Workshops
Registrations for workshops requires a yearly membership which covers administration costs. You will receive email updates on our latest offerings. General membership is $30. Student and senior memberships are $25. Family memberships are $60. Registrations can be accomplished online with payment button under each class or you can mail in a check with the registration form here (PDF Registration Form). Deposit/Cancellation Policy at bottom.
Portrait Master Copy in Oils Workshop
with Christina Mastrangelo
3-Day Workshop: March 8-10, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Choose from selected Van Dyck, Velazquez, or Bouguereau portraits. We will transfer the image right onto the canvas and begin painting the first class. You will be guided through the process of discovering their palette, mixing and matching their flesh tones, seeing the structure of the eyes, nose, and lips through their eyes, mimicking their brushstrokes and edges, and recreating the image to better understand what it takes to paint a masterpiece.
Floral Painting in Oils
with Carlo Russo
4-Day Workshop: April 22 - 25, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Florals can be a daunting subject and we will try to make sense of the the beautiful forms which have fascinated and frustrated artists for centuries. Since flowers and plants tend to move from day to day and even hour to hour the students will draw and oil paint directly on the canvas with the brush only. The focus will be on capturing the essentials of the still life and finishing areas wet in to wet. I will give frequent demonstrations, help and critique as we explore the unique nature of flowers and plants in paint. For any level from beginner to advanced.
The Landscape Painting in Oils
with John MacDonald
5-Day Workshop: May 20 - 24, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Workshop Full
If you paint a snow scene, your viewer should shiver.
A beach scene should let the viewer feel the warmth of the sun, and hear the seagulls.
To paint emotional landscapes, it's important to study with a master landscape artist who has conquered the nuances of light, the energy of the foliage, and the perfect balance of color — to create an atmosphere where you can tell the temperature just by looking at the scene.
John MacDonald is careful to emphasize that there are no secrets or shortcuts provided in this workshop. Instead, John will offer a fresh approach by giving you a deeper understanding of the entire process to create an important and visually stunning work.
John lays out the painting process in three steps:
- Concepts you can understand on an intellectual level
- Demonstrations so you can see the concepts take form in practice
- Participation, because the only way you will learn to paint is to paint
Portrait Painting a Model in Oils
with Kathryn Engberg
5-Day Workshop: June 24-28, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
In this 5 day workshop, participants will develop a fully rendered portrait painting done in the indirect painting method. Each step of the indirect process – drawing, transfer, underpainting, and final painting pass painting – will begin with a demonstration by Katie, and proceed to thorough individual critiques.
The first few days will be particularly focused on capturing the likeness of the model using tools such as comparative measuring, tilt checking, shape finding, and plumb lines. After transferring the drawing, we will discuss creating a pleasing composition, as well as paint handling and creating the illusion of form. There will be lecture and critique time dedicated to color mixing and how to adjust hue, value, and chroma to accurately portray the model’s skin tones.
Artists may also choose to draw the portrait for the full 5 days instead of working with oil. Model fee extra.
10-Day Still Life in Oils Workshop
with Christina Mastrangelo
10-Day Workshop: July 8-12, July 15-19, 9:30am - 4:30pm
Students will learn how to approach an oil painting from start to finish. We start with drawing the still life in the sight-size method, transfer it to canvas, and paint in layers until the objects have form and detail. This course teaches traditional atelier-style methods, from using a campiturra, to dead color, first painting, and second painting, all working from life. Demonstrations will be given on the layout & methodical uses of the full-color palette, as well as lectures and handouts on mediums, steps of the process, hue/value/chroma, color mixing, palette care, and varnishing. The goal of the course is to understand the observational painting process and come away with a realistic still-life painting.
This course is recommended for artists looking to create more realistic work. Prior experience with painting in oil is not necessary. This is a very logical, academic course; everything learned here will translate well into drawing or painting any subject from life.
Course outline and material list upon request.
Deposit / Cancellation Policy
Deposits are required for all classes and workshops in the amount of half the tuition to secure limited spots. Full payment is due two weeks before the start of the session. All cancellations must be made 2 weeks before the start of a class or workshop. We are not responsible for issuing refunds, credits or transfers for classes/workshops missed due to illness, emergencies or events beyond our control. If a workshop is cancelled by us, all money will be promptly refunded.