Jan Schopen, whose colored pencil piece “Tomatoes” was deemed Best in Show at the recent Binders’ Art Show at Mint Hill Arts, will share her appreciation of and facility with colored pencils at the August Monthly Demonstration at Mint Hill Arts.  Her presentation is titled “The Beauty of Colored Pencils.” She will cover the two aspects of the words “beauty of.” First, she will describe the features afforded by this wax-based medium that allow creation of beautiful images of nature and still life. Second, she will touch on the beauty of working with a medium that requires few materials and supplies and no cleanup!

Nature is full of color and contrast, and that is what captures Schopen’s imagination as she works with colored pencils.  The medium allows her to incorporate intense colors, create extreme contrasts in values and tones, and capture precise detail in her images.  The types of works she has created include stylized florals, animal portraits, extreme close-ups, and realistic depictions.

Schopen grew up in the Midwest and earned a degree in Fine Arts from Taylor University in Indiana.  She and her husband moved to the Mint Hill Area in 1994 where they have raised three children. She joined the teaching staff at Mint Hill Arts two years ago and her course “Colored Pencils Basics” is offered there regularly.

Schopen’s demonstration will be hands-on and supplies will be provided.  The presentation begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28, at the Mint Hill Arts Gallery at 11025 Lawyers Road in Mint Hill. The public is invited and the lecture is free, so mark your calendars to attend.