This Weekend's Boston Workshop

Here is a small sampling of the work created in the Boston Workshop... 12 people created 87 small paintings / technique swatches in 1 day (5 hours).

Listed below are blog posts about this weekend's Boston workshop, "Not your Mother's Acrylics" written by two students that attended it.

They totally validate my own experience in working with these new acrylic materials -

1. 'why would I ever want to paint on (or with) _______ (fill in the blank with a paste, gel or ground) and
2. 'I can't stop thinking about new ways of incorporating _____(fill in the blank with a paste, gel or ground) into my work -- and I can't get to sleep!

These gals say it much better than I, so read on...

http://lindabranchdunn.blogspot.com/2011/01/just-by-doing.html

http://jeannewilliamson.blogspot.com

No wonder everyone was exhausted - in a good way, they really explored a slew of paints, gels, pastes, colors, surfaces, textures, techniques, iridescent and interference materials, and more. Some people did small reference sections on each board, with notes off to the side outlining what material and paint types they used, others did actual little paintings and used one technique for the whole thing. We encouraged everyone to write step-by-step notes of their process, because its so easy to get lost in the moment, going with the flow, then look at what you did and say "how the %$@*! did I do that?" If you want to recreate that cool thing you did, better take notes, because so much material gets covered, it can be quite overwhelming, but incredibly exciting.

I will be offering this and other types of workshops in the Rockland/Westchester area soon, through the art centers I teach at (Rockland Center for the Arts, Rye Art Center and Pelham Art Center), as well as free Lecture/Demo's where I will be giving out free paint and product samples to all that attend. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll put you on the list to be notified of upcoming classes and dates. I will post these on my blog as they are scheduled, in a new listing called "Workshops and Demos". BTW - all levels welcome!

Painting Workshops: How to Paint Fast, Bold and Loose

For the past couple of years I have been teaching workshops and classes in how to paint fast, bold and loose, working with acrylic paints and large brushes. The students that attend range from complete beginners/never held a brush before, to very advanced painters who just want to loosen up and paint more freely. It is so satisfying to see the progress that the students can make in just one afternoon. The beginner painters are especially thrilled to see that with a little instruction on how to start and what to focus on, they can create beautiful, colorful works of very simple still life subjects. I tell them "if you can draw a circle, you can paint an orange".

One of the things that is most satisfying is to de-mystify the process of painting, thereby opening up a new world of creative expression to those who have never allowed themselves to explore the joy of painting. Creativity and artistic expression belongs to everyone, and so many people think that art belongs only to that select group of people that call themselves artists. One of the most fascinating aspects of watching people indulge in their painting endeavors is how free and unencumbered the newbies are. I really enjoy watching the way they "play" and experiment, without being bogged down by years of painting instruction, and theory and rules. The beginners have a natural advantage in loosening up - their lack of experience leaves them free to indulge in that child-like playfulness that is often lacking in the work of advanced painters. Sometimes I feel I learn as much from them as they do from me - a win-win for everyone.

Currently I am teaching classes at Rye Arts Center and Pelham Arts Center. I will be teaching a one day workshop at Rockland Center for the Arts on March 15, 2010. The workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn a new expressive way to paint, all levels are welcome. To register, call ROCA at: 845-358-0877. Seating is limited.