TESTIMONIALS
I’m almost embarrassed. My family and friends love my paintings! They think that I have improved like crazy since I’ve been listening to Dick for the last two months. I have everybody asking me for pictures now!
He asks you to be patient with yourself… you can’t help but get better if you keep painting. You never make a mistake that can’t be fixed.
He looks at your picture and scene and tells you that you might want to crop a corner, add more flowers, to begin and make your creation better right from the start.
Dick’s approach of using more colors, trying new application utensils, i.e. palette knives, rags, sticks, beat up old brushes, etc., to have Fun!
Dick’s approach is exactly the boost I needed to continue, and I find myself enjoying it even more than before
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Andy K
I AM LESS FOCUSED ON DETAIL, and
MORE FOCUSED ON THE OVERALL FEEL OF ‘WHAT I AM SEEING IN MY MIND'
What has been the reaction to your painting (s) from your family and friends?
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IMPRESSED, EACH ONE BETTER THAN THE LAST
THANK YOU DICK! YOU’RE AN ARTISTIC TEACHER AND A VERY EDUCATIONAL ARTIST!
IF YOU LEARN ONE THING FROM EVERY PAINTING, YOU WILL INEVITABLY SUCCEED (I FEEL A ONE-HOUR MEDICAL CONFERENCE IS VALUABLE IF I HAVE LEARNED ONE NEW THING BY THE END OF THE HOUR!)
To enjoy the process!
YOU MAY NOT LIKE YOUR PAINTING, BUT YOU NEED TO ENJOY THE PROCESS
Rick A. (MD)
Before painting with Dick, I recall having a conversation with him stating I could never paint...as I had not ever painted before and told him I didn’t think I had it in me. He quickly responded that everyone has it in them to create. So I said “put me to the test!” Well, that experience changed me and my discovery of my creative side forever!
Not only was Dick kind and patient but brought out a side of me I never knew existed! To this day, I continue to paint not only in pastels but in other forms!
Dick always made a point to say “have fun” with it. Don’t worry about mistakes...you are painting to feel, discover, and express yourself and what your mind’s eye sees!
I have never seen so many colors in a singular painting again after that!
The painting I decided to create was of a beautiful garden that belonged to a dear friend of mine. The garden had an abundance of flowers, a little stepping bridge, and a plant with huge elephant leaves. With a little help from Dick, (actually a lot of teaching and guidance) I created a painting I was so proud of framing and displaying in my own home. I received so many compliments from family and friends!
To this day, I can’t thank Dick enough for his willingness to spend hours at his beautiful studio with me taking the time to encourage and spread his artists talents with an amateur such as myself. This was, by far, one of the most rewarding times of my life!! Thank you, my dear friend!
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Suzanne C
Painting with Dick was a very cool experience!
He made sure to let me know not to worry about making mistakes which put me at ease.
He continually said it was important to have fun and find my own painting style and to just enjoy the process.
He taught me not to copy exactly what I was seeing but rather to capture what I was feeling.
I enjoy the fact that I painted it myself (with a few helping strokes from my teacher) as well as the entire experience from which it was created. Thank you Dick McEvoy!!
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Michele F.
I used to worry a lot about getting all of the details perfectly translated onto the canvas. Dick taught me that I should not worry about making an exact replica of my subject matter but instead embrace my own interpretation of what I see.
In a way it is akin to finding your own voice/style that is as unique as you are.
There are no mistakes that I can’t overcome
-Embracing this simple tenet is sets the cornerstone for the growth of every great artist. If you don’t take a leap of faith and make mistakes in your paintings, then you will never grow as an artist. The only safety net is the knowledge that you will overcome your mistakes and actually be a better artist.
To always use some sort of background color rather than painting on a white surface
-Yes, I definitely learned this (layering/glazing) technique from Dick. The first gradient layer of paint is very important in order to set the proper tone and temperature of the subject matter you are going to paint.
To let the background colors come through, adding more texture and reality to my finished painting
-Dick is a master of this (layering/glazing) technique uses dried lower layers to interact with wet new layers to achieve incredible depth and tonal values in the subject that is ultimately exposed in the finished painting.
To have fun! And to be free with my painting style.
-It goes without saying… if you are not having fun painting then go and do whatever else makes you happy.
To SEE more colors than I previously saw.
-This is one of the most important things I have learned from painting with Dick.
I was basically color blind and totally afraid of color. Just like a therapist, Dick guided my hand and taught me how to overcome my color fears. He showed me how not to be afraid of mixing oil colors to produce breathtaking hues which I would never have had the courage to do on my own.
To See with an Artist’s eye!
-There are many tools that an artist learns and develops over a lifetime.
Seeing color and being able to recreate that color on a palette is one of the most important tools in my opinion.
How did the painting(s) you completed with Dick compare to paintings you had completed beforehand?
-My first painting with Dick “Rams Pasture” (Newtown CT) ended up being a beautiful oil painting that is vibrant, full of color, depth, and interest.
All of my previous work was two dimensional and flat, with very little use of color to achieve interest.
Dick has completely expanded my perception of the elements of color; (chromaticity, tonal value, saturation, and temperature).
I was basically color blind before I met Dick.
What has been the reaction to your painting (s) from
-My family and friends all think I am an accomplished artist… LOL
Tom T.
I have had the incredible fortune to train with Dick McEvoy, whose lessons have drastically improved my skills and my attitude towards my paintings. Studying with Dick has taught me the precious layers that go into creating a true "artist".
First and foremost, Dick taught me the most important lesson—he reassured me that we improve little by little in our painting skills after every 50 or so paintings. This notion allowed me the freedom to be less judgmental and harsh on my personal art skills, and I soon found through Dick’s training that true progress happens when experimenting with colors, sceneries, mediums and ways to paint (i.e. drip paint, different brushes, different strokes etc.). With his support, I allowed myself to enjoy the process of creating and re-working paintings, and removed the negativity and the notion of “perfection” while doing so.
He expertly guided my artist's eye without altering my personal style—for example, when I had reached for typical colors of what I saw around me (i.e. a blue sky painted in variations of blues), he challenged me to mix in different and unlikely color to add dimension and reality—something I never would have thought to do before. This dramatically improved both my paintings and helped me "re-train" my eye in the colors I saw around me. Another example is in the way I held my paint brushes—I had a tendency to hold it seriously and too firmly, resulting in paintings that had no movement or dimension. He calmed my anxiety by showing me different painting techniques and styles (such as dripping the paint on the canvas) that can add character and appeal to the painting without it having to be the “perfect brush stroke” or the “most precise line”. I became more comfortable and flexible in my paintings, and I was to enjoy the process more without worrying about any "mistakes".
Another key lesson Dick taught me was to always paint a background on my pictures—within one session of learning this trick from Dick, my painting instantly looked more organic and less forced, and gave me a strong starting point to build off of in my painting.
His teaching style is excellent and unmatched—he is patient, caring, personable, and most importantly, makes the whole lesson fun! His vast experience and in-depth knowledge of painting is inspiring and exciting, and I will continue to carry his lessons with me as I continue my art.​
Julia C.