SPSA: Demo artist Wiles to show unique
watercolor enhancements Sunday
December 09, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A unique demonstration of shadow enhancing watercolors as well as topping paintings with water soluble crayons will be the fascinating mix Sunday at the Santa Paula Society of the Arts meeting featuring acclaimed artist Barbara Wiles.
The December 13a demonstration will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Depot Gallery on the second level of the historic Depot located at the corner of 10th and East Santa Barbara streets. Art loving members of the public are always welcome to attend free Society meetings where you have an opportunity to win fine art!
According to SPSA President Virginia Gunderson, Wiles will be demonstrating watercolor painting emphasizing shadows, “Talking contour shadows, reflective color in shadows, and especially using shadows as a compositional device…”
In addition, Wiles will be demonstrating the use of Caran d’Ache Neocolor II Water Soluble Crayons on top of watercolor paintings needing some minute detail that is light in value on top of a dark value.
After being induced to the Neocolor II crayons recently by Cathy Quiel, Wiles finds their ultra-high pigment concentration, superior covering power, and excellent colorfastness set them far above other similar products.
Gunderson said the crayons, “Dissolve completely in water, never leaving clumps on your artwork. Attending artists will have an opportunity to try them on old paintings — we all have them in our closets, cupboards, and under our beds! — that they may have given up on or just play with blank paper and the 30-crayon set Barbara will bring along.”
A brief printed handout, noted Gunderson, “will include some shadow ideas along with the water-soluble crayon information.”
While growing up in the beach community of El Segundo, Wiles spent much time painting and sketching, reflecting her early desire to become an artist.
Her watercolor painting journey took a slight detour, however when she went into animation where her career spanned 40 years. She worked for over 25 years in the Ink and Paint and Animation Check departments of Hanna-Barbera Studios. Favorite shows included The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, and The Smurfs.
Wiles concluded the last 15 years of her animation-checking career at the Walt Disney Feature Animation Studio in Burbank. Her screen credits include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and Tarzan.
Since her retirement, Wiles, now a resident of Channel Islands Harbor, has been free to pursue her passion for watercolor.
“In 2004,” noted Wiles, “the mixture of agriculture and ocean drew me to Ventura County for my retirement. My paintings continue to reflect this love and appreciation. I still smile sharing a local road with a John Deere!” To shop at the produce stands along the way and enjoy the fruits of local agriculture is, she added, “simply the best.”
Wiles is also devoted to creating art: “What’s not to love about watercolor painting? The flow and splash of color against the white of the paper is a real treat, even after eleven years of enjoyment and hopefully learning a few things along the way. When it ceases to be fun, it will be time to move on but, for now, I’m enjoying it all more than I ever imagined might be possible.”
Wiles regularly studies under Cathy Quiel, an association that began in 2004. Wiles is an award-winning member of the Santa Barbara Art Association and the Los Padres Watercolor Society. Most recently, she was awarded 3rd place in the Nautica 2015 art exhibit at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum and 3rd place in watercolor in the Professional Arts exhibit at the 2015 Ventura County Fair.
In addition to her ongoing — and diverse — work in watercolor, Wiles has recently found new enthusiasm for the medium of glass fusing. She began studying with Carolyn Holguin in 2013 in Santa Barbara, and Wiles said she “has a child’s Christmas-morning excitement when she retrieves her finished work from the kiln.”
With the holidays here be sure to visit the SPSA Gift Shop where you’ll find miniature paintings, ceramics, postcards, magnets, jewelry clothing, sculptures, greeting cards and much more, all created by local artists.
For more information about the Santa Paula Society of the Arts visit www.thespsa.com
