About the Artist
Bill Graf
Bill Graf is an art instructor at The Atelier of Flowerfield, The Art League of Long Island, and The National Art League where he teaches both oil and watercolor classes in landscape, still life, portrait painting and drawing.
He also conducts private and group sessions as well as portrait and figure drawing workshops from his Fine Art Studio in Huntington NY & his Farmingdale NY locations.
Bill has become an international art instructor conducting plein air workshops in both oil & watercolor painting with his students from the hills & towns of Tuscany to the dramatic coast of Maine as well as here on Long Island.
With the COVID-19 circumstances, he has made a successful transition to teaching all of his classes both private & group from the online platform Zoom. With his photoshop skills, he has integrated a teaching method process which includes live & video instruction.
Beginning with the Arts Student League in NYC, Bill completed his studies in Florence, Italy at the Cecil Graves Academy & went on to become an illustrator with book publishing accounts like Harlequin, Thomas Nelson and Bethany House, earning him the Christy Award for best Christian book cover design & illustration. Recipient of the Frank J. Reilly Scholarship Award.
His diverse painting skills in watercolor & oil have made him an award-winning artist in the International Richeson75 Portrait/Figure & The Small Works 2019 Painting Exhibits. His latest painting “Orange” won Best in Show which was proceeded by being sold at The Atelier of Flowerfield Art Gallery in St James.
His work has been published in two Richeson75 Hardcover and online Books. He was featured http://tbrnewsmedia.com/artist-of-the-month-william-graf/.
One of his noteworthy commissions was for a mural depicting a scene of President Theodore Roosevelt’s children in the White House, which was painted to be displayed in the Museum of American History.
Recipient of numerous awards from the International Miniature Portrait Show of Montreal, the NYC Students Art League Figure Drawing 1st Prize for figure drawing, Huntington NY Arts Council for Best in Show for Portraiture & Honorable Mentions, NY Nassau County Art Leagues 1st Prize for figure painting 1st prize for still life.
The Best in Show awards for Small Works in the Richeson75 International Exhibit, The Gold medal Award at The National Art League 88th Annual Juried Open Exhibit & a merit award at 89th Annual Juried Open Exhibit.
In 2019 Bill Graf has had multiple Shows ranging from 2019 Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, several Art League of Long Island Instructor’s Exhibition(s)The Atelier of Flowerfield, The 39th Setauket Artists, Exhibition, The Deepwell Mansion Spring Exhibition, The National Art League & the Barnes Gallery.
Learn more about Bill
and see his artwork at: https://www.williamgraffineart.com/
Instructor Works
Classes
Still-Life Drawing & Painting with Bill Graf (Online)
In this course, students will first design still life arrangements in the studio, and will then proceed on to painting. Great attention is paid to accuracy of the drawing, relative values, and observing the light flowing over the form. While great emphasis is placed upon observation, students are led to go beyond mere observation, and encouraged to design a rhythmic composition.
DISCLAIMER: All classes require a minimum of 3 students per class per session unless a higher minimum is required by an individual instructor. Any class that does not meet the 3 person minimum before the start of the new session will be canceled. Calls and emails are made to any enrolled students in classes that have not met registration minimums to ensure student satisfaction.
Day & Time: Mondays 10:00am - 1:00pm, Online
*Image: Instructor work
Mastering Watercolor
This class is structured to help the intermediate student to understand the medium of watercolor. We will be exploring landscaping painting, still life and portrait painting in various styles, spontaneous and rendered. The instructor will demonstrate: masking, brush control techniques, wet into wet and dry brushing techniques. Composition will be stressed in this class to focus the student on creating dynamic well thought out watercolor paintings!
DISCLAIMER: All classes require a minimum of 3 students per class per session unless a higher minimum is required by an individual instructor. Any class that does not meet the 3 person minimum before the start of the new session will be canceled. Calls and emails are made to any enrolled students in classes that have not met registration minimums to ensure student satisfaction.
Day & Time: Tuesdays 2:00pm - 5:00pm, In-studio & Online
*Image: Instructor work
Drawing and Painting with Bill Graf
The class will focus on painting in all mediums: oil, acrylic, graphite & charcoal. The students will have the opportunity to paint Still Life, Landscape, portrait and cast drawing. From the application of rich impastos to the scraping down with a palette knife, from charcoal studies to color harmonies, this course is designed to welcome the beginner painter, and to engage the advanced painter.
Students may work from photographs or life and will explore different techniques of drawing and painting.
DISCLAIMER: All classes require a minimum of 3 students per class per session unless a higher minimum is required by an individual instructor. Any class that does not meet the 3 person minimum before the start of the new session will be canceled. Calls and emails are made to any enrolled students in classes that have not met registration minimums to ensure student satisfaction.
Day & Time: Wednesdays 10:00am - 1:00pm, In-Studio
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Day & Time: Wednesdays 2:00pm - 5:00pm, In-studio
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Day & Time: Wednesdays 6:00pm - 9:00pm, In-Studio
*Image: Instructor work
Portrait Drawing and Painting with Bill Graf
Working from a live model (mirror or photographs for online students) students learn to draw and paint portraits in the academic tradition. Building upon principles which were established in plaster cast drawing and painting, great emphasis is placed on accuracy of shapes, mixing flesh tones, and capturing the sitter's personality.
DISCLAIMER: All classes require a minimum of 3 students per class per session unless a higher minimum is required by an individual instructor. Any class that does not meet the 3 person minimum before the start of the new session will be canceled. Calls and emails are made to any enrolled students in classes that have not met registration minimums to ensure student satisfaction.
Day & Time: Wednesdays 6:00pm - 9:00pm, In-Studio
**3 student min., price incl. model fee
*Image: Instructor work