By MYRNA FOSTER
Moapa Valley Progress
On a hot Saturday afternoon, five students attended the Moapa Valley Art Guild’s first class of the summer. Lynn Rigoni, a professional artist and member of the guild, taught a class on watercolors. Moapa Valley Art Guild President Jackie Worthen and Stacie Cameron, another member of the guild, were also there to help.
The class was held at the Moapa Valley Library from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Worthen said that some projects, like collage require more time, but most classes only take two hours.
Worthen also said that, with people going on vacation, student attendance fluctuates over the summer. They can accommodate up to 12 students at a time. There were only five on Saturday, so there are more openings. Students should be 12-18 years old. And classes will continue, every Saturday, until the end of August.
Students were given a variety of art supplies to use: pencils, different sizes of paper and paintbrushes, watercolors, kneadable erasers, colored pencils, paper towels, markers, and more. Rigoni let them choose which paper they wanted to use for various projects.
The participants painted watercolors of pueblos for their first project. Rigoni had a pencil sketch that students used to draw their own sketches. She taught them how to use the kneadable eraser to lighten a drawing. Then Rigoni showed the group Wet-into-Wet technique and explained how the water would carry and blend colors.
She said, “Wet everything you’re going to paint right away.”
Rigoni and Worthen gave suggestions and encouragement to the students as they painted.
Worthen pointed out that students in their summer class get plenty of one-on-one time. “A lot of time,” she said, “they learn things here that they don’t learn in school.”
Worthen said that she liked teaching kids because they aren’t as inhibited as adults. “They just jump right in, and they have such great imaginations,” she said.
When the students were nearly finished, Rigoni demonstrated how to outline separate buildings without having a hard line and how to check their papers without ruining them. “Use the back of your hand to check whether your paper is wet or dry,” she said. “The front of your hand has oils on it.”
When they’d finished their pueblos, the students were allowed to paint anything they chose. Rigoni drew an “L” and turned it into a man with his feet up against the wall.
Daxton Foster, Ryan McMurray and Robyn Foster came up with their own letter paintings. Daxton Foster used a “T” to make a shark. Ryan McMurray turned an “R” into an anthropomorphic lizard that was spray painting. He said the lizard was the library’s mascot. Robyn Foster painted a snake eating its tail in the shape of an “O.”
Meanwhile, Brynne McMurray painted another pueblo, and Courtney Holloway painted a girl with hair like flames and eyes that were the same shade as her own. When asked if it was a self-portrait, Holloway said it was not.
Rigoni went on to explain how to paint an abstract. She said they should paint in odd numbers and that an abstract has to look good from at least three angles.
“You have to know when to stop,” said Rigoni.
“That’s a hard thing,” Worthen added. “It is for all of us. You want to keep going, and then you ruin it.”
Most of the students tried an abstract watercolor painting. Rigoni pointed out that they hadn’t needed much instruction.
The instructors were pleased with the quality of work. Rigoni said, “Everyone did at least one super good piece.”
Worthen shared some chocolate frosted cupcakes she’d made with the class, and everyone helped clean up.
Various guild members will be teaching different classes. Next week, Stacie Cameron will have them painting with acrylics. They’re hoping Max Bunnell will teach drawing, but they’ll let him teach anything he wants. Worthen said she’d teach painting with nature: feathers, leaves, and things like that.
The Moapa Valley Art Guild has an art room with northern light exposure at the Old Logandale School. Membership for an individual costs $20. A family membership costs $25. They hold paint outs, weekly workshops, and have a website at www.moapavalleyartguild.net if anyone would like to know more. Their Saturday classes at the Moapa Valley Library are available to youth aged 12-18, free of charge, until the end of August.
