The Waichulis Studio
Winter, Oil on Masonite, 5x7 inches, by Anthony Waichulis
I thought it would be of interest to publish a conversation with my most influential teacher Anthony Waichulis. As a student, I had many of the same interests and considerations that I hear now from many others about studying art. Naturally, I feel that his ideas and viewpoints have shaped my own approach towards art instruction. In light of this, please enjoy a shared perspective on aspects of teaching at the Waichulis Studio in the master’s own words.
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Kate Sammons: “First, I’d like to tell you how beautiful I find your most recent painting “Winter”. Thank you for sharing it on my blog and thank you for taking the time to talk about the program and your views about instruction. So, to begin at the beginning, how did the Waichulis Studio get its start?”
Anthony Waichulis: “The Waichulis Studio Apprenticeship program began in 1998. It was in that year that I returned to my home state of Pennsylvania after my time at The Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore, Maryland. My work had fortunately garnered a great deal of attention and therefore the demand to learn ‘how it was done’ grew quite rapidly. When the doors of my first studio opened, eager initiates quickly immersed themselves into an apprenticeship program. I have been surrounded with incredible talent every day since. “
“I remember you describing how your first days of instruction really were a lot more informal with friends and colleagues stopping by your private studio to learn from you outside of class. Over time, you created a very effective and streamlined program that addresses the core of many drawing and painting issues you worked with people on over the years. How did you develop the Waichulis Studio program to what it is today?”
“The Waichulis Studio program was developed as a way for me to best communicate the ‘how-to’ of my craft to another individual. The system is designed to teach visual art in a similar way the one is taught music or language. Small simple rudiments are built upon until the apprentice develops a highly refined and widely adaptable skill set that will serve them for a lifetime. “
“As a potential student before deciding to apply to the program, I wondered if I even had the chance of being accepted. I can imagine a lot of other people might feel the same way. What do you look for in a prospective apprentice?”
“Since much of the Waichulis Studio Apprenticeship program is based on meticulous repetition and painstaking technical challenges, I look for those that have the dedication to stay the course. I look for applicants that have had a life-long passion for the craft and have a determination that will allow them to rise to meet each and every challenge that stands in their way. “
“So basically it’s in the goals and character of the person. What do you feel an artist could do to better prepare her/him self for apprenticeship at your studio? “
“What may come as a surprise to some, I do not feel that the technical aspects of the Waichulis Studio program are what challenge our apprentices most— rather it is their ability to recognize, trust, and cultivate their own creative voice. Those that are familiar with our program know that we make every attempt to remove an ideal ‘aesthetic’ from out system of instruction. We do not define that which is beautiful or aesthetically pleasing, rather we try to encourage the apprentice to define that for him or herself. I have found over the years that it sometimes takes newer artists a bit of time to really hear and have faith in their own voice.
But when they finally let it come forth, their works shine like never before. To better prepare for this, I encourage many to keep detailed creative sketchbooks and journals that may exercise and chronicle the ideas, instincts, and concepts that will define their future voice. Creative tools like this also help the individual to identify and develop their own unique ‘vocabulary’ that they may build upon for the rest of their lives.”
“I can definitely attest to that being true. Personally speaking, I think it is rare to find that ability to teach knowledge and skills impartially in a way that directly leads an artist to discover their own personal voice. Tony, what led you to choose art and education as a path? Do you have a story you’d like to share that would explain how these two pursuit came together or what steps you took to be able to do what you are doing now? ”
“Well, the question of how I chose my artistic ‘direction’ has been asked more than a few times. It all started while I was in college, and pursuing representational art as a full-time career. I had just taken my first trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art. It was on that trip that I had seen the Trompe L’oeil paintings of William Harnett, John Peto, and John Haberle. When I saw these brilliant paintings that were so filled with technical precision and clever guile, I was overwhelmed. I was so taken with the style that I knew immediately that it would be the genre that I would pursue without pause.
