Students from Bromfield Art Club work on a dragon triptych as artist Bruce Davidson provides direction. From left: Elizabeth Armstrong, Bruce Davidson (standing on chair), Bailey Grullon, Lara Schmoyer, and James O’Shea. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)

This week, the Bromfield Art Club collaborated with internationally acclaimed watercolorist and muralist Bruce Davidson on a three-panel painting of a Chinese dragon. The triptych was created using three large canvases with acrylic paints. The subject, a large fiery dragon, was a symbolic gesture designed to recognize that 2012 is the Year of the Dragon.

The members of the art club were led Tuesday by Davidson, who presented the students with a rough sketch of his vision prior to painting. It wasn't long before they found their niche in the project and naturally gravitated to their area of interest. Some students painted the dragon, some focused on the background and fire, while others carefully drew the Chinese symbols around the border of the canvas as Davidson skillfully coached them.

Davidson can be considered a multi-dimensional artist. He received his formal training at the Art Institute of Boston, where he studied illustration and design. He went on to train at DeCordova Museum School in Lincoln. His subject matter is diverse and ranges from depictions of New England farmsteads, carousel horses, and athletes to the Belizean Rain Forest. In the summer of 2010, he led a watercolor expedition to Argeles-sur-Mer, France.

Sixth grader Aaron Hawksley seeks advice from Bruce Davidson before he starts a design.

Davidson is also an accomplished teacher of drawing, watercolor, and acrylic painting. He works out of his art studio in Boxborough and yet has created many murals on-site at various locations, including a piece he donated depicting "The Homestead" for the residents, staff, and visitors of the Concord Health Care Center in Concord.

Currently, Davidson is finishing a mural for the cable access television channel in Acton, which will be unveiled on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Davidson cannot remember a time when he was not fascinated by art.

"I drew constantly. I spent a great deal of time focusing on going to art school in spite of the fact that I was encouraged to go to college," he said. "When I got to the Art Institute, I was transformed by a figure drawing class I took that taught me to look at negative space. I suddenly found myself teaching others and led a class through the YMCA for a group of six women. I realized I could make a difference with art."

Davidson is one of six artists slated to visit the art club this year. Others include photojournalist Lisa Aciukewicz, New England landscape photographer Donald Verger, modern dance teacher Edie Hettinger, jazz/hip-hop fusion teacher Sheila Peters, and New England watercolorist Harding Mudge Bush.

The Bromfield Art Club meets throughout the school year for grades six to 12. The club meets two Tuesdays per month directly following school in the cafeteria. In addition to the visiting artist program, members participate in art and craft projects led by art teacher and Harvard resident Leslie Hart.

Art Club is free and open to all students who attend the Bromfield School. The advisor for the club, Heidi Hynes, says that on any given Tuesday, the club can have up to 20 students.

Hynes, who helped get the club reinstated, said she is excited that the opportunity for students to express themselves through art after school is available again to Bromfield students. She said community interest is growing as well.

"We often receive emails and phone calls from local artists who articulate their interest in Art Club," Hynes said. "We welcome everyone's involvement in Art Club and are interested in ideas and participation from parents and artists who are always welcome to join us during our meetings."

Hynes's 13-year old daughter, Emma Hynes, who has taken drawing and painting classes at DeCordova Museum, the Worcester Art Museum, and a portrait class at Acton Art, said she likes the structured informality of Art Club and looks forward to the Tuesday meetings.

"It's really fun to get to enjoy art with your friends," Emma Hynes said. "We do a lot of cool projects that we sometimes get to display at school or bring home."

For more information about the Bromfield Art Club, contact Heidi Hynes at heidi_hynes@comcast.net. For more information or to contact Bruce Davidson, visit his website, brucedavidsonart.com.