Newtown Square Library Welcomes Ana Delia McCormack, Artist & Owner, ADM Gallery!

The Newtown Square Public Library is thrilled to welcome Ana Delia McCormack back for a two-month exhibit in July and August. The last time Ana had a show, it was so well-received that township personnel and patrons asked if it could be a permanent exhibit!

Ana is well known in the tri-state area for her multiple skills. She has a highly successful career as a professional artist, owns the ADM Gallery in Newtown Square – and is also an extraordinarily gifted art teacher – from beginner levels to established, advanced artists.

Teaching art to adults isn’t easy. Instructing a bioengineer, or a retiree, or a millennial who has never touched a paintbrush takes a different pedagogy than a k-12 lesson plan. How does Ana inspire and engage adult students?

You have to be able to help students express themselves, while giving them the guidance and tools to achieve their goals. The student’s perspective is vital, so I listen, and often, I demonstrate what they have described. So we walk through an example, which is an extension of their own vision. There are many techniques that I use to assist an artist to work around an idea or problem in order to make it a successful composition.

There are basic rules to art: like ensuring that the focal point is off-center, so the viewer’s eyes move around the artwork – following a flow of light or color. Or that you must understand how to use your canvas, your colors, your tones, your variety of composition, etc. But once your basics are solid, it is more than that. Sometimes, with very advanced students who may have graduated with a degree in the arts 25 years ago – they are simply looking for another pair of eyes and an opinion they respect. Then I may put a sheet of plastic over the entire painting, and develop an area that isn’t working quite right. It may be just one brushstroke, or a value is too light, or they’re missing their mid-tones…or together, we may pull the entire thing apart!

But whatever the level of the student, I love them all, I respect them all, and we all get addicted to this wonderful process. It’s fantastic to be able to create beauty together!

Ana’s students are extremely loyal as well, and several offered their opinions during a recent Thursday night class (that runs from 6 until 9pm). Rita Morrin, who works in oils, attested to Ana’s skills: “I had absolutely no experience before I came here, and now I’m in 2 juried art shows. And I just sold my first painting! She is a great teacher!” Nancy Hansen, a graphic artist and interior designer, has been an artist her entire life, and offered this viewpoint on Ana: “I wanted a new challenge, and decided to try oils. I’ve been painting with Ana now for over a year; she is very approachable, and a wonderful teacher.”

Ana’s own paintings run the gamut from abstracts to still lifes. She is known for her flowers – which can be a difficult, sinuous subject to paint. The gorgeous blossoms that sweep across her canvases truly show movement. Sunflowers dance and sway, and her pallet is intense and dramatic – with layers of colors and techniques reminiscent of Van Gogh. She admires the drama of Vermeer and the classic lighting of Rembrandt as well, but her favorite contemporary artist is David A. Leffel. “He takes chiaroscuro techniques (contrasts of dark and light), and adds a modern twist to it with exciting colors. Ana’s copy of his book Oil Painting Secrets From a Master is a well-worn reference.

Her recognizable florals are always welcome at art events in the greater Philadelphia area, including the annual shows at The Devon Horse Show, Chadds Ford Elementary Annual Art Show, the Academy of Notre Dame, Yellow Springs, and Malvern Retreat. Between her gallery and students, she has to squeeze in time to produce her own art. One of her favorite windows is early Sunday morning. “It is quiet, I feel very creative, and can paint for 3 or 4 hours without noticing the time.” And she paints multiple pieces simultaneously. “I like large canvases! They take me a long time to complete…usually 6 weeks to two months, but I work on 3 or 4 at the same time, and enjoy moving among the different works.”

Come experience the exceptional art of Ana Delia McCormack at the Newtown Square Public Library this summer! All of her pieces will be for sale. And be sure to visit the ADM Gallery at 3719 West Chester Pike (just off the corner of 252 and West Chester Pike) to view a variety of artists’ work – or to sign up for a month of classes with a local master! Classes are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Further information about Ana Delia McCormack’s art and the ADM Gallery is available at http://admgalleryandstudio.com or by email AnaMcCormack@verizon.net, or by calling (610) 291-0768.

The Newtown Square Public Library is located at 201 Bishop Hollow Road, Newtown Square, PA. Call (610) 353-1022 for further information, visit our website at http://www.newtownlibrary.org or see our Facebook page.

Terri McCarthy (Morrison) is coauthor of nine books, including Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands®The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than Sixty Countries*
An Amazon bestseller, with over 375,000 copies sold. www.TerriMorrison.com (610) 725-1040