Sheila Huyett

I love a balance of real and imagined; modern and classic...

Born in Vicenza, Italy, I grew up surrounded by art. Whether it was the classical architecture of Andrea Palladio, the famous reds of Titian's paintings in nearby Venice, or the ornate churches we attended with walls of frescoes and magnificent stained glass windows. Art is literally everywhere in Italy. Everything you see is touched by an artist.

Roughly ten years ago, a friend prompted me to take a painting class. I was a Montessori teacher at the time, and developed a unique art curriculum for my students based on Montessori principles. It was so much fun to teach the little munchkins about Van Gogh and Monet, that I figured it wouldn't hurt to take an art class myself.

Well I was hooked! I count myself lucky to have taken a series of classes with an amazing teacher that took the fear out of painting. Her classes were set up to teach the "macchiaioli" style (Italian Impressionist) and you really could do no wrong. As a novice, I just followed her directions and went with it. Three canvases per class, two BIG brushes, no small brushes, lots of gooey paint, and we were off!

She would set up still lives, she would bring in photos, she would have us paint inside, outside, and upside down. We were FREE to make mistakes and free to fix them. I met an amazing group of ladies and we all spent the next couple of years taking more classes together.

Painting helps me to relax, especially when I'm painting florals. I love filling my walls with fresh, gorgeous flowers! Often I joke that I'm planting my indoor garden, no allergies!

The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists are still my favorite artists. I love spontaneity in art and am drawn to artists that capture the moment with color and movement and grace.