Today we’d like to introduce you to Dale Weatherford
Hi Dale, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I began painting during my senior year in high school, after graduating I started taking classes at Lynda English Gallery in Florence, SC. I also took art classes at Francis Marion University as my minor was in Visual Arts. The greatest leap forward for me was in 2020, I had the privilege of studying at the Academy of Realist Art Boston in Boston, MA. They focus on traditional painting based on 19th century French academy. I’d been interested in traditional art for years prior and dreamed of understanding how the great masters painted, the ones I idolize (I.e. Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Ilya Repin, Titian, Gainsborough, Gilbert Stuart, and many more). Since 2023, I have returned to South Carolina, teaching at Trinity Collegiate School as the High School Art teacher, and painting in my free time. I am largely a commission artist, but also prioritize my own personal work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey hasn’t been easy, yes I have been blessed with a wonderful family who have supported my process as an artist, but there have been sacrifices. If I am not teaching then I am painting, I dedicate all my free time to my art, there are days where it is like an addiction. I have to work on my paintings. The biggest struggles have largely been the struggles of finding teachers who teach technical skills in art. It taken 5 years from graduating at FMU to studying at ARA Boston, just in order to find a school that teaches classical painting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a classically trained artist so I specialize in traditional mediums and content. My main medium is Oil Painting, but I also use Pencil and Charcoal in terms of drawing. My favorite subject matter is portraiture and figurative work, painting in front of a live mode/painting from life is genuinely challenging, but you quickly learn the personality of the person you are painting. How they carry themselves, the way they lean, etc. I also enjoy painting landscapes, largely southern scenes like marshes and seascapes. I am currently exploring some still life painting themes. I am very proud of my current self portrait, I studied both Caravaggio and Rembrandt’s techniques before approaching the painting. Perhaps what sets me apart from others is my materials, I am a stickler for traditional techniques, therefore I do not experiment with mixing mediums. I prepare my own canvases from the ground up (quite literally painting on a surface that will ensure the painting can last for centuries). I use a limited palette (about 12 colors) and use just traditional oils in my paint.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Perhaps the most important lessons were the ones at the Academy of Realist Art Boston. Learning anatomy, how to properly draw, painting values correctly. I also learned the importance of not wasting a single minute, I’m a third of the way through the story (31 years old), I am not wasting another second on what I love to do.
Pricing:
- Prices vary by size and complexity
- example: 20×24 canvas can start at $960 but can go upwards of $2400 depending on how difficult the subject is.
- I have a purchase info tab available on my website, giving an overview and estimation for my clients
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dcwpaintings.com
- Instagram: dcwpaintings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dale.c.weatherford
