Painting

Pre-registration is required for classes & workshops - please register online below or call 508-693-1850.
Minimum age requirement for all adult classes is 14 years old.
(scroll down for 1-2 day workshops)
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:
Please read all class descriptions and be aware of age, skill level and materials requirements in ADVANCE of registering for any classes and workshops. Featherstone does not issue refunds unless we cancel the class due to low enrollment. All class cancellations will be issued class credit for future use.

Acrylic Painting with John Holladay
Days: Wednesdays
DAY CHANGE IN OCTOBER TO SATURDAYS
Days: Saturdays
Dates: October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $50 per class (materials not included, please see list below)

We have everyone from beginners to professionals in these classes. Come with a drawing or photograph that you would like to paint. Don't be afraid! Join us as we perfect our painting techniques.
Materials List:
Paint brushes:
a flat brush, about half inch wide
a medium brush
a small brush
the more brushes the better....big brushes paint big areas and small brushes paint small areas...
Miscellaneous:
rags
canvas (remember the smaller the canvas the harder it is to paint) I would suggest 16 by 20 or something close to that.
a roll of masking tape
Paint:
a basic acrylic set will work
matte medium paint: a big tube of white and black
or if you want to use oils – it must be water based set plus extra white or black
For paint colors, John suggests:
red
yellow
green - (hookers green if available)
purple
thalo blue
burnt umber or burnt sienna
and any other colors you like

Workshops

Visiting Artist Workshop: 2 Day Pastel Workshop with Neva Goldstein
Days: Saturday & Sunday
Date: October 16 & 17
Time: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
AND/OR
Days: Saturday & Sunday
Date: November 20 & 21
Time: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $275 for each 2 day workshop (10 hours total). Materials list provided below. Bring snack, lunch & drink.

The workshop will begin with an introduction to Pastels, their unique qualities, and what can be created using them. Examples showing different ways to use pastels will be offered, moving on to a demonstration. The basics of creating a composition will be explained, the process of moving on to color, and building a finished drawing.

Each student will be required to bring a photograph or 2 of a scene they are interested in reproducing.
From there, students will move on to beginning their own drawing. Neva will assist each student as needed, and following their progress, respond with group instruction in response to how the class is progressing.

The second day of the workshop will begin with a summary of the particular strengths and progress Neva observed from the first day, and suggestions on how to proceed. The rest of the workshop will consist of each student completing their drawing, with guidance and encouragement from the instructor as needed.

Materials List:
From DickBlick.com

A set of at least 30 soft pastels. Suggested brands would be Dick Blick, Sennelier, Rembrandt or Schmenke.
1 18”x24” pastel paper pad (specifically for Pastels)
1 or 2 kneaded erasers
At least 2 different pictures of the subjects they’d like to create in pastels.
Blending stumps
Artist's chamois

Neva Goldstein Bio:
Originally from northern Connecticut, Neva learned to appreciate nature from her father- a self-taught botanist and ornithologist. From a young age she started creating art, learning to paint in oils at the age of 12. She later received a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design. There, she was able to bring her love of nature and art together, discovering her passion for painting landscape.
Living in NY, Neva and her husband raised 2 children. During this time, Neva taught Pastel Drawing at the Cortlandt/Croton Center for the Arts, and always imbued her own childrens’ lives with an appreciation for art and creativity. Her work has been exhibited in several one-woman shows at various galleries in NY.

Neva has travelled extensively, finding inspiration for her work all over the world. She now lives in Martha’s Vineyard with her husband. Surrounded by the beauty of the island, she is never at a loss of subjects to paint.

Previous 2021

Visiting Artist Workshop: Sticks of Pure Color - Exploring Pastels
Two-Day Workshop with Gigi Horr Liverant
Days: Saturday & Sunday
Dates: October 2 & 3
Time: 10:00AM-4:00PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $300 for both days

Pastel Society of America Master Pastelist, and International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle member, Gigi Liverant, will guide students on an adventure with sticks of pure color. Pastels are a medium that begs to be explored through scribbling, painting, layering or blending. The possibilities are almost endless!
Gigi will demonstrate the use of pastels in progressive stages of imagery development. Painting with the pastel medium offers the opportunity to be spontaneous yet thoughtful. Let’s explore that potential!

