By Lucy M. Pritchett | Photo by Patti Hartog
One would be hard-pressed to find anyone more excited about discovering her artist’s path than Greta Bemisderfer. Not only has she discovered she has a flair for painting, but she has uncovered much about herself. Her email designation ‘realgreta’ gives a clue into how this woman has come into her own after raising a family of four children and retiring.
“My husband Charles was always the artist of the family,” Greta says. “When he retired he began concentrating on painting again, but it was always something in his life.”
The couple moved to Louisville in 2005, and it was right after their 50th wedding anniversary in 2017 that, upon Charles’ urging, she considered going with him to a studio painting class. “I thought, ‘Well, I will try painting something on my own first and if it turns out OK I’ll go with him. I sat down with a scene from a calendar as inspiration, and when I was through I discovered I had a flair for it.”
Keeping her word, she spent six weeks attending the studio sessions. “It really wasn’t a class. There wasn’t any instruction, just comments to [and from] the different participants. I needed more than that. I enrolled in a five-week basic drawing class with Jeremy Miller at Preston Arts Center. There I learned about perspective, proportion, horizon, and vanishing point. Who knew about any of that?”
Now Greta is taking a basic acrylic painting class with Dawn Johnston at Preston Arts, where she is learning the value of a color chart and color theory.
“It’s been wonderful for Charles and I to do this together. We love to go to the state parks and take photos. I often use my own photos as inspiration for my paintings.”
“I realize I have to take control of my own life and be serious about it. This new path has given me a real shot of confidence. It’s just like a cupboard has opened up. It was always there, but now it’s open. I like the common language that comes with artists and the camaraderie and how we encourage each other. I think this whole artist thing is like a spiritual experience.”
If you would like to try your hand at painting or want to take an art class, contact:
Preston Arts Center
Gardiner Lane Shopping Centre
3048 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40205
502.454.9954
prestonartscenter.com
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 12-5pm
P.S. How to write a book.
Leave a Reply