Date: Fri 18-Sep-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

artists-Kountoupis-SCAN

Full Text:

Workshop Brings Out The Artists

B Y S HANNON H ICKS

Main Street in Newtown was dotted with nearly 25 artists Wednesday afternoon,

when participants of a week-long workshop conducted by the artist George

Kountoupis took their art supplies and set out to create scenes along the

historic stretch of Route 25.

Mr Kountoupis is a resident of Oklahoma, but for the past five years he has

made annual trips to Connecticut to lead artist workshops. He is a watercolor

artist, and has taught extensively throughout the United States. He has also

conducted workshops overseas.

This week, artists were invited to join Mr Kountoupis for daily demonstrations

at different locations. The group was scheduled to be going to Milford on

Wednesday for that morning's workshop, but overcast skies and the forecast for

possible rain kept the group in Newtown instead. The workshop was organized by

local artist Kita Macon, and is sponsored by the Society of Creative Artists

of Newtown (SCAN).

Carrying umbrellas along with their easels and supplies, the artists in the

workshop assembled in front of the Newtown Meeting House Wednesday morning. To

begin each of the five days of the workshop, Mr Kountoupis offered an on-site

painting demonstration. Three of the demonstrations were done in watercolor,

the other two were oil depictions. On Wednesday, he did a watercolor of a home

on Main Street, adding fall colors to the foliage.

"He can adapt his paintings to any season," Betty Richardson said that

afternoon. Mrs Richardson, of Stratford, was working on her own watercolor, a

depiction of the house at 28 Main Street, next to Newtown Savings Bank. "It's

amazing. He's trying to teach us how to do that for ourselves."

Artists of all ranges, and not only those who prefer working in oils and/or

watercolor, were taking part in the five-day workshop. Jean Ganci had a small

chair set up on the lawn area opposite Newtown General Store. She was drawing

the historic red storefront with her pastels. Mrs Ganci prefers pastels

because their colors always remain true.

"Watercolors fade," she pointed out. "And oils you also have to be careful

with how and where they hang. Pastels may smudge, but once you get them under

glass, they will always look the same."

Having worked on their individual pieces for just a few hours - Mr Kountoupis'

demonstrations ran about 90 minutes each morning, and then the group would

break up for their lunch break before resuming their own projects - none of

the art works were anywhere near completion. Many of the artists were laying

in major sections, or outlines, of their scenes with the idea of finishing

their scenes at a later time.

While the participants were working on their scenes, Mr Kountoupis walked from

artist to artist. The participants were set up in the parking area at the old

Yankee Drover Inn all the way up to Edmond Town Hall.

Some were working individually, while others had formed small groups. The

instructor continued to check on his students, and offered words of

encouragement. His own work, also unfinished but already very impressive to

view, remained on display all afternoon in front of the meeting house.

While the workshop will be concluded on Friday, Mr Kountoupis will be

returning to Newtown next week. He is the guest artist for the next meeting of

SCAN on Wednesday, September 23. The meeting is open to the public, free of

charge. It will begin at 1:30 pm, at the Newtown Meeting House.

Like his week-long workshop, Mr Kountoupis will be offering another

demonstration in watercolor. He will also be discussing his painting

techniques, which will serve as an introduction for any interested artists who

did not make it to this week's workshop, or will serve as one final reminder

for any of this week's students.

Looking at her work in progress, Mrs Richardson summed up the thoughts of many

artists when she shared her sentiments on creating art.

"I love it," she said. "It's frustrating, but it's great fun!"