The two-day workshop is geared towards the individual artist's goals and abilities. There will be a demonstration each day in pastel and tips on how to explore painting ideas through a series of studies. Color relationships will be emphasized, as well as the importance of value and composition, including examples of the multiple studies employed by Gigi in her own work. Students will be encouraged to experiment on day one and focus on imagery development and execution on day two.
Students will need to bring subject reference: photos, still life objects, etc.
A supply list will be provided. In addition, Gigi will bring extra pastels to expand any limited pastel collections.

Gigi Horr Liverant Bio:
Gigi has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors including Best in Show at the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 2014, the M.H. Hurliman Armstrong Award at the Pastel Society of America 2016,
First Prize Connecticut Women Artists, Best in Show Connecticut Pastel Society, the Andrew Giffuni Memorial Award at the Pastel Society of America Annual Exhibition in 2009 and the Diane Bernhardt Gold Medal Award at the PSA Annual Exhibition in 2000. She is an International Association of Pastel Society Master Circle member, a Pastel Society of America Master Pastelist and a Signature Member of the Connecticut Pastel Society. Liverant has also been awarded important national and regional commissions including the Cow Parades in New York, West Hartford, CT and Boston, MA and murals at multiple private and public locations including the Connecticut Savings Bank. She has been featured in the Pastel Journal and INK magazines and is much sought-after teacher and lecturer in the area.
Gigi’s paintings are included in the collection of the Lyman Allyn Museum, Connecticut College, Pfizer, Three Rivers Community-Technical College and the New Haven Paint and Clay Club, in addition to numerous private and corporate collections nationally. Liverant exhibits her work at the Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, CT and the Field Gallery in West Tisbury, MA as well as numerous juried group exhibitions throughout the region. She is a graduate of Paier College of Art in New Haven, Connecticut. Gigi Liverant lives and works in Colchester, Connecticut and has frequented and been a stakeholder on Martha’s Vineyard for over 35 years.
Learn more about Gigi: www.gigiliverant.com

Painting the Landscape in Watercolor with Lynn Hoeft
Days: Wednesdays
Dates: September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Time: 1:00PM - 3:30PM
Location: Outside the Art Barn Painting Studio*
Fee: $40 per class (materials not included, please see list below)
* Please note - watercolor classes will meet outside (unless inclement weather). Please bring layers/sun hats/water!

Working primarily outside at Featherstone (or indoors in the classroom if the weather demands it), we’ll examine all the elements that contribute to a successful landscape painting.

We’ll try to keep it simple and direct, using bigger brushes to capture the most important elements of a landscape, aiming for a bright impressionistic view with just the right amount of detail. Along the way, we’ll talk about color mixing, hard vs. soft edges, how to simplify a complex subject and how to stop worrying about making mistakes.

Although we hope to be outside most days, please bring a paper copy of your chosen photo (or an image on a tablet) in case we must work inside. We will have a small collection of photos from magazines on hand for you to use as well.

Join us for a single class or come every week. All levels are welcome.

Materials List:
a set of tube (soft) watercolors, artist’s grade is best but student grade ok, any brand is fine
4 or 5 assorted watercolor brushes, one flat and the others round, sizes 8-12
pad of watercolor paper either 8x10 or 9x12
paper support (drawing board or a piece of masonite)
roll of masking tape
palette
water container
kleenex or paper towels
spray bottle for water is helpful

Watercolor 101 with Lynn Hoeft
Days: Tuesdays
Dates: September 14, 21, 28
Time: 10:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $150 for 3 class course (materials not included, please see list below)

Come learn the fundamentals of watercolor painting in this beginners course with Lynn Hoeft. Lynn will help answer questions like:
What are the best materials to use?
How do I choose what subject to paint and how do I get started with my painting?
How do I know what colors to choose?
How to decide what to paint, what to leave out?
How can I correct mistakes?
How do I know when my painting is finished?

