I do not paint things. I only paint the difference between things. -Henri Matisse
It is so hard and long before a student comes to a realization that these first few large simple spots in right relations are the most important things in the study of painting. They are the fundamentals of all painting. -Charles Hawthorne
It is so hard and long before a student comes to a realization that these first few large simple spots in right relations are the most important things in the study of painting. They are the fundamentals of all painting. -Charles Hawthorne
In teaching painting, I aim to teach a mode of thinking and seeing rather than a stylistic approach. My hope is that students can apply this critical thinking to any number of personal and expressive forms throughout their development. No matter the specific subject matter addressed in my courses, my primary focus remains consistent: Color and Space. I teach the direct painting method from observation as the means for engaging with a formal visual vocabulary. In this method, opaque colors are individually mixed and applied directly to the canvas from the very beginning. This creates an immediate dialog between the notes of color and introduces the student to the complexities and excitement involved in analyzing color activity.
I am part of a lineage of painters that descends from Charles Hawthorne, including Edwin Dickinson, Lennart Anderson, and Tim Kennedy. As part of this lineage, I believe in the rigorous translation of the observed world and the power of “spots” of true color to express the essence and integrity of a given space or form. I believe in the power of learning to see color relationships and of mixing equivalent responses on the palette. I stress the importance of palette organization as a tool for organizing one’s thoughts. Each color decision is based on the three relative questions that are fundamental to my teaching: What value is it? What temperature is it? How intense is it?
Recognizing the relativity of color is a crucial step towards understanding the role of contrast in dictating spatial content. In grasping this, students are able to make meaningful decisions based on how the viewer navigates pictorial space. I focus on the formal vocabulary of painting because I believe it is liberating to have a form for one’s expression, and because it is the part of painting that can be taught. As for the other part, the part that all this language is in the service of, well, I believe that is a necessarily individual pursuit and makes for a lifetime of meaningful inquiry...
Kimberly Trowbridge has taught courses at the University of Washington, Seattle and Western Washington University, Bellingham. Currently, she is an Instructor and Lecturer at the Gage Academy of Art, and teaches private painting courses in her Top Hat Studio. Contact Information: info@kimberlytrowbridge.com
Kimberly Trowbridge has taught courses at the University of Washington, Seattle and Western Washington University, Bellingham. Currently, she is an Instructor and Lecturer at the Gage Academy of Art, and teaches private painting courses in her Top Hat Studio. Contact Information: info@kimberlytrowbridge.com
