Well, we all have to start somewhere.

1984  

I chose MATC  (Milwaukee Area Technical College)  to start my art experience from the ground up.   Well after the 2 (night) class, everyone seemed to be off to the races painting their brains away with no direction. I was the student, that apparently drained the life blood from her,  only because I was a true beginner, in every sense of the word.   Everyone was painting away making happy clouds and working with multi mediums and here’s Gary, wondering what brush to use and how come painting was so expensive, because she was not teaching mixing your own paints/colors, but, buying the tubes with the colors you wanted in your painting…… seemed logical enough to me at the time.   Well after this 2nd class, my instructor in her compassion for the world of art, told me to find another hobby, that I was just not getting it….

Ok I got it… I quit painting all together.   The painting to the left is my first attempt at acrylic painting and was  absolutely my first painting ever.  This is the painting that I spent 2 days/classes on trying to get the clouds in the sky.  OK , like a said, we all have those looking back -  a-ha moments that make you wonder.  In the next 19 years I only painted  ONE painting, it wasn’t until I met James Hempel, that I figured it was time. My experience at the Milwaukee Area Technical College was now a distant memory and time to revive my dream of learning how to paint !!

1985

The painting of the White tail deer to the left was my 2nd painting ever –  1 year after my first attempt…   this would be the last painting I would paint for 18 years.

Well almost anyway,  I tried to paint a mural on my garage door…..   hay don’t laugh, at the time I thought is was cool   🙂     It was a seascape, that lasted for a while then I attempted to paint a pack of wolves on the same door years later…   I was probably the only one that appreciated it …   that attempt was also painted over.  I now have plain boring garage door like everyone else……

2003 – James Hempel – Fine Artist and an exceptional Mentor

James Hempel !! That smile is the smile of an Incredible, Confident and exceptionally kind person !

Gary Millard and James Hempel at Plein Air Event in Door County, Wisconsin – USA

James Hempel at a quick paint event … doing what he does best !

James was the first “real” Artist Mentor.   I took my first night class with James in his studio, back in September of 2003.   I showed up with new tubes of paint, new brushes and a great attitude.

I remembered James first instructions were to squeeze my acrylic colors on my palette.  My first thought – looking back, was all 50+ colors I had brought with me?    James was as patient as he is genuine.   These first few weeks lessons with James set the stage for my career as an artist.

I took weekly lessons with James for about 1 year.   In that one year, the seed was planted.   I had to paint, I wanted to paint. I was horrible at it, but still wanted to learn.   So begins my journey.

Click here to see James Hempel’s Web Site.   James continues to instruct and paint the most awesome works ever!

2003 - John Seerey Lester and Artist wife Suzie , both John and Suzie are incredible Fine Artists

John held a class in his home for artists.   I had only a couple of paintings under my belt, even though each one was a struggle.  I had a couple of night classes with James Hempel,  heck I was ready!!

Wow,  I must say spending 5 days in John and Suzies home painting and watching them paint, I was hooked.   I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be an artist and paint wildlife like John and Suzie.     I have included few pictures from John’s class.  I have continued to run into John and Suzie from time to time at events and workshops.   They both are incredible artists and solidified my need to paint.  It was only thru their patience and “constant” encouragement that I focused on what I needed to understand about the world as an artist.

What was one of the things that John taught me…. was his use of acrylics and oils, this made me take the venture into using both not just one or the other.  But, the one “real” life lesson that I have used in almost every painting I done in nature is “Stuff”.   John told me many times Ok you don’t have to paint each blade of grass.   Just put in some “Stuff”.   Wow,  sounded simple but many years later and I am still trying to perfect the “Stuff” in my paintings of nature.

Stuff:   the illusion of grass, twigs, leaves, rocks, dirt…..  you know, stuff!   :)         Thanks John!  and Thank you Suzie for the book ” My Painting is Done, now what do I do?” by Suzie Seerey -Lester.

So begins my journey …

Click here to see John and Suzie Seery Lester’s Web Site.

2004 – Beartooth School consisting of the following fine Artist:    
Daniel Smith, Paco Young, John Bannovich, Mathew Hiller and Terry Issac

Imagine being a kid in a candy store with no parents and you could eat all the candy you wanted.    That is exactly what this class was to me as a beginning artist.  Live and breath art 24/7 for the 5 day class.  One of the best part of this class was the small class sizes that we were in that rotated throughout the day between the artists and Q&A sessions.   It was an awesome experience (one of those dream come true/once in a lifetime events – is what I am talking about here 🙂    ).   Each Artist shared his individual processes for painting.   Wow,  I find it hard to tell you that being surrounded by incredible Artists and painting with them, truly set the hook in me to fulfill my desire to paint.
My journey continues…

Below are the website links, to these fantastic Wildlife Artists for your viewing pleasure,  you will see what I mean about the candy.   If you appreciate pictures of wildlife in various sizes, styles and shapes, then you found a gold mine here!     ENJOY!

Julie Jeppsen – June 2006 SKB (Susan K. Black – Workshop, Dubois, Wyoming)

Julie Jeppsen is an incredible artist that taught me about grays.  Yes, grays,  until I met her at this workshop (SKB – Susan K. Black, Dubois, Wyoming) I never considered the thought of using gray mixtures in my paintings.   Julie took the time to explain in great detail, how to mix them and use them, in our paintings.  The use of grays also created a more unified and natural looking painting.  Julie Jeppsen is known for her paintings combining realism and atmosphere of wild animals in landscape. Julie is a self-taught artist, whose subject matter is a wide range of animals.  For a treat in wildlife are visit Julie Jeppsen’s Website .