BY JUDE WINKLEY

Special to The Pilot

The Exchange Street Gallery, located at the Artists League of the Sandhills in Aberdeen, presents its "Art Instructors' Exhibit" in the gallery for the month of January.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, from 2 to 5 p.m., the League will host a reception during which the instructors will demonstrate in oil, acrylics, watercolor, collage, oil and soft pastels, pencil drawing, alcohol-based inks and sculpting. This reception is free and open to those interested.

"If you would like to learn to paint or you have years of experience, there will be a class for you," says a spokesman. "These demos offer an excellent opportunity to meet the instructors, view their work, ask questions and see them demonstrate in their media."

Class registration will be open that day.

There will be classes that should have some appeal for everyone:

n For the watercolor enthusiasts, Mike D'Andrea's class, "Beginning Watercolor," is a good choice. D'Andrea will start with basic watercolor techniques introducing various skies, horizon, trees both loose and tight and advance to mid-ground work including water and rocks.

n Back by student demand, Karen Walker will offer her very popular "Exploring Inks" using alcohol-based inks. This class will explore their vibrant colors using techniques for applying and controlling them to create expressive and beautiful paintings.

n Elda Hiser will offer an "Open Studio in Watercolor," covering watercolor materials, stretching watercolor paper, painting on various papers, mixing paints and learning the "two-against-one" and the "golden mean" compositional arrangements of subject matter. Hiser will also teach "Watercolor Secrets," to include painting a white tablecloth by glazing, mixing nature's greens and painting rocks and surf; special techniques to improve the artist's paintings.

n "Water Reflections in Oil" with Eileen Strickland promises to teach the techniques for creating mirror reflections in smooth, flat water, water sparkles and realistic rock formations as well as composition and how to adjust values. Detailed demonstrations and individual attention will take the student from beginning to completion of a water scene.

n An "Open Studio" with Mary Ellen Warren will cover a skill each session, based upon the participants' needs. Warren will also offer a class, "Watercolor Pouring," which is a unique process that can bring wonderful color opportunities to the artist's work - a method worth exploring.

n Betty Hendrix's "Beginning with Soft Pastel" will teach the beginning artist the basics of using pastels and getting to know the medium, the papers and the basics of framing needs for pastels.

Hendrix's "Express Yourself with Pastel" will focus on expression in color - vivid or dull - depending on the subject and desire. Students will also learn to select a subject and the use of value, color and composition to better express the feelings the artist wishes to convey.

Through Hendrix's third class, "Small Works and Miniatures," students will learn the difference in these two painting categories, sources for supplies and framing options. Work in the medium of your choice.

n Joanne Gill Worth's class in "Oil Pastels" is for those who like to draw and are interested in trying a new medium that is "beginner-friendly," nontoxic and very economical. It is beneficial for beginners, both as an introduction to composition and color and as a "cross-training exercise" for those who work primarily in other media.

n Barbara Sickenberger's "Drawing Just for Fun" class is a good jump-start for beginners and a refresher, new direction for more experienced artists. Imagination will be the tool for combining abstract shapes to form interesting compositions, using value, line and texture. This class is for all levels of experience - beginner to advanced students.

n Returning this year, Betty DiBartolomeo will be leading four classes.

"Mondays with Betty" - come once a month to paint and improve skills while working in the medium of your choice. Students may sign up for one or all sessions.

"Open Studio with Live Model" will also be offered monthly, and students will be working from a live, clothed model in the medium of choice.

"Capturing Light and Color" is offered for students working in traditional or water soluble oils or pastels, hard or soft. The class will explore how the light radiates in a still life and how it differs in the landscape - painting from life - students will learn to capture the feeling of light and colors of nature.

"Composition - The Structure of Good Art" is a must for all levels of artists. The class will concentrate on composition only and how many a good painting is lost by a weak understanding of the power in good composition.

n "Oil Painting Monday" with Linda Bruening is a once a month studio painting session with emphasis on improving paintings by learning some art history, design concepts and painting hints and tips.

Bruening will also offer "Painting in Oils Part II" - a class for students who have taken Oil Painting Part I or have a very good basic knowledge of the three oil painting techniques.

n Harry Neely, a longtime instructor at the League, will offer two classes, "Beginning to Intermediate Acrylics," where students will work using the traditional technique and the direct technique, and "Beginning to Intermediate Oils."

n New instructors this year: June Rollins' "Wet-Saturated Watercolors" will help the experienced watercolorist develop a looser, softer style.

Emma Skurnick will work on "Refining Your Drawing Skills" with hundreds of tips and tricks to improve the realism and accuracy of your drawings.

Dedi McHam will bring to the League a new and exciting medium in "Sculpting" - Part I will begin with the manipulation of clay and modeling small objects, and Part II will focus on the more advanced techniques in sculpting.

"Follow the Leader" with Joan Williams is open to all "wanna-be" artists who thought they would like to try painting but have always been afraid for lack of confidence or skills. This oil class, with all materials provided, will give the student some basic skills and a taste for more.

"Each student is guaranteed to go home with a completed painting," says the spokesman.

Look for additional classes to be scheduled throughout the year with the following instructors: Sandy Stratil, collage; Andrea Schmidt, watercolor; Jonathan Brower, drawing; and Lisa Mathis, watercolor and drawing.

The mission statement of the Artists League, a nonprofit organization made up of more than 200 members, is "to promote interest in the visual arts by providing educational courses, workshops and a friendly environment in which artists can work and exhibit."

"If you are new to the area and are interested in art or have ever thought you might like to try something new, take this opportunity to stop in and see the exciting things happening in the historic railroad warehouse building located at 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen," says the spokesman.

For more information, call (910) 944-3979 or visit www.artistleague.org. The League office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Gallery hours are from noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.