Simple Painting Technique a Hit at Library

Painting can be a tough skill to master, but local residents had some help at the last Thursday.

Karen Davidson was on hand to make it simple by showing participants the one-stroke painting technique, which is better known by the name “Donna Dewberry’s One-Stroke Painting” program. This user-friendly method enables everyone to create beautiful decorative pieces with only one stroke of a paintbrush.

“We blend, shade and highlight all in one stroke – hence the one-stroke painting,” said Davidson, who has been a certified instructor in the technique since 2004. “It is good for advanced students and good for beginners – fun and easy to pick up.”

Each class Davidson teaches focuses on a distinctive project. She explained that they “paint all different things – mostly flowers, but sometimes fruit and animals.” For the class on Thursday evening, the concentration was on learning the methodology to paint flowers.

Davidson has been teaching at the library for many years, with some of her first classes ever held at the facility. Additionally, she leads a similar class in the continuing education program at .

“They love it, they keep coming back,” she said. “My favorite part of teaching is when a student struggles and then they all of the sudden get it. That to me makes my eyes water.”

“I’ve tried to take this class before but it is always filled,” said Sandra Wassmer, of East Meadow. “I just want to learn it. I love art and everything but I am not very good at it.”

East Meadow resident Denise Coucoulas, who also attends Davidson’s Monday night class at the high school, explained that she has seen some improvement in her work.

“It is very relaxing and I enjoy it,” she added, when asked why she liked coming to the programs.

Many others in the class shared the same feeling as Coucoulas, saying how relaxing it is to come and paint in the evening. Taking the lesson slowly, Davidson was able to keep all painters engaged and also offered assistance on the varying steps of the program.

Jude Schanzer, Director of Public Relations and Programming at the East Meadow Public Library, said that she always participates in this class whenever it is at the library.

“I just love this program – it makes me feel good, it is relaxing, it is easy enough for me to do and I feel like when I finish making a leaf it actually looks like a leaf,” Schanzer said. “It is a feeling of satisfaction that you can actually come out of here feeling like you have painted something that is recognizable.”

Davidson will be teaching another One-Stroke Painting Class at the library on June 7 at 7 p.m. Please call the library at 516-794-2570 to check availability of space.