You will paint a series of still lifes, but this class will set you up for painting landscapes or portraits in the future.

Materials List:
DickBlick.com
a set of tube (soft) watercolors, any brand fine
4 or 5 assorted watercolor brushes, one flat and the others round, sizes 8-12
pad of watercolor paper either 8x10 or 9x12
paper support (drawing board or a piece of masonite)
roll of masking tape
palette
water container
kleenex or paper towels
spray bottle for water is helpful

Visiting Artist Workshop: Painterly Pastel Landscapes with Cheryl O'Neil
Days: Thursday
Date: September 9
Time: 9:30AM - 3:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $150 plus materials (materials list below)

Pastel and landscape are natural companions because pastel beautifully depicts light and atmospheric effects.
Soft (chalk) pastels are fun to use, vibrant, and expressive. This informative one-day workshop explores the basic principles of pastel painting and will cover materials, composition, value, and color. We will focus on technique and experimentation through a series of demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual instruction. Using landscape photographs as inspiration, you will learn to simplify a composition and paint a strong, expressive landscape. For beginning and intermediate students or those wanting to try a new medium.
Tentative class schedule:
Morning: Welcome/Overview of class, review supplies and how to set up pastels for class and home studio, discuss principles and techniques through demonstration, guided exercises and hand-outs
Lunch: Brown bag or pick up your lunch at a local market
Afternoon: Choose your landscape photograph to simplify and paint, followed by individual instruction at the easel.

Class Materials list:

Instructor will provide UArt sanded paper, Canson Mi Teints Gray Tone paper, and toned tan sketchbook paper
3 or more landscape photographs that you wish to work from

A variety of hard and soft pastels such as:

Prismacolor NuPastel set of 12 or more, assorted colors

And

Rembrandt, Unison or Richeson (soft pastel half-stick sets)

Mungyo Soft Pastels set of 48 square chalk, assorted colors (available on Amazon for around $14),

**Please note, do not bring oil pastels to the workshop**

Isopropyl alcohol, 70% or 90%
Small plastic cup or glass jar
Paper towels and wet wipes (for cleaning hands) or “Gloves in a Bottle” (cream for skin protection)
Glassine or wax paper (for covering pastels in progress)
Synthetic watercolor brush (inexpensive, around one inch)
Pencil, kneaded eraser, scissors and ruler
Vine charcoal
Artist tape (white)
Drawing board or foam core sheet, around 16x16 or larger
Beach towel to place under your work to catch dust and dropped pastels.

Recommended online suppliers:
www.dickblick.com
www.dakotapastels.com

Cheryl O’Neil's Bio:
Cheryl O’Neil is a pastel painter, art instructor, and art therapist. The beauty and whimsy of her surroundings inspire her artwork. She captures those qualities through distinctive compositions and bold colors. Originally a painter in acrylic and oils, Cheryl has been painting in pastels for the past twenty years and is always looking forward to where her creative journey will take her next.
For the past fifteen years Cheryl and her husband have made an annual September pilgrimage to The Vineyard, pastel supplies in tow. Exploring the island on foot and slowing down to take in the island’s natural beauty have been an integral part of her creative process and joy. She lives in Newton, MA, with her husband and her beloved perennial garden.
For more information, please visit www.cherylroneil.com
@cheryloneilart (Instagram)

Approaching Painting (painting in watercolor, oil or acrylic) with Eva Cincotta
Days:   Mondays & Fridays
Dates:
Mondays: June 7, 14, 21, 28 // July 12, 19, 26 // August 2, 9, 16, 23
Fridays: June 11, 18, 25 // July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 // August 6, 13, 20
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM 
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $50 per class  (materials not included, please see list below)

This class combines demos, techniques and individual instruction to students on how to loosen up. Discover watercolor, oil and acrylic painting approaches that lead to more quick, loose and vibrant works. Using observational practice as a launching point, we'll simplify the process, learn how to create fresh, deliberate marks and break out of our comfort zone.   Students will be guided through the creative process to find their self expression. Bring photos of the subject you would like to paint. Through demos, lectures and critiques, we will work toward resolving still life, landscape or previous paintings.

