Holly Heiser Hornyan is a great artist who created the mural in our patio in Pueblo Campestre Phase 2 and did a special painting of Beth and her father Phil, after he passed away two years ago. Recently, she has started to hold some special art classes at District in San Jose del Cabo and Latitude 22 Roadhouse in Cabo San Lucas. I decided to go down to District in Plaza Peninsula to watch her most recent class.
District lets Holly start her class before the restaurant is open and use the long tables on the back side of the bar. Holly had confided in me that she didn’t think that she would like teaching but found that she loved. Having watched how she works with the students, she is a natural. Holly brings all of the canvases, paints, brushes and a painting that will be the subject of the class. District provides the space, the bubbly and other beverages that the students might want.
The class started with everyone getting their first drink, as Holly set up the table with the easel showing the subject to be painted, the containers for the water and paints and the canvases for each student. The first step was to paint the background color on the canvas. Holly showed the students how to change the texture of the background by adding other colors and the best way to use the brushes to achieve the effect that they wanted. As the subject of this class was a vase with flowers sitting on the table, the next step was for students to use a piece of white charcoal to block out the shape of the vase and where they wanted to position it on the canvas. Holly help each student to get the right shape on the top and back of the vase. The students were then given the turquoise and blue colors that would be used for the vase. But first, Holly described the importance of visualizing where the light was coming from on the vase. This would define where the shadow would be placed and give the vase more of a 3-D effect. Each student filled in their vase and changed the tone and color by brushing in additional colors on certain places on it.
The next step was to add the background to where the flowers were going to be painted. One of the most interesting steps was actually painting the flowers. Holly showed the students how to use the flat of a small brush to just place it on the canvas four or five times to create the shape of the flowers. They weren’t drawn so much as created with multiple small dabs. With the overall placement of the flowers completed, the next step was to add variation in color to them to create the depth of the bouquet. The final addition to the bouquet were small branches with what looked like tiny buds or pussy willows.
With the bouquet completed, the finishing touches were to create the table, adjust the background color and add some details to the table top and the artist’s signature.
It was fascinating to watch the process as Holly worked with each student; held their painting several feet away from them to give them a different perspective and made suggestions to improve their work. The group was comprised of an experienced artist, a mother, who had never painted before and her daughter who had had some art classes. Each of them learned something about painting, the creative process and themselves. For a two and a half-hour class, the results were very impressive. The group stayed to share lunch and talk about their experience and what they were going to do with art in the future.
For more information on Holly Heiser Hornyan visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tattoorebel
For information on District visit their website at https://districtmx.com/ or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thedistrictmx
