Switch makes difference for Portage artist

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This article was published 15/08/2016 (3421 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Portage la Prairie artist Michael Blume is surprised by the response he’s received for the second painting he’s ever done.

While he’s enjoyed creating pencil and charcoal drawings since he was about 12, it’s only recently that he put brush to canvas.

Blume’s painting, Clint Eastwood, was selected as the People’s Choice winner at the opening of the annual Central Region Juried Art Exhibition in Carman, Man. in May. It is now on display as part of the juried exhibition at the Portage and District Arts Centre’s gallery (11-2nd St. NE) until Sept. 3.

Blume, 54, credits PDAC instructor Lee Beaton with helping him to overcome his anxiety about painting in an eight-week class that Beaton taught.

In the class, he learned to use acrylic paint and has gained enough confidence that he’s thinking about trying oils.

“I’m wanting to get back to oil (paint). Acrylics dry fast,” he said.

He said he realized that he was taking a gamble by choosing Hollywood star Clint Eastwood as the subject of his painting. “When you draw the face of someone famous, people know whether or not you do a good job.”

In this case, the people felt that Blume’s work was well-done and cast their ballots for him at the exhibition opening.

Blume, who works as a local broadcaster and pastor of a church in Sidney, Man., said he plans to keep creating artwork in his spare time.

“I’ve always loved doing it,” he said.

PDAC is offering fall classes in pottery, drawing, painting, dance, puppetry, quilting and more for children and adults. Weekend workshops on stained glass, Chinese tea appreciation and image transfer are planned in October and November.

For more information and to register, visit www.portageartscentre.ca or call 204-239-6029.

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