THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701210415
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: 56 lines
Pat Troiani gave out lots of S's for satisfactory and O's for outstanding work when she was an elementary school art teacher. But she never handed out a U - or deemed anyone's work unsatisfactory. As far as Troiani was concerned, U's were useless - and any student's effort should be applauded.
Troiani retired to the Outer Banks in 1984. She enjoyed her 13-year teaching stint in Pennsylvania so much that she continues to teach at her Duck studio. She's scaled her student load down by the hundreds. And she's permanently retired the S's and O's. Somehow, she says, they're not as effective with adult students as they are with children.
Troiani teaches watercolor painting - her true love - to 22 students. She calls it ``teaching on my terms.'' Those terms are a major departure from how she was taught while an art education undergraduate at Millersville State Teachers College in Pennsylvania and a graduate student at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.
``In the '60s it was do your own thing when it came to painting oil or watercolor,'' Troiani said. ``When it came to painting, nobody wanted to tell you all the little tricks.''
That doesn't happen in Troiani's classes. Her primary teaching method is demonstration. She does mini sketches to show students how to work through trouble spots that arise. ``I don't try to attack the whole painting,'' she said. ``It's demonstration for the need. And I'm asked to do things I've never painted before. And that puts you on your toes.''
An award-winning watercolorist whose studio wall is covered with first, second and state finals ribbons, Troiani is an avid student herself. She attends a workshop in Myrtle Beach twice a year. ``I get pushed in workshops to do things,'' she said.
Classes, Troiani said, have helped her loosen up her tight, realistic painting style. For example, one teacher suggested that applying paint first when rendering flowers - Troiani loves to paint irises - rather than sketching them in pencil then applying the paint would help. What Troiani learns in these workshops, she passes on to her students.
``I'm always telling them don't be afraid to try new things,'' she said. ``Fortunately with watercolor, it's only a piece of paper. It's not as expensive as a piece of sculpture or something else.''
Troiani paints a wide variety of subject matter: from flowers to osprey, lighthouses, hunt clubs and watermelon slices. Her colors are light and fresh. This works well with the many delicate bouquets she renders.
Her work is sold at Morales Art galleries in Duck and Nags Head and at the Island Art Gallery at the Christmas Shop in Manteo. She's prepared a fabulous purple cabbage painting for the upcoming Frank Stick Memorial Art Show to be held at the Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head during February. This painting was the product of a recent workshop. She stretched a bit from her traditional realism and added a twist. Keep an eye out for it. It's a beaut! ILLUSTRATION: Photo by Mary Ellen Riddle
The walls in Pat Troiani's studio in Duck are covered with
prize-winning ribbons and awards she has won for her watercolors.