Eva's watercolor materials list includes:
Quality watercolors are permanent and surpass student grade or sets used in grade school. Whether you choose tube or pan sets, have a minimum of 9-12 color selection.
Brushes-(need 3 or 4) 2" flat, #12 round, #8 round. Better to buy a couple of good brushes than a full set of cheap brushes.

Paper should be 140 lb. sheets or pads, and Board- Paper should be attached to a light weight board with masking tape or clips.

Eva's oil or acrylics materials list includes:  
Paints, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Medium, Ultramarine Blue, Thalo Blue, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Pale, large tube While, 4 to 6 brushes-(from 1/2" to 2") , palette, (painting medium for oils and turp or brush cleaner), paper towels, painting boards or canvas.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Painting Seascapes in Oil with Douglas David
"Sound Principles to help you capture the atmosphere and the wave"
Days: Friday & Saturday
Dates: August 20 & 21
Time: 9:30AM - 3:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $325 for the 2 day workshop, plus materials (materials list below)

This amazing studio seascape painting workshop will yield several waves and exciting seascapes over a 2 day period. Learn to paint the wave and capture the atmosphere and time of day. Class will cover the basic principles of oil painting with regard to seascape painting. Discussions and lectures on basic composition, massing, building form, light and shadow, near and far, capturing and developing atmospheric distance and depending on your own style, knowing when a work is finished (learning how to not overwork you painting).

Students will work in their own style/technique so that the finished work is their own. Douglas will overview his palette and concepts his work entails. After a brief morning intro and adequate time to mix and set up the palette, Douglas will demo a seascape and have the class follow along. Much time will be allowed for individual discussion and review in a systematic rotation. Depending on the skill level of each student, students are able to grow and develop at a rate that is to their comfort. Demos and individual discussions/instruction will help each student to begin to reach the preliminary goals they are striving to meet. Plan to produce several studies and at least one larger painting. Plan to bring notebook/ sketchbook and enjoy some demos along with some great stories to help you remember these principles that are the foundation of Douglas’ teaching.

Class Tentative Outline Day 1 1:
1st hour: Welcome/Overview of Class.
2nd hour: Discuss principles with demos to explain ideas and concepts. 3rd hour: Mix Palette. Lunch: Brown bag or run to cafe or deli close by. Afternoon: Paint in studio.
Day 2 1st hour: Brief review in studio.
Morning: Paint in studio.
Lunch: Brown bag or run to cafe or deli close by.
Afternoon: Paint in studio.
Last hour: Review each student’s work and accomplishments during condensed workshop.

Douglas’ Biography
Douglas David has painted his way across the country, capturing the beauty and spirit of the things he loves- tranquil country landscapes, sunrises and sunsets on his favorite beaches, a simple pitcher of spring lilacs or peonies, a lemon, lime or a slice of watermelon on a checked tablecloth. Paintings that reflect comfort, warmth meaning and simplicity: similar to everything important to him- his close knit family, life-long friendships, creatively fulfilling work and giving his best. A recipient of numerous regional and national awards and honors, Douglas’ teaching is a way of giving back and sharing some of his journey with those who choose to study with him. For more detailed information, visit www. douglasdavid.com.

