Workshops

Introduction to Soft Pastel

Sunday, February 26, 9:30-4:30

Many students "fall in love" with pastels after taking this comprehensive workshop! Soft pastels are fun to use, colorful, versatile, immediate, and very expressive. You'll be introduced to this fascinating dry painting medium through lecture, demos and a variety of exercises on different papers, completing three different works in one day.

Color Strategies

Saturday, March 31, 9:30-4:30

Color is the most familiar element of design—and the most complex. Understanding basic color theory goes a long way in making you a better designer and artist, whether you want to paint a canvas or decorate a room, design your own quilts or plan your garden for the most visual impact. Lecture, numerous handouts, and several hands-on projects will help you become more fluent in the language of color and more confident in the application of color theory to your designs. Note: this is not strictly a garden color-theory workshop.

Painting the Springtime Gardens in Soft Pastel

Sunday, June 10, 9:30-4:30

Pastel is perfect for depicting the various textures and colors of the garden landscape and is a very portable medium so it is ideal for plein air painting—working directly from nature. You'll complete two small works on different papers, provided by the instructor. A supply list will be sent to you. Previous experience in soft (chalk-like) pastel is highly recommended, but beginners with good drawing skills are welcome.

Drawing Skills: Learn Perspective (held at Whispering Woodlands)

Saturday, March 3, 9:00-4:30

One of the most frustrating things for beginners and intermediate artists is getting the perspective right in a drawing or painting. This one-day workshop will show you the "secrets" of linear perspective through demonstrations, in-class projects and handouts to reinforce what you learn. We will also explore unusual pointof-view, atmospheric perspective and other techniques that help create the illusion of depth on a 2D surface.

Black Magic Pastel (held at Whispering Woodlands)

Saturday, April 14, 9:00-4:30

We will be exploring the use of black papers/supports with two or three very different projects. Black supports can help create mystery or mood in your work, as well as make your colors sing! This workshop is geared toward intermediate to advanced pastel students; a selection of hard and soft pastels is required.

The Art of Drawing

Wednesday-Friday, March 7-9, 10:00-4:00 each day

Drawing is the foundation skill for all the visual arts, both 2D and 3D. A lack of drawing skills often relates to a lack of understanding of spatial concepts, and with problems with artistic 'vision' – the ability to create in artwork what is in one's imagination. Work on developing an individual drawing style, gain more pleasure in the drawing process, learn ways to loosen up, learn to see and measure accurately, and learn some principles of perspective. We will explore gestural and expressive mark-making, exaggeration or distortion, and co-operative drawing using the basic drawing tools of graphite, charcoal, pen and ink. This workshop is appropriate for all skill levels with supportive instruction for beginners and challenges for advanced students.

Fun with Ink Mini Workshop- NEW!

Sunday, February 19, 9:00-12:00

Want to learn a bit about ink washes, ink brush, or pen and ink? This fun and relaxing mini workshop lets you explore the medium through playful exercises. All supplies provided, no art experience necessary!

Fun with Oil Pastels and Craypas Mini Workshop- NEW!

Sunday, February 19, 1:00-4:00

Remember how fun it was to color in your coloring books? This relaxing little workshop lets "grown-up kids" explore the oil pastel medium through several colorful, imaginative exercises without the financial commitment of having to buy oil pastels and paper. All supplies provided, no art experience necessary!

Fun with Charcoal Mini Workshop- NEW!

Friday, February 24, 9:00-12:00

If you have never played with expressive and versatile charcoal, you have been missing out! There's a reason it is the preferred medium of drawing instructors at the college-level. This three-hour workshop lets you explore fun, messy charcoal through playful, guided exercises. All supplies provided, no drawing experience necessary!

Fun with Soft Pastel Mini Workshop- NEW!

Friday, February 24, 1:00-4:00

Want to learn a little bit about soft pastel but aren't ready to commit to a full workshop or buy lots of supplies? This fun and relaxing three-hour workshop lets you explore the colorful and versatile medium without the major commitment. All supplies provided, no art experience necessary!

Drawing Skills: Learn Perspective (thru UW Continuing Education)

Saturday, March 3, 9:00-4:30

See description under UW Continuing Education.

Handmade Papers for Pastels co-taught with Jackie Hefty- NEW!

Sunday, March 25, 10:00-4:00

Make your own handmade papers suitable as pastel grounds (as well as book arts, acrylic, mixed media) and learn to create granular-textured papers and boards! A great class to take before Soft Pastel Exploration: Intermediate-Advanced Levels.

Soft Pastel Exploration: Intermediate-Advanced- NEW INFO!

