Lafayette, CO 80026
Announcing: 3 Day Michelle Ward Workshop in Lafayette, Colorado ~ Friday, April 13th - Sunday, April 15th
Make an appointment with creativity and spend the weekend with me for my first workshop in Colorado!!
Immerse yourself in the painting process as we sample interesting painterly surfaces with layers of texture, pattern, and color. We will brush, brayer, scrape, stamp and stencil to create an informative dossier of over twenty techniques on a twenty-five foot roll of paper. You will assemble a journal from your painted roll and begin adding content. I like to teach 'process' but I disguise it as a 'project'.
Day one is focused on the painting techniques using gesso, acrylic, and some basic tricks with inexpensive tools. We will do rubbings, resists, and monoprinting, as well as lots of grungy brushing. It is fast-paced to stay one step ahead of the inner critic, because it’s not about making it handsome, it’s about doing and observing. I will demonstrate a process then you will try it and we will continue working through the end of your roll.
Day two and three is for focusing on the project, where the completed painted paper will be manipulated into a journal; every page has its own foundation, ready for your personal entries. The composition of each spread is only the first of many surprising discoveries. We will review several methods for adding images and words to the backgrounds and talk about why journals are valuable to an artist. Additional topics: positive/negative stneciling with shapes, exploring scale, transfers, and mono-printing. We will assess progress both individually and as a group, taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from one another and to share our a-ha findings.
Painting can be a quiet, zenful activity, or it can be swift and messy where amusing and clever discoveries are made. Letting yourself work and play with paint will teach you valuable lessons when you listen to the medium and let it do most of the work. This is one of my favorite classes, first taught in 2003. I've learned that even though I demonstrate the assignments, each artist's interpretation is individual and their final journals are completely fabulous and unique. Be ready to move fast and have fun. These explorations with acrylic will reveal many lessons you can apply to any of your mixed media interests, and will certainly jump-start or revive your enthusiasm for painting.
To register, contact organizer Nancy Brill, nanbrill (at) aol (dot) com. Deposit required to hold class placement. Many thanks to Nancy and her friend Jeanne for making arrangements for my first workshop in Colorado. Additional thanks to Lisa for putting up with me, I mean putting me up ;)
