DRILLS & Alla Prima - May 2024

The plan had initially been to repeat last year’s curriculum and follow up a week of DRILLS with another Drawing/Sculpting workshop. Unfortunately, my dear friend Donat King and I are not going to be able to do so again this year (fingers crossed for 2025!).

Instead, I’m going to extend DRILLS to 10 days (***Date change due to studio renovations: Weekdays, May 20-31***), and in lieu of the Drawing/Sculpting class, I’m going to offer an Alla Prima Portrait Painting Workshop, that will total 8 poses - and a variation of models - over 5 days (***June 3-7***).

In the DRILLS class, we’ll be building upon our painting and drawing toolsets, all of which will be brought together for the Alla Prima class - It’s going to be a lot of fun. Those of you who register for both classes/all three weeks via the DRILLS + Alla Prima Package will save $250 off of tuition.

Both workshops will be held at the Ryder Studio in Santa Fe, NM.

The registration deadline for DRILLS & Alla Prima is Friday April 19, 2024 (extended deadline)

Message me if you have any thoughts or questions!

(…and visit the 2024/25 calendar for more opportunities)

NMAL & TSA

Two upcoming online classes:

Teaching Studios of Art
The Poster: Study of the Global Light Effect

Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12
12pm - 2pm, 3pm - 6pm EST

This workshop will be recorded

In this two day online weekend painting workshop, we will explore the Poster Study (the global light effect). This foundational effect is what we see when we look at a painting from across the room: the big picture that all details are governed by. The course will begin with a demo on light theory for artists and progress into a series of perceptual studies after masterworks. These studies will help us question, understand and begin to represent the light effect on the subject abstractly via value, hue and chroma. As a byproduct of this study, we will gain a better strategic understanding of color mixing and composition. Each meeting will consist of demonstrations and constructive feedback for students.

New Mexico Art League
The Portrait Deconstructed

Thursdays June 6 - July 14
1pm - 4pm MDT

This class will not be recorded

In this online drawing workshop, students will create one long term drawing and several quick studies over the course of sixweeks.  The main project will be the deconstruction and deep analysis of a master portrait (TBD).  Students will begin the process with an exploration of the big picture in terms of structure and light, and will then subdivide their focus on the specific study of the features.  Supplemental studies from week to week, along with adequate time to recreate a master work will help to deepen understanding and enrich the overall drawing experience.  Both Perceptual and conceptual drawing strategies will be discussed and employed  during weekly instructor demos and student feedback to help reinforce the process.  Ultimately, the lessons from this class will translate directly to the practice of drawing from life.  Though some material techniques will be covered, the goal of this class is for us to focus on ideas that will help us grasp the visual experience as it applies to nature and the human form. 

Two January Workshops

• As a lead up to my 2 week figure painting workshop, I will be teaching a one day workshop at Artisan in Santa Fe on January 6:

  Study of the Global Light Effect: How we can understand the light, and begin to achieve its effect in our paintings .. In this painting workshop, we'll use perceptual and conceptual strategies to explore the global light effect. Once we have a grasp on how light works, we will apply this understanding of our observations to a painting process called the "poster study" - a portrait of the light. With practice, this method is a great tool for us to become better at mixing colors and to sharpen our overall visual awareness. The day will begin with a demonstration of the "poster study" from a live model. After the demo, students will work from the same model to create poster studies of their own while receiving instructor feedback. Sign up now at https://www.calendar.artisansantafe.com

• The aforementioned 2 week Figure Painting (draw if you like!) Intensive at the Ryder Studio in Santa Fe. Click here for more info & registration.

Figure Painting Online with the Teaching Studios of Art

I’ll be teaching an online figure painting workshop with the Teaching Studios of Art in December.

Online Workshop held over two Sundays
DECEMBER 5TH & DECEMBER 12TH
12 PM - 2 PM; 3 PM - 6PM EST

A workshop designed for artists of all levels of experience

In this online Figure Painting workshop, participants will study after specific masterworks in order to gain a better grasp of light and form as it pertains to a strategically organized painting practice. Conceptual and technical demonstrations will provide insight, and artists will receive direct feedback on their work. The goal of the workshop is to help artists cultivate a skill set that will make for a more mindful, efficient, and enjoyable painting process.

Five essential concepts will be taught:

1. Gesture and rhythm of the pose
2. Basic proportions and geometry of the figure
3. Blocking-in using anatomy and a specific understanding of light and shadow
4. Modeling form
5. Finishing and refining touches

The sessions and bonus material will be recorded and made available for viewing for up to a month after the event.

$250 - click link for more information & registration

Un Été

In transition from another wonderful summer spent in France with Studio Escalier to new challenges in NYC as I pursue an MFA at the New York Academy of Art.  I'm truly excited to get caught up in the artistic whirlwind and to explore new ideas - I am hopeful that something truly positive will come from it.

That being said, "The goal is absolutely secondary:  It is the functioning toward the goal which is important." - Hunter S. Thompson