Art education can prove beneficial to all aspects of one’s life. While most individuals will vehemently deny their own artistic abilities, words of encouragement and an engaged, classically trained instructor can prove a world of difference. Local artist Jackie Warfield, who holds classes two days a week at the La Jolla Community Center, utilizes her classical training to enhance her students’ capabilities.
“It takes me a few sessions to learn each individual’s style,” said Warfield. “Until I get an idea as to how they function, I’m very hands on. This allows for a collective direction that may not exist in a large class, so I love my small class students – they’re family.”
Warfield, an Oklahoma native, is an ever-evolving entity. This is obvious through her work’s subject matter, color and career choices. Initially enrolled as a pre-med student at UC San Diego, she eventually underwent a shift in direction that led to her studying the visual arts. Through that program, she had the wonderful opportunity to apprentice with renowned Spanish colorist, Sebastian Capella. Capella, now deceased, was a longtime La Jolla resident and a major influence on Warfield’s style. She references her mentor frequently throughout her 10:30 a.m. class on Monday, as though the artist is still inspiring her every day. “I was extremely lucky to learn from Sebastian,” said Warfield. “At UC San Diego in general, they teach you much more of how to think about your work than the technicalities of varying media. Also, Raul Guerrero has played a huge role in my work’s direction, in a sense, acting as my critic.”
She says that her work started out as “very rock-n-roll,” in that she was using dark colors and subject matter at its core. After being taught by Capella as to painting horses, she became an expert at depicting the equine. In the same vein, she then placed her focus to an American icon, Harley Davidson motorcycles. “I think there’s just something running in power that resonates with me,” she said. “And Harleys to me represent freedom of thought. My first exhbition, entitled ‘Meditations of the Sea’ entailed 20 large-scale paintings. These were predominantly black-and-white and color studies of the ocean.” Currently, Warfield is finishing up pieces for her upcoming exhibition, “Shiny Elements,” to be held on Sunday, Aug. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Gelato Vero Cafe, 3753 India St. Atypical of her past work, she will be exploring the four natural elements: wind, water, earth and fire, replete with shimmering affectation.
On Mondays and Fridays, she inspires members of the community twice a day at the community center, with classes held at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tickets to Warfield’s popular classes cost $30 at the door, but vary for community center members. “While I love my students/family that are constantly attending, I want everyone to be able to make it out,” she said. “What happens in here truly is magic.”