BRADENTON – With students from Anna Maria Island and surrounding communities, the Southern Atelier is serious about art, and recently showed off their skills at the Manatee Performing Arts Center with the opening of their student exhibition.
“There are many different kinds of art, and we all love art. I’m not against any kind of art, but I am just for classical realism; that’s what our school is,” said Southern Atelier founder Charles Miano, who explained the word “atelier” is French for “an artist’s workshop.” The school opened in Manatee County 15 years ago and is a type of training that was very popular in 19th-century France.
“This type of training is based on 400 to 500 years of disciplined craftsmanship that has been built up over the ages since the Renaissance,” Miano said.
Due to the popularity of the modernism movement, the Atelier fell out of fashion for more than a hundred years, which includes most of the 20th century. According to Miano, a new awareness for the movement of classical realism is now underway.
“We have artists come in, and we have artists working in the same tradition,” he said, referring to the fairly recent resurgence of the classical realist movement. Students draw and paint from live models, which teaches the importance of anatomy, much like what is seen in drawings and paintings of the Renaissance. They also draw and paint casts of important Renaissance period sculptures and drawings. The goal is for students to copy the original work exactly as it was originally, which is the first part of the program.
After mastering the drawing phase of the program, students then move on to two more phases. The second phase is designed to move students toward painting, and that is called “light effect.” In this phase of the program, students draw from casts of objects, which teaches them to get a sense of light and space. Subject matter may include busts of torsos, arms or feet. Phase three of the apprenticeship is painting. Students take what they have learned and begin to put it to work, creating and recreating beautiful works of art.
The program is full-time, and only about 15 students are currently selected to attend in that capacity. Students come from across the country, and even around the world, to study under Miano.
“Everyone starts and does the same level of projects, and you have to complete a certain number of projects to a certain level before you go on to the next level,” said Gene Clayton, a first-level Atelier student who has been in the program for about a year.
“It’s not like academia, where your progress is determined by the calendar,” he added. “It’s determined by your skill level.”
Clayton, who came to study from Atlanta, had a drawing on display at the exhibition, along with other students of varying skill levels. It should be noted though, that this is not amateur art. Most of the works exhibited are for sale in excess of $1,000 and are of high quality.
“What I really wanted to do was learn realism, and they teach only classical realism here at the Southern Atelier, so that’s why I came here to study with Charles,” Clayton said. He says he found Miano and his program through the Art Renewal Center, realizing this is the only Atelier of its kind in Florida. Clayton also added that this is truly full-time. His job is this apprenticeship and nothing else.
In addition to training, the Southern Atelier is also available to commission anything a customer could want. Miano said they are able to exactly recreate any work of realism art.
“If you go to a museum and wish you could have a certain work of art hanging on your wall, we can make you a copy,” Miano said. So, if you like a Rembrandt but don’t have a hundred million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you can commission it through the Southern Atelier, and the next best thing will be on your wall.
A beautiful example of Miano’s work was unveiled at the conclusion of the opening of the Atelier student exhibit, featuring a portrait of apprentice, Li Volk.
“She is such an amazing individual, she has a background in design and marketing in China; she did the Beijing Olympics, so when she came through our doors it was really a stroke of luck,” he said. “She’s been the executive director of our nonprofit, so she’s been able to help us through a lot of volunteering. To do this kind of work, it takes a lot of administration to run a nonprofit organization.”
Miano noted how important Volk has been to the Atelier and their efforts, especially during COVID.
Like many businesses and organizations, the Atelier was affected by COVID-19. Miano said they were fortunate to be able to hold classes via Zoom and other virtual platforms throughout the pandemic. In-person classes resumed with masks and social distancing in late 2020.
While the full-time Atelier is a rigorous and intensive program requiring complete dedication, and little time for much else, Miano said they do offer part-time classes and programs that area residents can enroll in. This enables participants to learn some valuable techniques that will enhance their skills without the level of commitment required for the full-time program. Miano said many residents of Anna Maria Island and Manatee County have enrolled and have benefited from these programs.
