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by Arlene Wright-Correll

This week’s Kentucky artist is Patti Griffin

Many of us in the arts recognize Patti Griffin of Bonnieville as one of the arts most talented china and porcelain painter. She is good. We are fortunate to have her here in the area where those of us who wish to can take weekly China painting lessons from her.

I met Patti at the Civil War Day festival a couple of years ago and took some lessons from her. Along the way we became good friends, not because of the art connection, the lessons, but because she has a good mind and is a seeker of new learning.

Patti felt she could not draw well enough; as I do about myself; so together each Thursday evening we go over to Glasgow to Jef Dirig’s art lessons at his studio. I wanted to learn to do better water colors and Patti wanted to learn drawing, watercolor painting and acrylic painting, a heady schedule! One would think that someone who has been China painting for over 20 years would not think one needed drawing lessons. Patti said she had not opened her drawing pad in almost that amount of time. Besides tracing a pattern unto a tile or piece of china and then painting it was a totally different thing.

In just two lessons you can see the result of Patti’s drawing lessons. Erica is a pencil drawing of her niece’s newborn baby that she did from a photo and it looks just like the new baby. CatNmouse is a fun drawing she did and then watercolor painted it using the new techniques she just learned from Jef.

It proves to me that when one has the desire to learn, one can learn quickly and I can just hear you thinking, "Yeah, but she was a painter before that." There is a big difference of techniques here, plus there are few of us who are truly born talented. It takes a desire to learn something new and then it takes a lot of practice to get something right. Patti said between her Thursday lessons she practiced in every spare minute. Amazingly enough, the practice, drill and rehearse method of doing things is really a great stress reliever. The world fades away when I am personally working on a project and Patti says the same thing happens to her.

"Stretch and Grow" has always been my personal motto and many artists and crafters, especially Patti Griffin, feel the same way. Learning new techniques, even in different areas of one’s expertise, can lead to wonderful things. It expands ones imagination, thus expanding ones talent.

Once her two works of art were completed, Patti decided she wanted to learn how to mat them herself. This alone is an intimidating project, or so we are lead to believe. However, it is not and I suggested she come over to Avalon Stained Glass School and have Carl Correll teach her how easy it was to learn how to do it. She did and I wish I had taken pictures of the finished projects because they came out real well. Patti got so caught up; she even wound up doing double matting on the Erica drawing.

The next time you feel the need to seek out an artist in the area who will teach you how to get started in just about any medium. There are many in our area and their lessons are ridiculously inexpensive. It’s time to expand your mind and your world through the arts and crafts and pretty soon I can be writing about you!

Patti can be reached at 524 3267 for China painting lessons or to buy incredibly beautiful pieces of hand painted china and porcelain.

(Contact Arlene Wright-Correll at 270 524 9567 or email her at askarlene@scrtc.com  if you want to be next week’s column of Who’s Who in KY Art’s and Crafts)