copying at the National Gallery

February 18, 2014

Lackawanna Valley, Day 3

As it stood when I broke for lunch

Coming along. I spent the first hour and a half repainting the sky and mountains again. Still not satisfied, but I don't know if I'll ever get the color and value right. Part of the problem might be that the painting has a light shining on it, and my copy is kind of in the dark, so my hills just look darker? I still haven't put in the large tree, because I want to do that over a dry sky. Started to work my way down, putting in some of the buildings in the town (Scranton, PA), and starting to define the trees.

February 4, 2014

Lackawanna Valley, Day Two

I got to the museum this morning just before the doors opened - it's always nice to arrive just then, so I get the maximum time to work on my copy. A couple of other copyists arrived just after I did, and we all chatted in the copyists' locker room for a few minutes. Having just switched my copying day to Tuesday, I'm enjoying meeting the other copyists who work on that day. Then I went upstairs to my gallery, only to discover that I forgot to bring my paint thinner with me. Back down to the locker room, where I met another copyist who had just arrived. Finally I was back upstairs in my gallery and ready to get down to work.

I worked for a couple of hours, repainting the sky and the mountains. My mountains are still too dark at the top, so I'll be repainting them again next time. Then it was time to break for lunch.

One of the delights of copying at the National Gallery is seeing all the fantastic art that just sits in out-of-the-way places. This sculpture of a dancer is in the area at the top of the escalators that go down to the cafeteria. I think she's wonderful, so I took some pictures of her today.

I'm fascinated by marble sculptures that depict weightlessness and grace, from the diaphanous fabric to her dancing feet.

After a nice lunch with another copyist, I went back to work. I managed to cover almost everything with paint, but there is very far to go.

copying at the National Gallery

A friend turned me on to the Copyist Program at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. in the fall of 2000. Since I live in Northern Virginia, it is pretty convenient (about 45 minutes travel time) to get there. I called the Registrar of the museum to say I was interested in becoming a copyist, and she said she would mail me a packet of information and requirements. I received the packet in the next day's mail! I read through all the rules and regulations of being a copyist, and saw that I would need to come up with four letters of recommendation: two from people who knew me as an artist, and two character references. I immediately contacted four people who could serve as references, and asked them to mail in letters for me. I was also required to write my own letter, stating why I was interested in the copyist program. Finally, I had an interview with the Registrar and showed her two of my paintings. I was accepted into the program that day, and within a month of that first phone call, I was standing in the National Gallery copying my first painting.

Copyists are given a locker in a locked room in the museum. I keep my current painting there, in the painting rack. I have to ask a guard to unlock the copyists' room whenever I want to access my locker. The museum provides a large easel, stool, and dropcloth, which are in position in the gallery I am copying in. A permit must be obtained for each painting I copy, and I'm only allowed to work on one at a time. I have to have my permit on me or with the painting all the time, and show it to the guards on request. Only one copyist is allowed in a room on a given day, and some of the rooms are off limits because they are too small. Only works in the West Building are available for copying. There are other restrictions, such as not being able to sell your copy while on National Gallery property, and having to size your copy at least two inches smaller or larger than the original.

copying at the National Gallery

February 18, 2014

Lackawanna Valley, Day 3

February 4, 2014

Lackawanna Valley, Day Two

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copying at the National Gallery

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