Gail McDaniel to Teach Spring Watercolor Painting Course Near Atlanta

            GRIFFIN, Ga. (February 2020) -- Gail McDaniel, an acclaimed watercolor artist/instructor who, by invitation, has served as an associate member and demonstrating artist/instructor of the prestigious Winsor & Newton Creative Artist Network of London, will lead a watercolor painting course this spring in Griffin, Georgia, near Atlanta.

            The course will be offered to beginning, intermediate and advanced artists on selected Wednesday afternoons starting March 4, 2020 at Griffin First United Methodist Church, 1401 Maple Drive. Sessions will occur from 1-4 p.m. on March 4, 11, 18 and 25; and April 1, 8, 15 and 22.  

            McDaniel will provide invaluable insights on composition, value, color theory and application. She also will demonstrate some of the techniques that have helped make her an award-winning artist, including abstract under paintings, disappearing purples, painting on Masa Paper, white on white, monotype paintings, let it flow, texturize your paintings, portraits, reflective surfaces, and wax-resist Batik. The course is structured to serve artists of all skill levels, from the very raw beginner to the most advanced. McDaniel will close each session with individual critiques.

            Because space is limited for the classes, reservations are required. Tuition is $165 for eight class sessions. For more information or to register, contact the artist by phone at (678) 603-1502 or send an inquiry to gail@gailmcdanielart.com. Individuals can learn more about the artist/instructor and view her artwork at http://www.GailMcDanielArt.com and follow her at http://www.Facebook.com/GailMcDanielArt or http://www.Twitter.com/GailMcDanielArt.   

"Lavender Farm," a watercolor painting by Gail McDaniel

            "Students are encouraged to paint their own choice of subject matter, in their own style, at their own speed, all the while being challenged to work out of their comfort zone and having fun along the way," said McDaniel, who was commissioned to create four program covers for Griffin Choral Arts' 10th anniversary concert season. "My classes provide opportunities for artists to develop their skills and find success.

            Before moving to Georgia, McDaniel spent more than 20 years working as a professional watercolorist and art instructor in Nashville and Brentwood, Tenn. During that time, she taught more than 1,600 students in classes and workshops around the world while raising almost $90,000 for student arts supplies.

            "The Griffin area has a host of artists, so it's the ideal community to teach classes," McDaniel added. "I'll be demonstrating the techniques, shortcuts and concepts that I have developed or learned by doing, reading or studying with others. I show my students everything I know, holding nothing back."

            During her career, McDaniel has trained artists from 36 different states (including Alaska and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and South Korea. She has taught 11 workshops at historic Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, a landmark where Georgia O’Keefe lived and painted.

Artist/instructor Gail McDaniel

            In 2002, she and her husband, Ken, launched the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Awards", raising almost $90,000 for Middle Tennessee public schools by staging January "Chase Away the Blahs" parties. The fundraising effort earned Gail and Ken a nomination in the "volunteer innovator" category of the 2009 Mary Catherine Strobel Award. In 2012, the artist was named the PENCIL Foundation's "Volunteer of the Year." The Tennessee State Senate honored participants and attendees of the fundraiser with a special proclamation in January 2007.

            The couple also hosted fundraising events such as the "Chase Away The Blahs Party Artistically" benefiting school children in their Franklin, Tenn., home and the "Building Bridges Through Art" exhibition at CharacterEYES Boutique in Franklin, Tenn., benefiting Bridges Domestic Violence Center.

            Before leaving Tennessee, she received an award for "Excellence in Community Service" in 2010 from the Travelers Rest Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was inducted into the Cave City, Ky., Hall of Fame in 2011 and named to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels in 1970 as one of  "Kentucky's ambassadors of good will and fellowship around the world."

            McDaniel gained international notoriety in 2001 when she was named an associate member of the Winsor & Newton Creative Artist Network in London, England, and invited by directors of the "Art in Provence" program to conduct an eight-day watercolor workshop in Dieulefit, France. She also has taught in Central America, South America, and Canada. She studied under 38 noted art instructors to help build her reputation as one of the South's top artists/instructors. -- even accepting a commission to paint a family landmark for former Kentucky Gov. Louie B. Nunn.

            Other commissions have included painting the invitation cover for "A Little Night of Music" starring country superstar LeAnn Rimes; 13 pieces for the annual Nashville Scene N-Focus social calendar; and a promotional streetscape of four homes for Newmark Homes and five other paintings for the Nashville Home Builders Association/SunTrust Bank 2001 "Parade of Homes."

            The artist has showcased her original paintings at 56 solo exhibitions. She also has served as a member of the arts faculty of Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art in Nashville, teaching weekly art classes. She created and painted the design for the theme poster and t-shirt for the Nashville Symphony’s "Italian Street Fair" two years in a row.

            Gail McDaniel's artwork was featured on the program covers of four major concerts in 2016-17 performed by The Griffin Choral Arts group, a choir led by Artistic Director Dr. Stephen J. Mulder.

            "Griffin has a wonderful arts community, and I'm delighted to contribute," McDaniel said.

            For more information about Gail McDaniel or to see her work, visit www.GailMcDanielArt.com.

Award-Winning Artist/Instructor Gail McDaniel to Return to Nashville for Three-Day 'Pouring Juicy Watercolors' Workshop

            NASHVILLE, Tenn. (2020) -- Award-winning artist/instructor Gail McDaniel will return to Nashville this spring to teach a three-day workshop on watercolor painting, pouring and collage.

            The "Pouring Juicy Watercolors" workshop will be offered to beginning, intermediate and advanced artists from May 1-3, 2020 at Plaza Artist Materials, 633 Middleton St. in downtown Nashville. Sessions will occur from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.

