Reflections, a painting by Connie Haskell, is on display at the Creative Arts Center.
Connie Haskell
The PebbleCreek Art Club is very happy to award Connie Haskell Artist of the Month for October. Connie and her husband Dave relocated often during his corporate career and lived in some very interesting places! They moved from their original home in southern California and lived for a time in the Bay area, then Sacramento, Omaha, Denver, Arkansas and Seattle. They finally ended up owning a Mexican restaurant in Las Vegas before retiring and moving to Arizona. They have now lived in PebbleCreek for 12 years.
Connie describes herself as a stay-at-home mom to her two sons for most of their years on the move that never had any particular interest in art. She said, “I had no reason to think I’d be any good at it. I think that’s because I just assumed people were either born with the magic ability to draw and paint or they weren’t and I probably wasn’t.” After moving to PebbleCreek, Connie took several classes at Estrella Community College. One instructor, Gar Witherspoon, changed her mind when he taught that oil painting is 10% talent and 90% technique—-something that can be learned. With those words, Connie gained the courage to try and says she’s been painting ever since. She also took a semester of drawing which she believes has been an essential contribution to setting up her subjects. She has now been studying oil painting for 10 years under the direction of Fred Alves. For any skills she has acquired, Connie credits his low-key approach to teaching and the community atmosphere he maintains in his Tuesday classes. Recently, Connie is exploring colored pencil with Marsha Lyons and favors the detail work so essential for success in this medium.
Connie prefers a realistic approach to her art work; “I enjoy the challenge of making the objects of my paintings look as realistic as possible.” She chooses florals and still-life for her subjects and favors bold colors. Reflections, the painting in the photo above, exhibits these same characteristics; the bright reds and yellows of the tulips are juxtaposed with the various marble and glass surfaces of the still-life. Connie enjoys the process of painting and, after selecting her subject, uses her IPad as source material and to focus on small details and bring them to life on her canvas. Connie is also very appreciative of the Coyote Room amenities, particularly the lighting and camaraderie.
You are invited to view Connie’s work in the Art Club window of the Creative Art Center and in the Tuscany and Eagle’s Nest clubhouses.