Class Materials List
Douglas will offer a “BASIC PAINT KIT” which includes all the basic oils, brushes, palette knife, palette and canvas panels and medium for those who do not want to buy these supplies individually. You would need to bring some paper towels and rubber gloves. Price $150, while supplies last. Please reserve your kit when registering. Or you can bring these supplies (these are not absolute, just my way of getting to a good result):
liquin mineral spirits Oils - Utrecht (order from Dick Blick) Cad. Red Light, Aliz Crim., Phthalo Blue, Phthalo Green, Ultram. Blue, Ultram. Violet, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Green, Green Earth Hue, Sap Green, Prussian Green, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black, large tube of “Permalba” White
OPTIONAL Oils - Jaune Brilliant No 2. Holbein Ivory White, Cad Medium and Cad Red Dark Paper Towels disposable palette pad palette knife brushes- filberts or flats- #2,4,6 maybe 8 or 10 or rounds in these sizes if you prefer rounds over filberts. a few throw away bristle brushes from hardware store in 1" and 2-2.5" sizes a 1-2" foam brush from hardware store Canvases- Quantity: 2-3 5"x7", 2-3 8"x10", 2-3 10"x20" or 12"x16" or 16"x20" (or whatever size desired for larger paintings)
Plus anything else student needs to help them paint well and feel comfortable. Please prime all canvas with a thin coat of thinned down Cad Red light and Permalba white to make a pink or light red tone on canvas. Douglas has a “suitcase of supplies” he brings along, it includes some recommended books, and some supplies in case a few students need a few items that are forgotten.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Basics of Oil Painting with Douglas David
"Getting you comfortable"
Days: Thursday
Dates: August 19
Time: 9:30AM - 3:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $165 plus materials (materials list below)

This fun and informative one day workshop will cover the basic principles of oil painting and get you painting simple and easy to understand objects in a short time. The idea of this workshop is to get you comfortable with the process of painting while teaching you how to paint dynamic and exciting paintings. The class includes interesting and memorable discussions on all the basic elements of painting including, composition, massing, building form, light and shadow – and depending on your own style, knowing when a work is finished (learning how to not overwork your painting). Douglas delivers sound principles of painting that are an incredible foundation for your painting, and whether a person who has never ever picked up a brush, a relatively new painter or a more accomplished painter looking for some strong points to review, it will make sense.

After the brief morning intro, a very hands-on approach to the class, gets students organized and preparing to paint. Students will learn how to set up their palette with the basic colors and understand why this is helpful. Douglas will overview his palette and concepts that his work entails and do a subsequent demonstration painting of an egg, an apple and a wave in the afternoon. Douglas’ demo will be slow and you can follow along as he guides you step by step. There is nothing to be afraid of or self conscious of and Douglas will get you through all the tricky parts and you will have fun.

Students will work in their own style/technique so that the finished work is their own. Plan to bring notebook/sketchbook and enjoy all the demos along with some great stories to help you remember these principles that are the foundation of Douglas’ teaching.
Class Tentative Outline: 1st hour: Welcome/Overview of Class & Terms.
2nd hour: Review Supplies and how to set up and get organized to paint, setting up the palette, and how to get started.
Lunch: Brown bag or run to market close by to pick up a sandwich.
Entire Afternoon: Paint in studio.

Douglas’ Biography
Douglas David has painted his way across the country, capturing the beauty and spirit of the things he loves - tranquil country landscapes, sunrises and sunsets on his favorite beaches, a simple pitcher of spring lilacs or peonies, a lemon, lime or a slice of watermelon on a checked tablecloth. Paintings that reflect comfort, warmth meaning and simplicity: similar to everything important to him - his close knit family, life-long friendships, creatively fulfilling work and giving his best. A recipient of numerous regional and national awards and honors, Douglas’ teaching is a way of giving back and sharing some of his journey with those who choose to study with him. For more detailed information, visit www. douglasdavid.com.

Class Materials List
Douglas will offer “BASIC PAINT KIT” which includes all the basic oils, brushes, palette knife, palette and canvas panels and medium for those who do not want to buy these supplies individually. You would need to bring some paper towels. There are 2 size kits, one for the one-day is $100, and a larger kit if you plan to continue with the optional 2 day Seascape Workshop is $150, while supplies last. Please reserve your kit when registering. Or you can bring these supplies (these are not absolute, just my way of getting to a good result):
liquin mineral spirits Oils - Utrecht (or your favorite brand) Cad. Red Light, Aliz Crim., Phthalo Blue, Phthalo Green, Ultram. Blue, Ultram. Violet, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Green, Green Earth Hue, Sap Green, Prussian Green, Yellow Ochre, Cad. Orange, Cad. Yellow Light, Ivory Black, “Permalba” White
OPTIONAL Oils - Jaune Brilliant No 2, Holbein Ivory White Paper Towels disposable palette pad palette knife brushes- filberts- #2,4,6 maybe 8 or 10 rounds- in above sizes if you prefer round over filberts. rounds- in really small like #0,1,2 a few throw away bristle brushes from hardware store in 1" and 2-2.5" sizes a 1-2" foam brush from hardware store Canvases - Quantity: 2-3 5"x7", 1-2 8"x10"
Plus anything else student needs to help them paint well and feel comfortable. Douglas has a “suitcase of supplies” he brings along, it includes some recommended books, and some supplies in case a few students need a few items that are forgotten.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Discover the Magic of Watercolor with Holly Wach
Days: Sunday
Dates: August 8
Time: 10:00AM-4:00PM
Location: Art Barn Drawing Studio
Fee: $150 for 6 hour workshop

