FEATURES

Naked All Night: An Experiment in Drawing Until You Drop
by Michael Gormley
For 21 years, Pratt Institute’s foundation department has hosted its annual Draw-a-Thon, an all-night figure-drawing event and a perennial community favorite. This year, American Artist was there to report on the spectacle.

The History & Development of Acrylic
by Allison Malafronte
From acrylic’s introduction in the 1950s until today, the properties, possibilities, and practitioners associated with the medium have advanced significantly. Here’s a look at the artists who made acrylic mainstream, the manufacturers who improved its formulation, and some of the contemporary painters and developments that are increasing its credibility. 

Maintaining Master Practices
by Dan Thompson
In my education as an artist, the theories of Henry Hensche heavily influenced my painting practices, along with those of many master artists. Now, as an instructor myself, I pass on many of the concepts that Hensche espoused—such as light key—to my own students, and urge them to incorporate these ideas into their process.  

John Singer Sargent: A World of Grace in Changing Times
by Michael Gormley
Past and present exhibitions of Sargent’s portraits reveal both the master’s great ability to communicate the character of his subjects and the ways that our opinions about artwork can be affected by present circumstances.

Heat Waves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield
by John A. Parks
The paintings in a recent exhibition—along with the artist’s revealing journal entries—chart how this great American watercolorist came to paint both the seen and the unseen.

The Still Lifes of Robert Kogge: More Than Meets the Eye
by Allison Malafronte
Using a unique approach he developed as an art student, Robert Kogge employs colored pencil and ink wash to create still lifes with layers of depth and meaning.