Ebisu Atelier d'Art

Busy days, but i managed to finish and transfer the perspective design back to the canvas before the model came Thursday night. That night I was able to get through the rest of the chest tattoo and get paint onto the rest of thigh, lower leg and foot of the one leg. Yesterday I only ended up with a short time to paint but a little bit of time went into the background to at least call it started. Certainly a lot more to come on this painting. A lot more needs to be done on the figure itself with only 2 more sessions remaining. Join us on Sunday for Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 14 from 3-6pm

work in progress
Oil on Canvas
53 x 65 cm

Background perspective drawing for the current paintings. I think it's sufficiently realized to bounce it back onto the canvas though I will probably want to figure out the cityscape which will be outside the windows of the bridge where she is sitting. There will likely be some figures in the distance as well. Let's see how this transfers. Model coming tonight Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 11, Sunday Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 14 and then the final session will be next Tuesday Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 16. Come on out and draw with us here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art

pencil & ink on paper
53 x 65 cm

Thank you to everyone who came out to draw last night here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art. We only have 3 more sessions with our fantastic model Tay Smith before she returns the U.S. Join us tomorrow for
Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 11

Here are the results of my progress. It was nice to slow down a bit, i'd love to slow down a lot more, but I know time is very limited. The background can be finished leisurely afterwards, but I'll try to get the main elements of the perspective fixed, inked and then bounced back from the drawing board to the canvas as quick as I can.

work in progress
Oil on Canvas
53 x 65 cm

Thanks to everyone who came out to our open life drawing class yesterday. Always great to relax and not be rushed with these things on the weekend.

We have only 4 more sessions with our wonderful model Tay Smith before she goes back to the U.S.
Join us tomorrow for:
Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 9

My progress from yesterday. I'm blazing though this far faster than I should, but one I need to get the figure "finished" next week and two I want to be able to go over a lot of these passages a second time to refine, add details, tattoos etc... a background is in the works, just still on the drawing board and not yet onto the canvas, but soon.

work in progress
Oil on Canvas
53 x 65 cm

Great turn out here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art last night continuing with our summer life drawing program. We are taking full advantage of working with Taylor Smith while she is in Japan. Next class will be:
Open Life Drawing / Painting: Special Model: July 7
Come on out and draw from life with us.
Everyone is welcome.

Here is my progress from last night with the model and over the last week on the monochrome underpainting. A bit fast and furious, but I need to be fast as this will end soon enough. Very much enjoying this one.

work in progress
Oil on Canvas
53 x 65 cm

Hannah's most recently completed oil painting. This was finished last year so though it could have been posted earlier it's still wonderful to see at any time. This work was done from a personal photograph. It cannot be understated either the amount of time and dedication went into this work nor the constant abstraction, omission and simplification of information present in the photograph. Absolutely amazing work. Hannah is presently working on a master copy of a 19th Century Corot painting. We are all watching with joy at the transformations that are occurring on the canvas.

I really want to post more from our Canada Day show, but it's been almost two weeks since Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School, Tokyo presented Kiki Khaos at everyone's favourite underground burlesque theatre in Shinjuku Rosso 198. This means it's almost two weeks until we present: The Blue Film (on July 18) so I better get these up here 😆 Now you've got 2 weeks to think this over, but really do yourself a favour and come and check out what we have been doing. You don't need to be able to draw a stick man or have any inkling into burlesque. It's just a mad fun event. So come on out when you hear the call and for those hankering after some real life drawing we are doing just that here tonight at Ebisu Atelier d'Art with out Open Life Drawing / Painting Special Model : July 2

I'm so happy to have played Canada Day! I will also be playing Independence Day this Thursday at What the Dickens and then on Friday there will be a closing reception to the group exhibition that I'm in at Gamuso Asagaya where I will be playing with my indie rock band. Hope to see you guys out there in the clubs.

14 year old Aiden from Korea, who is attending a local international school, recently started attending classes here. I can't overstate how much effort these drawing were for him or his resolve to see them through to the zenith of what he was capable of doing. Excellent work and what a fantastic accomplishment for someone who was just completing middle school. We are all looking forward to seeing him back after the summer break. He was already knee deep into his first cast drawing and it will be very rewarding for everyone to see how it comes to completion as well.