Inspired by blooming botanicals, award-winning local artist and teacher Holly Wach will lead an intro to watercolor workshop. Enjoy a relaxing lesson in watercolor as Holly guides you through the beauty of this peaceful medium.

Holly will introduce techniques and approaches that will awaken your creativity and have you creating watercolors that capture colorful botanicals and spring-inspired still-lifes.

This special session is limited in size in order to provide individual attention and insights focused on building both confidence and a love for making art. Appropriate for artists novice to advanced. All materials are provided. Just simply show up, ready to take your watercolor skills to a new place!

www.hollywach.com

Visiting Artist Workshop: Paint Your Life with Dr. Morna McNulty
Day: Thursday
Dates: July 29
Time: 9:00AM - 3:30PM (please bring bag lunch!)
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $150 (includes materials fee)

The Paint Your Life (PYL) system is built on a series of six short (45 min) “games,” designed sequentially to build upon one another. Participants will work with various dry materials including oil and chalk pastels, colored pencils, and markers. No artistic experience is required! The sequence is developed specifically to move between experiences that encourage participants to look inward using their creative minds-eye and self-reflection, balanced with aesthetic experiences that look “outward” toward the space, place, and persons in the surrounding environment. The result is a system which enables participants to think about the “push and pull” ways in which they think, to focus on the process rather than the product, and to be open to a myriad of possible outcomes. Slowness and mindfulness are key.
Paint Your Life trained facilitator, Dr. Morna McNulty, will work with participants to inspire breakthrough ideas for innovative practice in your field of profession or personal life, open doors to creative pathways for a new life outlook, and open personal doors to creativity, revealed hidden talents and aptitudes, and empowered participants with new ideas, original art concepts, and magnetic insights. The PYL facilitator encourages you to embrace this program as a depth-enrichment process that will truly deepen and electrify your life from within. Best of all, there is no risk here. For anyone. It is a win-win-win moment for anyone who seeks to uncover the power of the imagination to change themselves and the world around them. Change never happens unless at the core you both have access to this process and can bring your professionalism to bear today.

Morna McDermott McNulty, PhD Bio: Dr. McNulty is a professor at Towson University, where she teaches various theory and methods courses in the College of Education. Her teaching and research focus on the intersections of art, social justice, and public education. She explores how the arts serve as a form of literacy that challenges traditional classroom learning and dominant narratives. She has worked in public school contexts for over 25 years. Books include The Left Handed Curriculum and The Activists Handbook for the Education Revolution. She has authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed articles and 20 book chapters.

SOLD OUT

Visiting Artist Workshop: Chappaquiddick Landscape in Oil with Lily Keller
Dates & Times:
Saturday, May 15: 10:00AM-4:00PM
Sunday, May 16: 10:00AM-2:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio and Chappaquiddick
Optional materials fee or purchase your own from Lily's materials list page.

I believe our genius lies in simplicity. I am passionate about bringing this simplicity to art—I am so excited to teach oil painting in an uncomplicated and easy-to-follow way, and help you create a beautiful and one-of-a-kind piece for your home or to gift to a lucky loved one. We will be painting on an 11x14 inch canvas. The highest quality materials will be provided (the paints, brushes, and canvas that I use personally) for a $45 per-person fee, or you are welcome to purchase your own—a materials list with purchase links can be found here.

