Artwork by Elena Ivri

Due to life circumstances, I have never had the opportunity for a proper and professional art education. I’ve always wished that I could further my artistic skills by attending courses that would gradually expose me to the complexity and the magic of drawing and painting. The only guidance that I had in my artistic journey was private tutoring, which only lasted brief periods of time and didn’t allow me to explore and find my niche in the world of art.

Having travelled the world and visiting world renowned museums, I’ve always found the old Holland masterpieces to be closest to my heart. I was always fascinated by the intricate use of lighting, shades, shapes of objects, and the symbolism that fueled my fantasy and imagination! I always feel like I’m travelling back in time when looking at the fruit still-lives and flowers, for, I can almost see myself looking into the painting as into a window of the time period of the artist.

The Drawing Academy course will allow me to grasp the principles of drawing, how to express shapes, light and dark, to understand the human anatomy necessary for drawing and how to draw portraits and figures. In addition, I would be really grateful to learn the guidelines on how to correctly plan out the perspective of the composition. What are the proportions of the face, figures, how to find the best places for the objects on the still-life painting? I have a lot of detailed questions for the tutors! Answering these questions will allow me to express on the paper and canvas what I see and have planned in my mind. I am also interested in knowing about the other techniques of drawing. I first heard about the Drawing Academy and the Old Masters Academy from my friend and painting partner.

Through the e-mail subscription, which I read regularly, I understood that the tutors and I are like-minded people. Their fundamental and serious approach to the study process appeals to my way of learning. I would be very grateful for this opportunity, as this will give me a chance to pursue my lifelong dream of painting! Success in this competition would mean a lot to me, as it will be an indicator that people appreciate my work of art. Each vote will encourage me to learn more and improve myself. Art is true happiness for me. Thank you to everybody!