Four "Bargue" drawings
done for our introductory drawing course.
Pencil on paper.

An absolutely fantastic painting by Brian. Brian has been slowly working on a series of Master copies wanting to do one for each century from the 16th-19th. Here is his 17th Century copy of a very devilish looking Satyr by Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens in particular makes for such great works to study for so many reasons. The clear colour temperature shifts, the insistence on dynamic linear composition, both the anatomical precision with all of these things lending themselves to the expressiveness that was his genius. We would all be the better for more diligent studies such as this. Bravo!

Oil on Canvas

More great intro drawing courses. 4 small and one medium sized Bargue drawing which makes up our first intro drawing course. These were done last year by Peter who is from Thailand. We have students from all over the world here which makes for a very interesting community of artists. The first 4 small drawings are used as mini lessons to explain a lot of key drawing concepts which are then put to much more use in the final medium sized drawings. Students choose which drawing they wish to work with. Here Peter chose one of the more difficult ones. Excellent to see it worked through to completion and more importantly are the skills learned and practiced along the way.

I was interviewed yesterday by Shibuya Radio FM 87.6 at the Hikarie building in Shibuya to talk about my studio Ebisu Atelier d'Art on behalf of the Hiroo Shotengai Association. Before I went for the interview I didn’t even know that it was going to be live or even the exact radio station to be able to tell people to tune in, but here is the interview and the program in it’s entirety from the radio station’s archives. I talked about my history in Canada, my art training and studies in New York and Italy, my studies in education, and most importantly about my practice of teaching classical art to here in Tokyo to children and adults, from complete beginners to professions in various art related fields over the last 16years.

My voice was really shot from the week of being on my feet and talking non stop at my exhibition at Tokyo Art Tank. As a result I’ve been under the weather this week and then was performing and singing at What the Dickens just the night before. So if my voice is a bit darker than usual there are good reasons 😅 I’m just happy I wasn’t coughing or sniffling on live radio 😬 It’s all in Japanese so for those of you who speak Japanese you can listen to my far from perfect Japanese 😆 for everyone else I’m happy to talk more about this experience in the comments or just shoot me a DM. As ever if anyone local is interested in art lessons for either children or adults or know anyone who might be just let me know.

On a very cool side note I was told they would play a song of my request half way through the show, so I asked if they would play one of my original songs that I performed with my band The Mighty Burner (which includes Nicholas Smith and Mika Sweetbeats) from our recent show at 350 showcase. It was really cool to have done this broadcast. Check it out:

https://note.com/shiburadi/n/n2dbd854f2f6d?sub_rt=share_b

Midori's recently completed Master Copy of Monet's painting "Rock Arch West of Etretat (The Manneport)" which is preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One of the most tried and true ways to learn painting is through the study and copy of Master paintings. Though traditionally this was restricted to what we call the "Old Masters" basically highlights from 16th & 17th Century Europe today's classical art atelier's typically accommodate student's desires to study from a wider scope from both history and geography. Midori's exploration of Monet's form, palette, design, composition and dynamic use of colour led to fabulous results in her rendition of this painting.

Installation shot of my painting "The Acolyte"
on display at Tokyo Art Tank vol 11 "The Spring Exhibition"
Gallery Conceal Shibuya I will be at the exhibition today from 5pm till whenever it closes. Last night we went till midnight 😅 and tomorrow the entire day from 11-5pm when the show closes. Hope you can make it if you are local. All artworks are for sale and free to view. As always comments, queries and DMs are super appreciated.

Installation shots of my exhibition at Tokyo Art Tank vol 11 "The Spring Exhibition" Gallery Conceal Shibuya and some details of my triptych painting "Hope, Emptiness, Exile" (predella to a lost alterpiece) Oil on wood. The exhibition runs till Sunday. Hope to see you there!

