THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412150180
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
Jordan Croswait, of Manteo, is only 10, but he has already sold one of his paintings and has been commissioned to do two more. It all started with a crayon.
``Ever since he's been able to hold a crayon he's been drawing,'' says his mother, Cindy Croswait.
``Everybody's an artist in our family. . . on both sides of the family. Uncle Ray, Aunt Barbara and Pop Pop. . . my Dad and Miles,'' Jordan said.
And nearly every Friday, for the last five years, he's set aside two hours to study art under the tutelage of Outer Banks painter James Melvin.
Jordan admits that he was very scared at his first lesson, but his cousin Charles, a former student of Melvin's, reassured him. ``Charles said, `Don't worry, it's fun when you get there and start doing something,'' Jordan said.
These days Jordan has company going to Melvin's because his younger brother Aaron started lessons this summer. ``I wanted to go because my brother was going,'' said Aaron.
``He's been waiting and waiting and waiting until he turned 6 so he can take art lessons,'' said Aaron's mother.
Aaron is learning about color from ``Mr. James.''
``If you make up different colors, I think that's doing pretty work. . . like red and blue and it makes purple. Yellow and red make orange. If you take purple and blue it makes black, and pink and green make blue,'' said Aaron.
``Pink and green?'' questioned Jordan.
``Yeah, I've done it before with my crayons,'' said Aaron.
``Whatever,'' said Jordan.
Jordan believes art should be pretty, but Aaron says it doesn't have to be.
``A lion could be eating a bird. It would be mostly all red. (But) you're supposed to use different colors in art,'' Aaron said.
Jordan and Aaron are only two of the 16 children Melvin instructs. His students, ranging from 6 to 15 years old and one adult, study drawing and painting using pastels, pencil, acrylics and oils.
Melvin sets up still lifes or the budding artists work from pictures and photographs. He says most of his students come to him with an understanding of color, but they seem to need help with shadowing.
Fourteen of his students are participating in a group show at the Kill Devil Hills library this month. The students chose their favorite work which includes drawings and paintings of marine flora and fauna, mountains, still lifes, hats, tackle boxes, chili peppers, dogs, some striking portraits and more.
Melvin has been teaching kids for 10 years. ``I had no formal training as a child. I promised myself if I got trained that I would help the youth in the area.''
He went on to receive a degree in art education at North Carolina A & T State University. He works primarily in acrylics, oils and pastels. His work is versatile. The acrylics are characterized by flat shapes and bold color. His oils and pastels are more realistic.
``His pictures are pretty,'' said Aaron.
``He's real nice. I like talking to him. I like being around him,'' said Jordan, who has been studying under Melvin the longest of all his students.
His mother has noticed growth in Jordan's work over the years, but she will never forget his first work.
``The first time he drew that orange and apple I about died,'' she said. ``I pray to God he keeps it up.''
Both Cindy and her husband Bobby want Jordan and Aaron to continue taking lessons. But Jordan, rapidly approaching adolescence, would probably rather fish or play soccer. He originally took lessons every week, but now he goes every other week. ``I like that now, every other Friday because I can spend the night with a friend,'' said Jordan.
Their father worries about forcing the kids to go to lessons. ``I hate to push them because if you push someone you're scared you'll push them away,'' he said.
He shouldn't worry, because both sons miss their lessons when they can't go. ``We can't go to art lessons in December because he has so many paintings to do,'' said Jordan. And both say they still have things they want to learn.
Aaron wants to learn how to draw people ``because I haven't done 'em yet in art class. Maybe I might do a different lighthouse, the one with the slanted black lines. I might do one for my dad for Christmas. Maybe his boat. Mr. James has a picture of it I can copy.''
``The one thing I want him to teach me is how to get the splash like a marlin is jumping up out of the water, without having to use paints on a pastel picture. I know how to do it in paints but not pastels,'' said Jordan.
So how does Melvin weigh his success with his students? ``If I can see that they are enjoying it and they can paint on their own when they leave here,'' he said.
Hopefully Jordan will hang on through the adolescent years. ``My mom says I should keep going in case something happens to me I still have something to do - so I can sell pictures,'' he said. ``He could stand in a wheelchair and sell pictures,'' pipes in Aaron.
``God gave him the gift and Dad and I want to see it nourished,'' said Cindy. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
Brothers Aaron Croswait, left, and Jordan Croswait, are only two of
the 16 students studying under painter James Melvin.
by CNB