By Ian Factor (MFA 2014)
Well here we are coming through the first weeks after Hurricane Sandy. The good news is that the Academy was untouched and is fine, but is still, at this moment, without power, as is most of the rest of NYC below 39th street. Classes have been cancelled all week and we hope to get back in there Monday, depending on when the power goes back on in lower Manhattan.(At the time of publishing this Blog, the power was back on after a week away and classes are back in session at the Academy, business as usual!)
 |
| Darkness – The financial district during the black out. |
I’ll avoid sounding like the news stations and try to focus on the last couple weeks at the Academy BEFORE we evacuated for the storm Sunday during the Jenny Saville Weekend Master Class. Yes, the weekend with Jenny was cut short by a day and a half, but I was able to get some great shots of the setup and the start of what was turning out to be some incredibly interesting exercises.
 |
| Jenny Saville Master Class! |
Below are several images of Jenny working with the students who attended the workshop. It was incredible. I was lucky enough to spend some time speaking with her about her work and process and had the great fortune to have her visit my studio for a quick critique of my current self portrait in progress. The students who had the opportunity to learn from and speak with Jenny were all glowing with excitement and gratitude.
This past weekend was the Master Class with Will Cotton, which was very different from the Jenny Saville Class, equally amazing and mind opening.
Will is an incredibly approachable artist full of knowledge and more than willing to share it all with the group. His demo was inspiring and the workshop was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work along side this master while having his wonderful and insightful critiques and observations for two full days. Here are a few images of the workshop:
 |
| Will Cotton Master Class Workshop – Will’s Demo of his approach. |
It’s been quite a few weeks here! Mind boggling how much has happened since my last entry, so much experience, so much wisdom being passed down from such incredible artists and teachers. Below are some random photos from gallery visits, studio and classroom times, sketching the Sorolla masterpieces at the Hispanic Society and a few other great moments…
I hope these images give you a glimpse of the intense density and amount of information and inspiration here at the NYAA from 8:30 am till midnight 7 days a week.
 |
| Students at the Forum Gallery’s “Self Portrait Show”. |
 |
| Wade Schuman and students at the Forum Gallery’s “Self Portrait Show”. |
 |
| Self Portrait in the 3rd floor studios. |
 |
| Randy McIver teaching anatomy, pelvis in hand.
|
 |
| Arm Study, Sculpture Studios. |
 |
| Sculpting from Life in the Sculpture Classrooms. |
 |
| Coffee Break on the 4th Floor. |
 |
| Painting I – Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms. |
 |
| Painting I – Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, pig foot. |
 |
| Sketching the Sorolla Masterpieces at the Hispanic Society. |
 |
| Steven Assael Torso Demo in Charcoal. |
 |
| Painting I – Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, fish parts. |
 |
| Painting I – Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, fish steak. |
 |
| Self Portrait work in Studio, 3rd Floor. |
 |
| Wade Schuman with his Color Charts. |
Below are some images of my recent classwork, some still in progress. Some Graphite sketches and lots of self portraits in the first year…self reflection time.
 |
| Graphite Sketch from Drawing I – 18″ x 14″ – Ian Factor. |
 |
| Self Portrait In Progress, Oil- 30″ x 15″ – Ian Factor |
 |
| Self Portrait In Progress, Oil – 40″ x 30″ – Ian Factor |
|
 |
| Self Portrait Sketch, Graphite – 18″ x 14″ – Ian Factor |
|
 |
| Self Portrait In Progress, Oil 40″ x 30″ – Ian Factor |
|
Now, back to the studio.
Till next time…
Ian Factor (MFA 2014) will be blogging here throughout the year about his first year at the Academy and moving to New York City. You can also follow more of Ian’s experiences on his blog: Ian Factor’s New York Academy of Art Experience.
