HOW TO GO
What: “Watercolor and More” (two art classes by Diane Coyle)
Where: Rec West, 965 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp.
When: Tuesdays/16 weeks (Sept. 15) or Thursdays/16 weeks (Sept. 10)
Hours: 9:30 to 12:45 p.m.
Cost: $20 each class
More Info: (937) 435-6633 or visit www.washingtontwp.org/recreation
Diane Coyle is one of the lucky artists in the area. She went on a free Carnival Cruise to eastern Caribbean in exchange for teaching art classes on board. The traveling teacher has also been instructing art students at the Hithergreen Senior Center in Washington Township. That site is also traveling; south on St. Rte. 48 and east on St. Rte. 725 to a new location, Rec West.
“I’m so lucky that I’m doing the things that I love to do. For the cruise, a travel agent shipped all the supplies that I would need on board,” said Coyle, who is a 30-year Sinclair adjunct faculty member.
She will be teaching the art classes she loves to do at a new room at Rec West, part of the Washington Township Recreation Center. She will start two, 16-week semester classes: Watercolor and More from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Thursday classes begin Sept. 10, and every Tuesday begins Sept. 15. Each semester earns the student 3 credit hours.
“Diane demonstrates techniques at just about every art class. She brings in new ideas for watercolor, and we can paint on tissue paper, masa paper, rice paper, and gesso,” said Polly Brown of West Carrollton, who has been taking watercolor classes from Coyle for about 10 years. “She makes everything fun. Everyone has a good time in her classes.”
The mediums include acrylic, ink, colored pencil, pastel, and collage. All of these can be combined with watercolor. Coyle just completed two, three-day workshops this past summer in her Centerville studio.
“I feel that each of my paintings is a response to the vitality and beauty of nature. I paint primarily in transparent watercolor, but I often incorporate other media into my work,” said Coyle. “I like to break away from the comfortable and familiar methods of painting, and explore new and exciting techniques.”
She has won three Third Places for her work: a Spring Juried Show at the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors; Western Ohio Watercolor Society and Women’s Tri-Art Society shows, both at The Fine Art Center in Cross Pointe, Centerville.
Coyle is the gallery coordinator for TFAC.
“I’ve chaired a lot of shows and I’m past president of DSPS and Tri-Art Club,” said Coyle. “I currently have about 90 students that I’ve built up over the years. It keeps me out of mischief, and I plan to keep on going.”
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