Monday, March 26, 9:00-4:30

Challenge yourself to take the next step in pastel! This workshop is geared toward those who have taken numerous introductory pastel workshops, are fairly accomplished and comfortable with the medium, and have competent drawing skills. Work toward increasing your artistry through technique and consider design and content in developing your images. Specific papers and a selection of both hard and soft pastels is required.

Black Magic Pastel (thru UW Continuing Education)

Saturday, April 14, 9:00-4:30

See description under UW Continuing Education.

Studio Landscape Painting in Acrylic: A Direct Approach

Sunday, April 29, 10:00-5:00

In this fast-paced, one-day workshop, you will focus on painting the landscape from your own photographs "a la prima" style—quickly, loosely, and expressively-without the use of multiple glazes or extensive blending. The direct approach is both visual and intuitive and encourages great personal expression. Working in acrylic has the benefits of little odor, water clean-up, and quick drying allowing for almost immediate changes. For all skill levels, but previous painting experience in any medium is helpful.

Introduction to Acrylic Painting

Friday-Saturday, May 4-5, 9:00-4:30 each day

Fast-drying, low-odor acrylic is a versatile painting medium! The focus of this workshop will be on learning to mix colors, using mediums, and learning basic painting techniques through practice exercises and a final project. Several short, useful exercises will help you understand paint-handling and basic color theory before you begin a painting from a still life or your own photographic references (your choice).

Spring Plein Air Painting in Soft Pastel

Sunday, May 20, 10:00-5:00

Pastel is perfect for depicting the various textures and colors of the landscape and is a very portable medium so it is ideal for plein air painting—working directly from nature. You'll complete two small works on different papers, provided by the instructor. A supply list will be sent to you. Previous experience in soft (chalklike) pastel is highly recommended, but beginners with good drawing skills are welcome.

Fun with Acrylic Paint Mini Workshop

Thursday, May 24, 2:00-5:00

Acrylic paint is one of the most versatile of art mediums! Come play with color and learn a bit about handling this water-solvent paint in this three-hour workshop. All supplies are provided; no art experience necessary. For a more in-depth look at acrylic paints and mediums (for all skill levels), consider also taking the Friday/Saturday workshop featuring Golden Paint products.

Portfolio Seminar

Wednesday, May 30, 6:00-9:00pm

You've got a body of work completed and are thinking of applying to retail galleries for representation, or you have a work that you think could be entered in a competition, or you want to document what you have done as an artist...where to begin? Learn how to prepare a portfolio, including creating a resume, artist's statement, photography requirements, approaching a gallery, and much more!

You CAN Draw! For the Absolute Beginner

Friday, June 8, 9:00-4:30

If you can ride a bicycle, operate a sewing machine, or drive a car, you can learn to draw, too! The skill of drawing is simply a matter of eye-hand coordination and practice. The focus of this workshop will be on how we learn to draw. Drawing is a fun and relaxing hobby, a useful tool in planning home and garden projects, and a foundation skill for all the other visual arts. If you are afraid to draw, Kay will alleviate those fears through fun drawing exercises and simple, straightforward directions to get you started. All materials are provided including your own sketchbook and drawing tools to take home.

Introduction to Painting in Soft Pastel

Saturday, June 9, 9:00-4:30

Many students "fall in love" with pastels after taking this comprehensive workshop! Soft pastels are fun to use, colorful, versatile, immediate, and very expressive. You'll be introduced to this fascinating dry painting medium through lecture, demos and a variety of exercises on different papers, completing three different works in one day. Consider taking the beginning drawing workshop on Friday for a comprehensive start to handling pastel.

Finish It!- NEW!

Wednesday, June 13, 10:00-5:00

We all have those unfinished 2D projects--paintings, collage, drawings. Whether you just need the time, some new ideas, or fresh eyes to view your work, this workshop should help generate some completed projects. This loosely-structured workshop will include beginning and ending group critiques, uninterrupted hours of work time, handouts and "ideas" examples, with as much or as little personal attention from the instructor as you want.

Pastel Expressions: Celebrating the Summer Solstice Mini Workshop

Wednesday, June 20, 2:00-5:00

Celebrate this longest day of the year with creative play! We'll work with soft and iridescent pastels on colorful papers creating designs that combine symbols of summer with your own imagery. No drawing or painting experience necessary. Stay for the optional evening potluck dinner and campfire for a relaxing summer solstice celebration.

Pastel Interpretations

Saturday, June 30, 9:00-4:30

Soft pastel is a very adaptable medium and is perfect for learning different painting techniques. In this workshop, you will do four different interpretations from the same photographic reference. Each work in your series will be quite unlike the others; we will be using different papers and styles of application; consequently, you will learn which styles and techniques work best for you. *This class assumes you have some previous experience with soft "chalk-like" pastel; beginners are welcome, but should have some drawing experience.