By M. Stephen Doherty
Many art schools and universities have dropped foundation courses in drawing and painting because the faculty no longer believes students need the skills developed in those traditional courses. Students who aspire to draw and paint like the great masters, however, know that kind of instruction is critical, and they recognize the importance of the art schools and private ateliers where drawing and painting are still the bedrock of the educational program. Over the past few years we have featured work by students from such institutions, including the Lyme Academy of Fine Artist in Old Lyme, Connecticut; the New York Academy of Art in New York City; the Water Street Atelier in Brooklyn; the New Orleans Academy of the Fine Arts; The Bougie Studio and The Atelier in Minneapolis; the School of Representation Art in Chicago: The Florence Academy of Art and the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Italy; and L'Ecold Albert Defois in France.

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I interviewed several young artists who are being well trained and enthusiastically supported by local teachers, commercial galleries, and the California Art Club (CAC). Three of those individuals are part of a CAC mentoring program that helps them gain valuable tutelage, advice, and exposure. The CAC encourages artists accepted into its program to attend lectures, exhibition openings, and painting events, as well as invites them to work with signature members and other artists in the program. In some cases participants serve as studio apprentices to senior members, working with the mentors in their studios and on location. Artist Daniel W. Pinkham heads the program.

Although in many ways these young artists are typical of dozens I have met over the past 20 years, they seem unusually mature both as individuals and artists. Their drawing and painting skills are remarkable: their knowledge of today's masters is extensive; their network of support is solid; and their ambitions are grand. Collectively they represent a great promise for realist painting.

This development has likely been fueled by the strong economy of the 1990's that made it possible for more artists to support themselves through teaching and selling paintings, and it probably allowed more young people to visualize futures as professional artists. The recent downturn in the economy may discourage both teachers and students from pursuing their ambitions, but for the time being, their dreams are intact and their work is exciting.

Like all students, the three artists I spoke with are constantly shifting their approach to painting in an effort to grow and establish a unique personal expression. Their inspirations range from contemporary artists such as Richard Schmid, Peter Adams, Clyde Aspecvig, and Malcolm Lipke to historic figures such as Edgar A. Payne, Emil Carlsen, and Nicolai Fechin. They tend not to look back more than 125 years for models on which to base their approach to painting. Only a few university-trained artists turn to 15^th and 16^th century masters for guidance, perhaps because those young artists benefited from more extensive education in art history than what is typically offered at private ateliers and art schools.

ARIANA RICHARDS

With the encouragement and support of her parents, Ariana Richards explored a number of creative activities as a child but quickly focused on acting and painting. By age 6 she was appearing in motion pictures, and by age 10 she was studying painting with her grandmother and Ken O'Connor, an artist who created animations for Walt Disney Studios. As she approached her teens, Richards; acting talents landed her roles in such movies as Jurassic Park, and her artistic abilities blossomed during courses in drawing and sculpting human anatomy with Rey Bustos, an instructor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. "I've been fortunate with my teachers from an early age, beginning with the training from my grandmother," she explains. "She is an artist and a direct descendant of Carlo Crevelli, a Renaissance painter."

After high school, Richards enrolled in Skidmore College's University Without Walls program so she could continue her acting career and her study of art. "The program allowed me to earn credits both on the Saratoga Spring, New York, campus and while on location for movies," she explains. Art history became a favorite subject in college because I was able to spend time studying artists from the past, such as Monet and Sargent.”

After graduating with a bachelor's degree din fine art and drama in 2001, Richards returned to her home in California to further pursue and art education. She studied figure painting with Jeremy Lipking at the California Art Institute, and after being accepted in the CAC's mentor program, worked alongside Peter Adams, Stephen Mirich, Lynn Gertenbach, David Gallup, and Karl Dempwolf. "I think I picked the long straw," Richards enthuses. "Somehow these master artists of the CAC are making time to mentor me. Someday I'll pass along that help to younger artists."

A strong advocate for the environment, Richards believes that art can deepen one's relationship with the natural world. "I want to share the magic and beauty of the natural world," she writes in her artist's statement. "If I could, I would take each viewer along to my favorite places along the seacoast or in the mountains. I hope to offer a gateway to secret places of nature." Among the places she has already shared with the viewers of her recent plein air oils are the beaches in Malibu, the mountains outside Los Angeles, and the public gardens within driving distance of her home.

Richards is especially interested in painting figures within landscape settings. "I like painting figures in landscapes because of the beautiful light available in a natural setting," she comments. "That adds an extra dimension to the scene and offers some interesting possibilities."

Richards received the Painter of the Year Award for 2001 from the Media Arts Institute and Moorpark College and was featured in Southwest Art magazine as part of its "21 under 31" feature articles in 2002. She is represented in California by Morseburg Galleries in West Hollywood, the McLean Gallery in Malibu, and the Wendt Gallery in Laguna Beach. She is a member of the Conejo Valley Painters Association, Westlake Art Guild, and the Huntington Gardens Art Guild. She teaches at the California Art Institute in Westlake Village. For more information, visit her Web site: www.galleryariana.com.