Timothy David Mayhew to speak at the National Gallery of Art

National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters’ member, Timothy David Mayhew has been invited by the National Gallery of Art, in Washington, DC, to give two lectures on old master drawing materials on June 26-27, 2008. One presentation will be given to the curators, conservators and scientists at the National Gallery of Art and will include a review and commentary of some of the old master drawings in their archives. This lecture will also be accompanied by Mayhew’s own drawings, which are done using these traditional drawing materials and techniques. The second presentation is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 2:30 in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building lecture hall. Mayhew will be presenting much of the work and research he has done over the past fifteen years trying to rediscover the nearly-lost materials and techniques of the traditional art of drawing with natural chalks. The lecture will be entitled, Aux Trois Crayons: The History, Science, and Technique of the Three Naturally-occurring Chalks in Traditional 14th-19th Century Old Master Drawing. These naturally-occurring red, black and white chalks were once used by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt, Watteau and others. The National Gallery of Art is part of the Smithsonian complex of museums and is located on the National Mall near the nation’s Capital building.