On the American art scene Sherrie McGraw for more than thirty years.
"My interest in art manifested itself at an early age. I could spend hours looking for books on drawing and painting by Michelangelo and Rodin, and ruthlessly copy them. I really wanted to know their understanding of lines and colors."
The first teachers were beginning artist Richard Goetz, director of the School of Art in Oklahoma - City and his wife Edith. The odd couple Standards Oklahoma, two artists lived with their six children among stuffed owls, Persian glass, old cowboy boots, paintings and drawings of nudes.
In 1978, having accumulated $ 2,000, Sherrie McGraw arrived in New York with two suitcases and their savings. Studying at the Art Students League in two years. From his teacher David A Leffel, convinced supporter of realism, Sherrie learned a lot about light and shadow, he became her mentor and teacher. From him she learned that "to be the best artist is not just the accumulation of technology, but also a way of seeing, of being, you have to be in the moment where the magic happens."
In 1980 Wadle Galleries of Santa Fe took several jobs Sherry and her career went up. She began to be exhibited by winning awards in Washington Square Art Gallery on the opening of an art exhibition, and Salmagundi Club, the National Arts Club, and the Hudson Valley Art Association.
Her career blossomed, just blossomed relationship with Sherry David A Leffel. In 1982, after concluding her studies at the Art Students League, she moved to New Jersey to live with his former teacher. David continues to influence and encourage her. She recalls, "when the picture did not turn out, David looked deeply into my watery eyes, and spoke so quietly and sweetly - it's just painting. And all my doubts suddenly seem trivial, I could relax and just enjoy the painting again." Now they live in Taos, teach together, write together beautiful paintings and books on iskusstvu.
David A Leffel was born and raised in New York City. After high school, Leffel in school design Parsons (Parsons The New School For Design) and Fordham University, worked briefly in advertising in California and New York. But in the end came to the light and shade in painting and enrolled at the Art Students League in New York, and eventually taught there for 20 years, sharing their special understanding of painting with thousands of students from around the world.
In 1992 he moved to Taos, New Mexico with Sherrie McGraw. They have their own house with stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo (Van Cleve) with large studios, for each of them. Leffel believes his studio - it is his sanctuary, calm, concise and joyful place. In the daytime, he often writes and plays classical music, and in the evening, switch to the blues.
His works are in the permanent collections of museums around the country, as well as in many private collections abroad. Leffel has written two books, which achieved worldwide recognition for their ability to integrate his understanding of the technical aspects of painting, his philosophy and humor.
