If you have a difficult time mixing greens, this is the workshop for you! Various exercises exploring the mixtures of greens will be paired with actual matching exercises in the landscape. The morning will be spent mixing various greens from colors other than greens and also working with tube greens to alter them for more realistic hues. Then the class will accompany the teacher to her home where lunch will be provided. Also provided will be thousands of greens in the yard for matching exercises.

The study of design is often neglected in the workshop setting. Gerald Brommer, who has been teaching for over half a century, is an expert on design and composing paintings. You will come away with clarity and ample information to help you when you plan paintings. No matter how beautifully you apply paint, if the basic structure, or design, is not solid, the painting will suffer. Ample time to paint, lots of helpful critiques and multiple demonstrations will make this a very valuable workshop.

Artist Brenda Swenson is an expert in the art of painting in areas where the main subject is not. She says, “Negative painting is one of the most exciting approaches to watercolor painting I know! It is the unique approach of painting around an object to define it in your composition. When working in watercolor we have challenges that other mediums do not. It is what we don’t paint that becomes the most important. Think of yourself as a stone carver, chipping away until only the most precious lights remain.”

Benefit from informative daily demonstrations, ample one on one help and friendly critiques.

Integrated collage is a combination of watercolor, ink and collaged papers. I have done this technique is several different ways and you will have a chance to explore as many as you wish. The idea is to make the collaged papers meld with the drawing/painting and become a piece with the whole, rather that being so obvious. I find that working is different media and methods expands and energizes my usual way of working. 

From the instructor:

“Painting in classroom or in studio allows you more time to think, contemplate and work out a painting with multiple approaches. The usual problems dealing with weather and other discomforts of outdoor painting are averted. More information with the help of audio visuals are given to students. Generally sketches and reference photographs are used.

In the workshop you can expect to learn:

• Design guidelines- shapes and values and their placement on paper; exaggeration; rhythm; repetition; contrast; intuitive colors; a life without a perspective.

• Interpreting photographs and how to use photographs

• Prepare painting pattern sketches • Different techniques of wet in wet painting with interactive demonstrations

• Critiquing your own work”

Frank Eber is an award winning artist and signature member of the National Watercolor Society (NWS) and member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA). His painting “Dordogne River valley” won the Alden Bryan memorial medal in the 145th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society in New York City. His work is currently featured in the October/ November issue of the International Artist magazine. He was also featured in Watercolor Artist’s magazine in June 2012. His paintings are exhibited in local and national shows. Frank grew up in Europe and was mentored by Italian master painter Renato Casaro in 1994. He is known for his loose and luminous watercolors that capture an intense atmosphere. He has lived and painted in the south of France for three years and worked on location in Italy, the Netherlands, England, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.

Painting “Plein Air” or On Location brings a special joy and unique challenges. In this 2 day workshop, painters will work in areas near the studio and in 2 different styles. On Friday, the emphasis will be on traditional watercolor and Saturday we will work with the addition of ink. There will be lots of time to work, plenty of demonstrations and ample individual help. It doesn’t hurt that we will be surrounded by temptations galore from coffee to gelato and beyond. Whether you are used to painting in public or if this is a first time experience, you will come away with all sorts of knowledge and confidence! You may take one or both days.

This is a workshop of 2 four-hour days for those who want to learn the basics of watercolor. It is aimed at the person who has wanted to paint for years and has no background. Will this teach you all you need to know about watercolor? Not by a long shot! But it will make you comfortable with the medium and is a very enjoyable class. After this workshop you will be able to transition into other workshop[s offered by the gallery. Various exercises will be bound into a sketchbook at the end of class.

This 2 day workshop is for those who have taken the beginning watercolor bootcamp workshop. It will continue the learning that was begun in that first exposure to the joy of watercolor. Learn to do a value plan, explore compositional formats, play with limited color plans and find out how to soften edges and add punch to the focal point. Various exercises will be bound into a sketchbook at the end of class.

(*The Spirit & Enthusiasm Animating Artistic Performance)

With Tom Fong leading the workshop you will laugh, work hard, paint lots, smile, work hard and laugh some more. The pace of the class and the personality of the teacher will encourage painting that is not fraught with paralizing thought. You will paint quickly and be amazed at the results.