            The artist/instructor will show attendees how to create mixed-media works of art by pouring watercolor pigments without brushes and applying collage materials. The course is structured to serve artists at all skill levels, from the very raw beginner to the most advanced. McDaniel will close each session with individual critiques.

"Sunflower Elegance," a mixed-media watercolor painting by Gail McDaniel

            "Artists will blend realism and abstraction to create works of art within works of art," said McDaniel, who now teaches and paints near Griffin, Georgia, south of Atlanta. "It will be a rare opportunity to explore a different approach."

            Because space is limited to 20 participants, reservations are required. Tuition is $195 for all three days of training. Attendees are eligible to receive a 30 percent discount on the purchase of art supplies from Plaza Artist Materials. For more information or to register, contact the artist by phone at (678) 603-1502 or send an inquiry to gail@gailmcdanielart.com.

            McDaniel explained that poured watercolor paintings are achieved by using only the three primary colors. As one pours, transparent veils of watercolor pigments flow to produce glowing paintings, resulting in an exciting "finale." The paints seem to have minds of their own. As the primary triad mixes on the white paper, the paints create luminous, secondary colors that capture light.

            Students will incorporate collage (called "stitching" in France) to create under-paintings that appeal to the viewer's sense of sight and touch.

            "The watercolor pouring and collaging techniques offer exciting textures and edge qualities," McDaniel noted. "My students will learn how to interpret a subject working across and outside the lines. "

            McDaniel is an acclaimed watercolorist who, by invitation, has served as an associate member and demonstrating artist/instructor for the prestigious Winsor & Newton Creative Artist Network of London. She was commissioned to create four program covers for Griffin (Ga.) Choral Arts' 10th anniversary concert season. Before moving to Georgia, McDaniel spent more than 20 years working as a professional watercolorist and art instructor in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee. During that time, she taught more than 1,600 students in classes and workshops around the world. A number of her former students have developed into professional artists with exhibitions and commissions of their own.

            "Like me, others love the look of watercolor paintings and want to learn the medium," said the artist, who painted the invitation cover for "A Little Night of Music" starring country superstar LeAnn Rimes. "Many come for the change of pace and the new, wonderful, relaxing challenge it brings. The intermediate and advanced students come to me to grow in the medium."

            McDaniel will demonstrate the techniques, shortcuts and concepts that she has developed or learned by doing, reading or studying with others. She plans to show her students everything she knows, holding nothing back. Her goal is to inspire them without making them feel overwhelmed.

Award-winning artist/instructor Gail McDaniel

            During her career, McDaniel has trained artists from 36 different states (including Alaska and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and South Korea. She has taught 11 workshops at historic Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, a landmark where the late Georgia O’Keefe lived and painted. She also served as a member of the arts faculty of Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art.

            "Gail can get more color out of watercolor than you can imagine," said Bev Silsby, an artist/student in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who helped host McDaniel for a similar workshop in 2005. "She is literal, impressionist and abstract."

            In 2002, she and her husband, Ken, launched the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Awards", raising almost $90,000 for Middle Tennessee public schools by staging January "Chase Away the Blahs" parties. The fundraising effort earned Gail and Ken a nomination in the "volunteer innovator" category of the 2009 Mary Catherine Strobel Award. In 2012, the artist was named the PENCIL Foundation's "Volunteer of the Year." The Tennessee State Senate honored participants and attendees of the fundraiser with a special proclamation in January 2007.

            Before leaving Tennessee, she received an award for "Excellence in Community Service" in 2010 from the Travelers Rest Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was inducted into the Cave City, Kentucky, Hall of Fame in 2011 and named to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels in 1970 as one of  "Kentucky's ambassadors of good will and fellowship around the world."

            In 2001, she was invited by directors of the "Art in Provence" program to conduct an eight-day watercolor workshop in Dieulefit, France. She also has taught in Central America, South America and Canada. She studied under 38 noted art instructors to help build her reputation as one of the South's top artists/instructors. -- even accepting a commission to paint a family landmark for former Kentucky Gov. Louie B. Nunn.

            Gail McDaniel's artwork was featured on the program covers of four major concerts in 2016-17 performed by The Griffin (Georgia) Choral Arts group. The choir, which is led by Artistic Director Dr. Stephen J. Mulder, is celebrating its 13th anniversary season.

            Individuals can learn more about the artist/instructor and view her artwork at http://www.GailMcDanielArt.com and follow her at http://www.Facebook.com/GailMcDanielArt and http://www.Twitter.com/GailMcDanielArt.

Eight Songwriters to Celebrate Valentine's Month on Feb. 15th with 'Tunesmithing' Performances

         NASHVILLE -- Eight professional songwriters will take the stage on Feb. 15, 2020 (Saturday) at "Tunesmithing," a monthly songwriters show at WXYZ Restaurant/Bar at the Aloft Nashville West End Hotel, 1719 West End Ave. 

         Attendees will enjoy original songs and instrumentals by Valerie Connelly, Suzahn Fiering, Alyssa Lazar, Candy Paull, Mary Beth Stone, and Jamey & Tamara Whiting (The Whitings). Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Nashville composer-educator-publicist Chuck Whiting will emcee the show. Songwriter-performer-recording engineer AJ Bigler will handle sound. 

          "Tunesmithing" songwriters showcase is sponsored by Music City Arts Network, Striking Moon Music, and Shine Time Music. The monthly show was founded in 2003 to spotlight emerging, professional and hit songwriters, as well as artists of all kinds. The event offers mentoring, career growth and networking opportunities for artists at all levels.  

          For more information about "Tunesmithing", call (615) 423-9857, write Info@MusicCityArts.net, or visit http://www.Tunesmithing.com.