How many artists does it take to change a light bulb?

Color pencil participants Sharon Nergaard (left) and Carolyn Gibson with Acyrlic student, Rose Kanoldt.

A compilation of 20 tiles from participants’ works from Nils Johnson’s class on Acrylic Abstract Art.

The answer is “you the artist.” On Friday, January 18 Nils Johnson posed this question and gave the answer to a group of 16 Fine Arts Guild members taking Nils’ class on Acrylic Abstract Art. Nils took the class down the adventurous road of imagination from squares, to arcs and finally squiggles. He then challenged the artists to paint the various drawings with colors which would lead the observer into and around the painting.

Nils is an artist in architecture, which is his career, and also in carpentry and acrylic painting. His acrylic painting ranges from formal-tight to edgy-abstract, examples of which are on display in Studio II of the Creative Arts Center.

By the way, some of the imaginative ways to change a light bulb include: 1) painting it to look like a hot air balloon to which one would add some string and a small box, 2) paint one to look like a penguin, 3) paint a face on it for the Yul Brynner look, then add a red hat and beard to make Yul look like Santa. Just imagine what you might do with an old light bulb.

Also during the month of January, Kathy Arend and JoAnn Bunyea taught a drawing class to nine participants. After their two basic drawing lessons, the participants chose a medium in which to finish their project. Four chose color pencils with JoAnn Bunyea, another four chose watercolor with Melanie Douglas and finally one chose acrylics with Nancy Friedman.

The Fine Arts Guild has over 30 of their members’ paintings on display most of which are for sale. Come down and browse. Our winter hours are posted on the door to Studio II and generally are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to noon plus 1:00-4:00 p.m.