As to choosing education as a path, I can’t really say that I really set out to be an instructor. As I said earlier, it was the interest in what I was doing that led others to seek out my methods. I don’t feel I chose to be a teacher, rather it was the knowledge hungry artists that chose me.”
“Lol, well I hope you have happily reconciled yourself to that fate. Being one of those knowledge hungry artists, I can say that however much your time is in demand by many, you always gave me the feeling that you were completely dedicated to me as a student two hundred percent. Is there one important thing that you feel determines the success of an educational goal that you set out to achieve with your students? Can you identify one thing that you feel is critical to the success in the education of an artist above all else? “
“In terms of our program I would have to say dedication. Many, many challenges face the individual in a system such as ours–and for every height reached, we endeavor to raise the bar even more. It is an unwaivering dedication to their craft that compels each of our artists to push harder and commit more of themselves in order to reach these new heights, achieve their goals– and then travel beyond. “
“I completely agree. Before completing my education here, I would have guessed that the determining factor was talent, but I have seen first hand now that effort and commitment are what really matters. With this opinion that we both share, what important advice would you give to the aspiring artist who is at the beginning of their development?”
“Establish your goals confidently, Chart your course carefully, and dedicate yourself completely. “
“I have studied art in several different learning environments and likewise, you have taught in a variety of different situations. What do you feel is the advantage of the small atelier-style environment you have created and the example it sets as an alternative to other models of learning, ie. College/ university/ academy?”
“I enjoy the intimate format of a small atelier. I am able to offer a great deal of individualized attention and become more involved in each apprentice’s development. While I have taught at the college level (much larger groups) and found that to be a rewarding experience, I always find myself gravitating back to scenarios that offer a lower student to teacher ratio.”
“Tony, the Waichulis Studio is unique for many reasons, an obvious one being the career building opportunities that are integrated into the work that your apprentices accomplish at the studio. Can you elaborate on that and tell us how you believe it has become such a successful enterprise? I have seen many other art programs that separate training and career building or do not address the business of making art for a living at all and I wonder why not. Do you have any thoughts or opinions on this?”
“Well Katherine, (LOL!) a huge focus of our system is efficiency. We strive to have our apprentices develop multiple skill sets for success simultaneously—that includes business and career-building efforts. Immersing the apprentices in this world immediately will give them an invaluable familiarity with the business of art and offer them a great advantage as they become some of tomorrow’s most successful professional artists. “
“Lol. I’m just thinking of the times I have sacrificed good painting hours to working on my blog or website. Yes, absolutely and learning through watching others do is so powerful. Well, I’d say that another thing that makes this studio stand out for me are the remarks made by many others. People comment that one of the most amazing aspects of the Waichulis Studio is the ability of its artists to execute such a high level of realism in their work. What is it about their work and your training that make this possible?”
“We gear all of our exercises towards a highly rendered finish, not that it should govern the ‘look’ of the apprentice’s original work following training, but that it challenges the apprentices to exude the greatest amount of observable control over their materials. I believe that it is this focused control that gives the apprentices a greater salvo of finishes to choose from as the control they develop grants them the freedom to explore many different aspects of realism at their leisure. “
“In retrospect, I know what you mean when you talk about control. It’s about assessing all of the determining factors of a project, knowing how far you can push your medium and your skills, and adapting to create the best outcome. This still sounds vague but having learned how to create a highly rendered finish as you said, I have found that I can easily adapt to problems that come up on the fly and also pick up new techniques I’m studying independently with relative ease. I hope you will agree when you see some of my later work in the future Tony.
After arriving way out on the other coast, I will be even more eager to keep up to date with the exciting developments to happen with the studio in the future. What do you see for the future of the Waichulis studio? ”
“Each year the artists of The Waichulis Studio seem to redefine their craft and reaffirm their reputation for excellence If we can use past as a guide, the future of The Waichulis Studio should be full of wondrous new artistic frontiers—- “
“A modest and intriguing answer as always! lol. Well, I’ll be keeping watch as well as many others. Thank you so much for the great time Tony and for sharing your insight today.”
The Butler Institute of American Art
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