By Sam Skopp
From August 13 through November 19, the Camera Obscura Art Lab’s artist-in-residence is painter Zeal Harris. As part of her residency, Harris taught an intimate acrylic painting class focused on painting three dimensional objects. Harris herself is contributing to the “Community of Angels” sculpture project, which has installed angel statues painted by various artists throughout L.A. County. Harris is painting her angel with acrylic paints, and used her experience to teach students how to paint on other three dimensional surfaces.
Harris’ instruction included advice about which brands of paint to use, how to properly sand down a surface before applying paint, her preferred basic paint colors, and more.
“Everybody else is taught red, yellow and blue. I like to use cyan, magenta and cadmium (yellow),” said Harris. She explained that her preferred base paint colors appear richer.
Harris’ students entered the workshop with some past painting experience and were familiar with basics, allowing Harris to delve into the specifics of her process. Students were able to ask questions throughout the course.
This was one of a weekly series of workshops which will continue through the end of Harris’s residency in November.
“She started out with drawing exercises, and now she’s moved to acrylic painting,” said Naomi Okuyama, who is the city’s Cultural Affairs Supervisor at the Camera Obscura Art Lab.
Harris’ residency will culminate in a final exhibit on November 19. Unlike previous residents, much of Harris’ work created during her residency will be displayed at other galleries, meaning that the work showcased at her final exhibit will instead showcase her process, including sketches and computer renderings.
For more information about Zeal Harris and the Camera Obscura Art Lab, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/1450Ocean.
