Dawn Whitelaw
Bio
Dawn Whitelaw maintains a studio at “The Factory” in Franklin, Tennessee. Ms. Whitelaw’s experience with plein air painting adds richness and honesty to her studio work. For over twenty-five years she taught basic principles of oil painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She credits the community of teachers and students around her for both her success and growth as an artist. Among her influential teachers are Scott Christensen, Cedric Egeli and Jim Pollard, but most of her instruction and inspiration comes from nationally preeminent artist Everett Raymond Kinstler. She considers one of her career highlights to be juried into two sessions at the Santa Fe Institute of art with Kinstler as the instructor.
Her ability to capture life in paint has not gone unnoticed. Her awards include the Certificate of Merit for her portrait at the National Portrait Convention in 1991, Best of Show at the Portrait Society of America in Washington DC, and the Award of Excellence in the Oil Painter’s of America exhibition in 2002.
With each painting, Ms. Whitelaw learns to see life in a new light. Whether painting vast open areas or intimate spaces, she delivers every stroke of paint like that of both a skilled master and a student discovering paint for the first time.
Classes taught by Dawn Whitelaw
Capturing the Essence of a Portrait in Oil
The class will center on the experience of painting from life. Painting head studies from the live model offers a unique opportunity to learn key principles of painting. The principles may then be applied to any subject matter. Key points of emphasis will be on drawing, massing in values, edges, and color harmony using a three-color palette. The class exercises will concentrate on painting the head rather than the figure. Emphasis during the class is on learning; not producing finished paintings. Each day’s session will include demonstration, lecture, and individual instruction at the easel. The class will be small to maximize personal attention. Each participant will go home with a complete set of written notes and other instructional material including a cd of digital images to reinforce the instruction. A 15-minute individual critique session will be available to each student. Dawn Whitelaw taught painting at the University level for over 30 years and brings this experience to the workshop. She has been known to give a “pop quiz.”