I was approached by the Cheshire Art League late in 2009 and asked if I would give a presentation on my painting process and techniques. I accepted the invitation and began working right away. The final PowerPoint presentation contained over 140 detailed and automated slides documenting the significant elements of my painting process from conception to the end sale. The final product is a Landscape Oil Painting Presentation by John O’Keefe Jr.
Preparing the Presentation
Preparing for the presentation was very enlightening to me. The time I spent reviewing and meditating on my methods and techniques helped me to grow in appreciation for how I work. The presentation also helped me progress toward another goal: recording and producing my series of landscape oil painting “how to” videos and DVDs.
Once I had the draft presentation put together, I invited some respected friends (and fellow art enthusiasts) over for dinner, and I used them as my test audience. They enjoyed the presentation, saying it was very professionally done, and I incorporated some of their suggestions into the final document.
Presentation Day (5/11/2010)
The slide show presentation took about 1-1/2 hours to give, which included an open discussion, questions, and answers. Also, I brought several completed and in-progress paintings. This allowed patrons to examine examples of my work firsthand. After concluding the slide show presentation, I discussed and answered many more questions about my artwork and techniques.
Question and Answers After the Presentation (5/11/2010)
After the presentation, I received many compliments. Below are some comments from C.A.L. members, as recorded by my daughter, Danielle, who passed around a guest book.
“Excellent essay on composition. People know so little about it.” ~ Joan
“Marvelous and clear presentation.” ~ Angela Orsene
“Beautifully narrated and wonderful paintings.” ~ Lucy
“Excellent presentation and beautiful pictures. You have a very organized thought process which is helpful to the viewer.” ~ Ann
Sample Slides from the Presentation
Concluding Thoughts
This was another excellent learning experience for me. Over the last few years, I have attended many guest artist presentations, and now I have done one of my own. I hope you enjoyed reading about the Landscape Oil Painting Presentation by John O’Keefe Jr.
Also, click to view the entire presentation slide series in PDF format.