Ever wondered how an accomplished artist thinks while they paint? Or how to mix paint color properly? Or how to draw a face...so that it actually looks like a face?
Well a demonstration will take place this weekend in Menlo Park to answer those questions, and many more like them.
Local painter Decker Walker will be performing a free demonstration Saturday morning, where he intends to illustrate the step-by-step process of how to paint a model.
The demonstration will take place from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday in the at Allied Arts in Menlo Park.
It is the first show of its kind, but the gallery's executive director Alice Weil said she hopes demonstrations by different local artists will become a regular monthly installment at the gallery.
Walker, a retired Stanford professor turned painter and artist, will paint the face of a live model with oil colors on canvas. His demonstration will consist of 20 minute blocks of time during which he will paint, while explaining to the crowd his reasoning for the decisions he makes. Then he will open up a brief question and answer period with his audience, before going back to giving the play-by-play while painting.
The purpose of the demonstration is to help people get the perspective of a professional artist, as well as pick his brain for advice and ideas, he said.
Though he said he admits all painters pursue the creative process differently, the demonstration can help people understand at least the way one person paints.
He said the demonstration is appropriate for those who want to advance their craft as an artist.
"This can show people what are the steps they need to take in order to start drawing, or painting, well," said Walker.
Walker himself has only been painting for about a decade, but has accomplished plenty in that short amount of time. His works have been featured in, and won a variety of awards from, art exhibits across the state and nation.
He said the show will be appropriate for all artists of all ages, and skill levels. But he said it can also be fun for people who just enjoy viewing exhibits at museums or purchasing artwork for their homes. The show will help educate people to become more familiar with styles of painting they like, and why they like that style, said Walker.
Those who attend can then take their knowledge gained from the show and put it to use on the grounds of , where they may either peruse the galleries, or find inspiration in the beautiful landscaping to put their freshly learned techniques to use.
Walker has work that is being exhibited in the as well, he said.
Weil said attendees will be offered breakfast food such as muffins and juice to enjoy during the demonstration, and that folks are invited to visit the gallery and surrounding attractions afterward.
For the hungrier crowd, there's also Cafe Primavera on the grounds of Allied Arts which offers a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and burgers ranging from $9 for a Caesar salad to $16 for a trip-tip sandwich.
"The show will be fun, free, and informative," said Weil.
She said the show offers an opportunity to expand the realms of art education, as well as allow people to familiarize themselves with local artists in the area.
"It's just a fun thing to do," said Weil. "I think people will really enjoy it."
