About the Artist

  "Art has always been a part of my life. From an early age, my artistic family has inspired and motivated me to be creative and challenge myself. At twelve, I started oil painting lessons, which I continued for three years. During college, I discovered I preferred drawing over oil painting, and concentrated on the mediums of pencil, pen & ink, charcoal, silver point and pastel.

Soon after graduating, I found I developed an interest in watercolors. I love to work with the effects of color, light and shadow. My paintings of glass objects such as marbles, jars of preserved fruits & vegetables, glass candies and ornaments have improved my use of color and design. I am fascinated by the reflections and colors these reflective surfaces create and also by their cast shadows. It is amazing how many different colors your eye can see in a shadow when you really study and observe it. To me, Art is a form of problem solving where you combine colors, shapes, textures and tones in stimulating and interesting ways to make harmonious and visually pleasing images. Other subjects I enjoy drawing and painting are animals, snow landscapes, spring flowers and the American Southwest."

Candy received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of New Hampshire in Drawing. She was the first "Drawing" major to graduate from UNH. Her senior thesis was the self-portrait done primarily in silver point, a very unforgiving drawing medium that helped refine her drawing skills.

After graduation, Candy's mother, Barbara Ritch, www.barbararitch.com, convinced her to try more pastel paintings and her oldest sister, Suzanne Binnie, www.culhavenstudios.com, introduced her to watercolors. Candy appreciates many different art mediums, but currently enjoys using watercolors, pastels and pencils the most.

She enters several art shows during the year, submits slides to various juried art shows throughout the United States, and frequently has requests for commissioned paintings and/or drawings.

Candy teaches art classes on the weekends from her home studio and is delighted to see her students get excited and inspired with the progress of their own paintings as they learn new techniques. She also is the instructor for watercolor and drawing classes at the Somerville Home and the Somerville Adult Center for Learning & Education.

Candy's artistic mentors:
Leonardo da Vinci, Ingres, John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth, Robert Bateman and Sigmund Abeles.

Contact: candyart@candywitcher.com

  
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