Paint Like Ann Stapleton

Our local artist for the day is Ann Stapleton. She was born in Mt. D'or Champs Fleurs and went to St. Joseph's Convent St. Joseph. We talked about her childhood and school days as well as the fact that she worked for a long time in a 'regular' job before turning to art as her source of income.

So today we will paint our version of her beautiful piece entitled Picking Mango. 

Her paintings are full of movement and her brushstrokes are as vibrant as her colours are vivid. She paints in the Impasto style which is like another of my favorite master artists... Van Gogh! No wonder I am drawn to this lady's work :) This is the point I make to my campers over and over... that we can be influenced by lots of different people, places and cultures, but what matters most is that we find a way to turn that influence into something that expresses what makes us unique! Stapleton may have adopted an Impressionist style but her themes are purely local and so her work is fresh! You don't have to wear blinders to appreciate your local culture... on the contrary you should travel the world, eat, drink and see all it has to offer and then use it to flourish in your own way. 

They drew the main elements first and then starting laying down paint in the Impasto style to mimic the gorgeous texture that runs through this piece.