Don Brown and Students Present Paintings at Nanuet Library

Art teacher Don Brown and his students displayed their watercolor paintings at the Nanuet Public Library Saturday afternoon as part of an event called The Art of Don Brown and Students Reception.  Dozens of paintings lined the walls of the library’s community room as approximately 60 people intermittently walked through the reception throughout the event.    

“It’s gorgeous,” said Hope Dingley, who visited the reception with her husband, David. “You see all the different techniques of the different painters.” 

David said he and his wife have visited Brown’s art receptions in the past. 

“It’s nice of the library to open up their facilities,” he said. “It’s like a real gallery here.” 

Brown holds classes every summer, autumn and spring, usually bringing in 20-30 students per class.  Every painting on display was painted during this past year of classes.  Brown leads eight sessions per seasonal class.    

“It’s open to all levels,” said Brown.  “At the start, I do a demonstration for the class, and then they try to copy it.  Then they move on to do their own thing.”

Brown debuted his first three paintings using Japanese rice paper, a technique he had never used before. 

“Japanese rice paper is very thin—thinner than regular paper,” he said.  “You crumple it up into a ball and wet it.  Then you open it up and use the raised creases and lightly paint them.  Then it goes onto regular paper, and you can add details to the picture.”       

Carol Kepler, who started attending Brown’s classes as a student four years ago, said the class is a very relaxing endeavor.   

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for people,” she said. “It’s a comfortable environment and a great place to make new people. The instructor is very helpful—lots of hands-on demonstrations.”

Natalie O’Donnell said she had previously worked with oil-based paint before she started taking Brown’s class this past spring. She said although it was a struggle at first to acclimate herself to using watercolor paint, she quickly adjusted and now enjoys it more because it is less messy. 

“I’ve been studying art since I retired,” she said.  “I thought ‘Once I retire, I’m going to paint.’  Water medium is my medium.  I think when you pick up a paintbrush, magic happens.”

Thelma Talusan, who had no prior experience painting, started taking Brown’s classes last summer.  She said one of her displayed paintings, entitled “The Chinaman’s Hat,” is actually her rendering of a picture she took recently while in Hawaii.  She said she brought the picture to her class and painted it.   

“I just began last summer, and I did the fall and spring classes,” she said. “Don is a great teacher, and my classmates are really talented.  I was a beginner, but I was surprised at what I’ve been able to do.” 

Brown said the art display will be available to the public until August.