Once a teacher, always a teacher! This adage certainly rings true for Trinity-Pawling Artist-in-Residence Ned Reade. Even after retiring last June from his role as Chair of the Arts Department and a legendary 45 years of teaching, Reade continues to feel the call to guide students in the “art” of creating art. It is a remarkable gift that he has — a knack for helping others discover beauty and express it through a variety of mediums. This talent, along with a penchant for connecting and sharing what he knows, keeps Reade coming back to the teacher’s canvas. How fortunate this community is to be the beneficiary of that remarkable offering.
Reade reflects, “I realized that I can’t paint without teaching and I could not teach without painting! Teaching helps me synthesize information and forces me to plan each painting lesson in advance. Then I paint better myself.”
On campus this December, Reade shared his pottery expertise with faculty and staff in a series of studio sessions. From slab and coil projects to spinning pots on the wheel, participants had a great time learning the tricks of the trade from the master himself.
Locally, Reade is currently teaching an 8-week course of watercolor classes at his downtown Pawling gallery, Live 4 Art. Throughout the series, he’s welcomed students both in person and around the world via Zoom. Each class emphasizes key elements of good painting — design, drawing, values, color, texture, technique — while focusing on a specific project theme. One week students paint a floral still life and the next, a landscape, and so on. Whether they are accomplished artists or novices, attend one class or all eight, participants take home beautiful paintings of their own creation, along with a proficiency and tool kit they can call upon for future projects.
Elaine Clayman, a professional oil painter whose work is featured in Reade’s gallery, wanted to expand her skillset and signed up for the winter series. “Watercolor is a completely different animal, but Ned has made it accessible — he is a phenomenal teacher! I can see why his students love him. He keeps challenging us and upping the ante, but is always very keen to see us succeed,” she comments.
If all of this sounds like fun, Reade is offering a 6-week spring series of watercolor classes on Mondays beginning April 5. For details, contact Ned directly via email or at the gallery. You can also visit his YouTube channel for class examples.
Thank you Ned, for continuing to share your gifts and talents with the greater Pawling community!
by Kate Vengrove