https://rdphotoservices.com/
Robin studied serious violin through high school but made the difficult decision to go to Cleveland Institute of Art. After two years at the Institute the financial challenges were too difficult, so Robin looked for different alternatives to get experience as a photographer. She enlisted in the Navy. ​She studied photography at the US Navy School of Photography A School with B School, specialization in Photojournalism and Multi-Media Production. After serving, she earned a BSBA in Business Administration and then a Juris Doctorate from California Southern School of Law.
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Unfortunately, a car accident before the bar exam ended her dream of practicing law. With rehab using old learning of photography, she started shooting again. And in time her images started winning competitions and RD Photo Services a Sports Photography and Portrait Photography business began. Within a few years RD Photo Services organically grew into a business specializing in action sports, portraits, and family portraits. Robin’s action sport images started winning awards and the passion grew and she found the biggest joy of all was doing what she was doing all along-creating images that tell a story.

​However, with Covid, the business had to change and Robin and to find a new way to express herself. Robin started painting in watercolor, acrylic and finally with alcohol ink. Her demonstration will focus on Alcohol ink - in all its fluidity and boldness, It's where she finds her joy! For now...always experimenting with new media! Like taking small prints of her alcohol ink paintings and imbedding them in charms of necklaces, bracelets, and keychains. The whole process is about re-finding passion after changes. 

Lorena Massa, from Italy - Interpreting Portraits​  https://lorenamassa.com/en/
Lorena graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cuneo, Italy, receiving degrees in Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage in 2005 and, later, in Painting in 2009. 
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Along her artistic journey, she realized that watercolor was the medium she felt most connected to, and she was especially drawn to portraiture. This month Lorena will present her approach to interpreting portraits. Her intent is to show her artistic process. Lorena is our next workshop artist, March 24, 25, 27, 2025. Recordings of her workshop will be available after the workshop.
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In 2014, Lorena proudly became a member of the prestigious Italian Watercolor Association (Associazione Italiana Acquerelli). In 2021, she became the Leader of the Italian Group of Fabriano In Acquarello, which is an important international watercolor event. That same year, she was designated a Brand Ambassador for Daniel Smith, which has been a fruitful and inspiring collaboration.

https://www.dsmithfineart.com/
David enjoys the challenge of working in harmony with a fluid medium. By providing the proper environment, surrendering some control, and working with the medium, the most beautiful results oftentimes occur naturally. See the Upcoming Workshops to learn about the workshop he is offering MVAL members January 28, 30, and February 1, 2025 via zoom.

To keep the paintings from getting too precise, and instead, to convey a feeling of aliveness, David utilizes a number of techniques such as working wet into wet, glazing, pouring, spattering, and spraying. These techniques
not only keep the painting fresh, but produce exciting intermingling and textures effortlessly. David’s favorite subjects tend to be found in nature and he loves to travel abroad as well as explore state and national parks for inspiration. Depicting a subject in great light, capitalizing on the contrast developed by light and shadow, while showcasing the assortment of jewels that happen naturally through the fluid medium keeps David eager to paint his next creation.
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David has studied under numerous instructors in the states and in China. He has displayed his work in galleries and museums across the United States and his work has been awarded at the state and national level. David has received Signature Membership with the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, and others.

​https://www.vheinstudio.com/ ​
IG: @virginiahein 

​Virginia Hein is an artist, author, and art instructor from Los Angeles, California. Virginia has taught Sketching on Location workshops at Descanso Gardens since 2012 and offers sketching workshops locally and internationally.

Virginia showed an approach that can bring more life and energy to your sketches.  She calls this approach the Dance of Line and Color, and we’ll look at the expressive possibilities of each element, and how they can play exciting, complementary roles in your sketches

For the demo, she will start with an ink line drawing made earlier on location, then show her approach to adding color, working from my photo of the location. Virginia’s sketchbook drawings were recently featured in the exhibit, “Descanso: LA’s Garden” in the Boddy House at Descanso Gardens. 

​Virginia has worked throughout her life as an artist in a variety of ways—as a designer for toys and entertainment, art director, illustrator, and teacher. She taught drawing at Otis College of Art and Design for 13 years,

As an active member of the worldwide community of Urban Sketchers, she has taught workshops at five international Urban Sketchers Symposiums. She has contributed her work to a number of books about location sketching. Her book “5 Minute Sketching Landscapes”, was published by RotoVision, in 2017, and she co-authored “The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature”, Quarry Books, 2022, with Gail L. Wong.
 
 Virginia considers drawing to be her first language, and continues to find drawing a path of discovery and joy. 
Join us in person for Art of the Month competition.​

https://www.youtube.com/@chrisfrausto4223​

Justine Limpus Parish has worked extensively in the LA and SF fashion industries as a fashion illustrator, designer, educator, art director and published author. Justine is a Full- time Professor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and is the Director of the Sewing Lab. 


Working from a fashion photo image on her Pinterest page, Justine used Procreate on her IPAD to demonstrate how to illustrate a full color fashion or costume figure. She demonstrated drawing the figure, changing the garment shapes, drawing the garment details, rendering the colors and textile patterns and prints.

She also gave an introduction to Procreate and explain her process as she goes. Audience members and attendees on Zoom could follow along and draw with her.
​The link to the Pinterest page Justine usedis https://www.pinterest.com/justinelparish/ fashion-outfits/ ​