More on Mentors

A couple of weeks ago I posted a small appreciation of a couple of friends and mentors from years back, so naturally that got me thinking about other teachers and friends who have made a difference in my work. There are so many it's been my privilege to study and work with, from Richard Tuttle, my first real teacher, who taught airbrush over sixty years ago, to Frank Covino, a fine painter who taught me classical oil techniques decades back, to many more. Art has meant continuous learning. I'm grateful to all of them for their knowledge, patience, and friendship. 

One of them is Garin Baker.

Garin Baker, "A Buck Twenty a Bushel," oil on canvas, 2013

Here's a link to a podcast by Eric Rhoads, interviewing Garin, a truly gifted painter and great friend. We first met over a decade ago when Garin hosted a workshop for Max Ginsburg at his studio in upstate New York. Max lives and works in New York City, so it was a country getaway for him. I had purchased his Retrospective, a stunning and beautiful overview of Max's half century as a painter. I was lucky to attend, get to know Max, and to meet Garin Baker and his wife Clara. We've kept in touch over the years, and since then Garin produced a half dozen or more thoughtful and effective murals in the US and Europe, won Grand Prize at Plein Air Easton, and become an instructor at the Art Students League. He is a great artist whose roots in classic traditions and practices underpins his insightful work. And he works incredibly fast.

Here's a recent video of Garin making a master copy of a famous portrait by Ilya Repin:

Garin's classes are online right now but the Art Students League is planning reopening soon.