Recognition

Neadeen Masters CDA - Country Carousel Art©

The Society of Decorative Painters Certification Program provides a benchmark for decorative painters to test their painting skills in color management, stroke, value, and intensity control, line work and detail, background, frame, neatness and finish. Two levels of Certification may be earned: Certified Decorative Artist (CDA) and Master Decorative Artist (MDA). All three MDA categories (Floral, Still Life and Stroke) must be achieved before earning the title of Master Decorative Artist.

Neadeen Masters CDA ~ Certified Decorative Artist

Floral Still life ~ Minneapolis, MN, 1997

Below is the 'board' that I submitted, passing this on my first try at this exam was an experience that I will never forget and one that set in motion personal artistic goals for further art education.

This certification exam 'study' provided me with direction as well as purpose. This exam is not about creativity, nor artistic spontaneity, it is the beginning of a quest for art education and a measure of skill and understanding of the principals of art.

Master Decorative Artist

Floral Still life ~ Charlotte, NC, 2002

Below is the first Master Floral 'board' that I submitted in 2002, passing this exam was also an experience that I will never forget. I had fallen in love with the composition when I received the study portfolio. After passing, I was honored to be asked along with others who also passed to loan my board for display to the SDP. This board was on display for one year in 2004 at the SDP main headquarters in Kansas.

Master Decorative Artist

Still life ~ Indianapolis, IN, 2003

The 'board' below was my second attempt at the still life portion of the exam, and again I was thrilled to have another passing board one year after the floral in 2002. Two years back to back was a great feeling. After passing this still life exam, I was again asked to loan my board for display to the SDP for the year of 2005 at the SDP main headquarters in Kansas.

The importance of 'learning to see'

As artists we want to 'see' what the problem is and then take action to bring about change or make an adjustment. This is the personal or self critique. This comes with a little experience so let's look at ways we can help the artist learn to 'see' what's wrong by learning how to evaluate our own work.

Identifying the problem is the first step - then comes the ability to analyze and then determine what options are available to solve the problem and bring about the solution. Each painting will be different, each problem that presents itself will be different, it is not possible to learn one 'fix' or one 'rule' and apply that to every problem. Everything is relative to the particular painting at hand. Two artists sitting side by side may be painting the same design using the same palette, yet they will each encounter unique problems that call for different solutions. The certification program is an example of this. One line-drawing and many interpretations, so different problems will surface, requiring different solutions.

Taking time throughout the development of a painting to sit back and evaluate the relationships between objects for example in a still life or floral or the different components in a landscape study is important. The short span of a class doesn't provide opportunity to do in-depth assessments like this. The stresses and pace of a class adds another dynamic to this process. It is only when we get away from the painting that we look at it with 'fresh eyes' to have a more objective take on the whole thing. Comparing one's work to another's is beneficial if guided by an experienced eye, but can be a detriment to the evaluation process if we are unsure of the process itself, undoubtedly we think ours is wrong and the other right. Instead it would be more beneficial and productive to have the tools (knowledge) to evaluate our own work based on the technical accuracy. So where does this 'technical knowledge' or understanding come from - besides time?

An evaluation is a process which helps to train the artist's eye to ask questions about our work so we are able to give a personal critique from understanding basic art principals or concepts. There are specific questions we can ask ourselves, like a mental check list as we paint.

When I was painting for the different levels in the SDP Certification Program, I found the critique very valuable to me - it told me the exact areas I was going to be judged on. It was a road map or a guide to improvement. This way I could sit and evaluate my work during the painting process and prior to completion. A critique is based on the interpretation of generic art principals and is not unique to the 'Certification process' It is an important aspect of all traditional art.

Every artist needs to know what the principals ( 'art' rules) are, and how we can use and apply them as a guide to correctly develop our own work regardless of topic, subject, style or skill. I have a taped recording that plays over and over in my head when I paint, its my artistic conscience.

This is the most valuable part of the painting journey - its the bumpy road with all the twists and turns and huge big pot holes that we fall into, it is where we learn the most about the game, it causes us to tap into those 'critical thinking skills' and some rules help us figure out ways to climb out of the pot holes and move on. Eventually the trained 'eye' is what smoothes out the road ahead so we can spend more time looking at the beautiful scenery going by...

If we try to learn the 'rules' we may enjoy playing the game...... more gracefully. Neadeen Masters CDA