Oil is often looked at as the “higher level” painting medium, over others like acrylic, ink, or watercolor—one that takes years of formal training to perfect. I’m here to show you this is simply not the truth. Oil paint is just pigment and oil. That’s it. A lot of painters think they need to use the highly toxic gamsol solvent as well, but that is also not true…oil and pigment, that is all you truly need!

Weather-permitting, we will begin on Saturday morning with a site visit to Chappaquiddick for photos or sketches of whatever composition you would like to paint. While a sketchbook is considered the more “acceptable” medium of painting prep, photos work better for me. I really get a feel for a place through my photos, trying different angles and lighting, and then editing them. It’s all about embracing what feels best for you. (Sketchbooks will *not* be provided in the materials, so please bring your own sketching materials if you would like to use one!)
While we are out on Chappy, I will show you what I usually look for in a composition, and how I edit my photos to get just the right painting from it. (If you would like to paint a view of another location, please come armed with a printed photo of that place—if you send it to me ahead of time, I’m happy to show you the edit options that I would use).

For lunch, we will order ahead for pickup from Espresso Love in Edgartown, then head into the beautiful light-filled studio at Featherstone for several hours of painting.

I am so excited to get you all started on a beautiful oil painting for your home, by YOU! I will list out the steps we will follow below:

I’m going to give you a very brief tutorial on the underpainting—this is what I get asked about the most often, why I paint a bright orange/red underneath my landscapes. I will let you choose your own hue and paint the underpainting before we eat lunch. This way they will be dry and ready to go once we are finished.
We will cover palette choices and how to select the colors for your paintings. Spoiler alert—there are no bad choices and no mistake is forever. We can fix anything. I will show you how I quickly and easily smooth over and fix mistakes, both little and big.
The first step in the actual painting process is to get all the major spaces sketched out and blocked in with color. I will show you the order in which I usually go about this.
We will step back and take a good look at everything. Walk around and check out everyone else’s paintings. Discuss them if you like—sometimes talking them through actually really helps you realize what may be missing. This will not be a panic-inducing art school style critique, more of a pause to let you step back and think it all over for a minute. One trick I use is to step back and take some photos of the painting. I swear that as soon as I look at it on a screen I know whether or not I’m on the right track.
Before stopping for the day, we will go back to our brushes for another 20 minutes or so, just smoothing out what we have done and thinking where we want it to go the next day.
The following morning we will arrive to canvases that are fully covered in paint and ready for some detail work! The paint will still be wet, so everything will blend perfectly if there is a large space you have been thinking about overnight and want to change. I will show you my entire process for adding colors, changing up anything in the sky that is not feeling right, and just making sure it is all a balanced and beautiful composition.

*The painting will still be wet when you take it with you on Sunday, as oil paint takes a good 5-10 days to be dry to the touch—I will have boxes ready and will help you place it in your cars carefully to minimize any chance of damage. Trust me, I have successfully traveled with wet paintings many times, I’m confident I can help each of you get your painting home unharmed.

Learn more about Lily here.

Still Life Studio with Liz Taft
Days: Tuesdays
Dates: April 6, 13, 20, 27
Time: 10:00AM - 1:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $30 per meeting
All students must wear masks. Limited to 5 participants.

Come join artist Liz Taft in the Painting Studio on Tuesdays to perfect your still life compositions - this is non-instructional time to work on your paintings with Liz present and available for guidance. Bring your own still life set up and we will provide the space and lighting.

Advanced Plein Air Workshop with Liz Taft

This is a chance for folks to meet other painters, to learn from each other and for Liz to help you reach your goals - a chance to make time for painting and to get candid feedback! Liz's focus is to keep it simple and to be true to the color you see. You can learn more about her work by looking at: liztaft.com.
Liz will be in contact with each student in advance of the start to go over details and learn the plan for the weekend.

Please note: Everyone must wear a mask. You will need to bring a portable chair (for discussion time on location) and lunch/drink each day.