Kentucky
Baptist Convention, Maryhurst, Churchill Downs Junior Jockey Club and
the Kentucky Derby Museum Café.
There is a fee for the oil painting class
in addition to materials needed such as paint, canvas and brushes, among
other supplies. Contact the Arts Association of Oldham County or Gallery
104 to register and get a complete list of supplies at (502) 222-3822
or email Kathy Dowling at execdir@aaooc.org.
Back to January 2011
Articles.