Great time drawing last night as part of our ongoing open life drawing classes here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art. Thank you to everyone who came. Next week there will be no life drawing here at the Atelier and we will all be going to Rosso 198 for our monthly drink and draw event Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School, Tokyo. If you have not yet been, you really should come. This event is really not just for artists. It is for everyone and is a tremendous amount of fun regardless if you can draw a demented smiley face or not so check it out! Thursday, May 16, Dr. Sketchy's Presents: Olene Gardenia.

seated female n**e (2 hour drawing)
HB pencil and white pastel
on prepared paper (rabbit skin & green earth pigment)
28 x 38.5 cm

Jorynn's recently complete intro drawing course. We typically 4 small drawings done from the first 4 plates of the Gerome / Bargue course from 1866 and a medium sized one to finish. Here Jorynn has chosen one of the more beautiful and fully expressed heads from the course to draw. I often remark that more important than the results are the journey that we go on together, the explanations, lessons that accompany these drawings, but yes it certainly is a pleasure when the results are so fruitful.

Ongoing adult and children's classes and drop in life drawing classes with the live model. Feel free to ask us if you have any questions.

Fumika's most recently completed still life.
Fumika has been exploring the theme of smells, fragrances, seasons and the passage of time in her still life painting often working on dreamy abstract backgrounds to heighten the feelings portrayed withing the figurative elements of the composition. There is a lot of mimicking and play back and forth between the objects, background and tittle of the piece. Wonderfully done.

Rosé de Mai
2023
Oil on Canvas

Sandi's completed first drawing course. All of our students start with an intro to drawing where we work from 4 smaller and then one medium sized Bargue print. The results do look great, but more important than the results are the lessons that accompany them. This course provides an incredible conceptual framework on how to navigate the process of drawing that is then expanded upon in subsequent courses. Wonderfully done!

-pencil on paper

Let us know if you are interested in any of our adult or children's art programs. A free trial lesson is available for children or a studio visit for adults.

Next week we will be continuing with our weekly open, uninstructed life drawing classes with a model. If you are interested on coming out to draw the live model you are very welcome to join us: Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 30

Great time painting with our model last night here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art. Next Tuesday we will be continuing with Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 30. So if you are around for Golden Week and have a hankering to draw or paint from life then come on out!
At some point I really need to start the background, but first I better get back the river!

(work in progress)
oil on canvas
60.5 x 45.5 cm

Too much rain to get back to the river and continue on this years Sakura painting, but hope to get out there tomorrow. We had a great time painting and drawing here at Ebisu Atelier d'Art last night with our fantastic model. I tried to take a picture of my painting between the raindrops, but wasn't so successful, so there's some "realism" for you, real raindrops on the canvas ;)

We will be drawing and painting tomorrow night, Thursday here, so come on out and draw with us!
Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 25

(work in progress)
oil on canvas
60.5 x 45.5 cm

There has been a lot going on here. Here is a recent cast painting, done last year, by Ilona. Wonderfully executed.

Oil on Canvas

Ongoing adult and children's classes most days of the week. Let us know if you are interested.
As ever we also offer drop in open life drawing.
Come draw with us on Thursday this week, tomorrow:
Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 25

Recently completed cast drawing done after the nose Michelangelo's David by one of our High School Students.
Just fantastic what can be accomplished with time, dedication and hands on instruction.

-pencil on paper

We have ongoing classes for all ages, abilities and interests. Don't hesitate to contact us.

This week we have open life drawing classes on Tuesday Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 23 and Thursday Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 25

Come and Draw with us!

Great time painting with our model last night here at the Atelier. Thank you to everyone who came out! We will be continuing tomorrow so come on out and draw with us: Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 11.

(work in progress)
oil on canvas
60.5 x 45.5 cm

Painting in in the light rain this afternoon before rushing back to the Atelier teach our after-school kids class. Luckily water and oil don’t mix though one of these years I probably should look at getting an umbrella to clamp onto the easel ☔️ 🎨 🖼️ 🌸
Tomorrow we have Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 9en

Great time painting on the river in the afternoon yesterday and great time painting with our model in the evening. Thank you to everyone who came out to draw from life! Next open life drawing class will be next Tuesday: Open Life Drawing / Painting: April 9 come on out and draw with us! But tomorrow if you are in the area we will be having our annual hanami: Ebisu Atelier d'Art: Hanami 2024. It will be a great time!

work in progress
oil on canvas
60.5 x 45.5 cm