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.
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.

Painting the Landscape in Watercolor with Lynn Hoeft
Days: Wednesdays
Dates: May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 / June 5, 12, (no 19), 26 / July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 / August 7, 14, 21, 28 / September 4, 11, 18, 25
Time: 1:00PM - 3:30PM
Location: Outside the Art Barn Painting Studio*
Fee: $50 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.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Lynn here.

Acrylic Painting (Intermediate/Advanced) with John Holladay
Days: Saturdays
Dates: February 10, 17, 24 / March ( no 2), 9, 16, 23, 30 / April 6, 13, 20, 27 / May 4, 11, 18, 25 / June 1, 8, (*Wed 12), 22, 29 / September 7, 14, 21, 28* / October 5, 12, 19, 26 / November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 / December 7, 14
Days: (July-August): Wednesdays
Dates: July 3, (*Sat 13), 17, 24 / August (*Sat 3), 7, 14, 21, 28 (*Saturdays: July 13, August 3)
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio (*in Drawing Studio)
Fee: $50 per class (materials not included, please see list below)

Perfect your painting techniques during this weekly intermediate/advanced class. Bring a photograph or drawing for inspiration, and learn how to improve your composition, and use more dynamic color to give your work depth.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about John here.

Watercolor In Bloom Workshop with Lynn Hoeft
Dates: Monday, May 20 // Thursday, July 25 // Monday, September 23
Time: 1:00PM - 4:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $60, materials not included. Suggested Materials List, or $10 additional materials fee.

Taking inspiration from The Art of Flowers annual exhibit, this afternoon workshop will introduce beginning watercolor painters to the core principles of layering, contrast, and color mixing. The focus will be on learning how to simplify complex flower forms and then adding just the right amount of detail and texture.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Lynn here.

Values, Shapes and Composition Workshop with Marston Clough
Dates: Thursday - Friday, September 26 - 27
Time: 10:00AM - 2:00PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $200 for 2 day workshop, materials not included. Suggested Materials List.

Values, shapes and composition are basic to every painting, not to mention color, and they are things that I find I have ignored when I am trying to analyze my own paintings. So, the goal of this workshop is to focus on basics, analyze photos and paintings, and make some practice sketches before attempting a few small paintings in hopes of making a keeper. I will bring some examples of good and bad. I enjoy painting on wood and paper (coated with gesso to protect the paper) because some poor paintings may have good sections that may be saved by cropping. I will bring some examples of paintings that don’t quite work and I encourage students to do so as well.
Please bring any favorite photos if you have them, on paper or computer.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Marston here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Abstracting from Nature with Mary Moquin
Dates: Saturday - Sunday, October 5 -6
Time: 10:00AM - 4:00PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $300 for 2 day workshop, materials not included. Suggested Materials List.

Have you always wanted to try abstraction but can’t figure out a way to begin? This workshop will help jumpstart your process with exercises designed to get you thinking differently about abstraction. It isn't my goal to turn you into an abstract artist, it's to help you think more abstractly and concentrate more on what paint, shape, composition and color can do on their own without being hung on a representational image. How can we transcend the subject matter and evoke more of the experience we witnessed as artists?

We will begin these exercises outside in the morning with intense observation and note-taking and then move inside the studio to further explore mark-making and color exploration. This workshop is designed for oil or acrylic painters with prior painting experience. Other mediums are also welcome.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Mary here.

Open Painting Studio
Days: Thursdays
Dates: February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 / March 7, 14, 21, 28 / April 4, 11, 18, 25 / May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 / October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 / November 7, 14, 21, 28 / December 5, 12
Time: 10:30AM - 1:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio (Drawing Studio, July & August)
Fee: $10 per meeting

This non-instructional time is for those who wish to paint amongst a group - to network and share ideas and techniques. Bring your own supplies, we provide the space and easels!

Previous 2024

Visiting Artist Workshop: Painting Birds of the Vineyard with Douglas David
Dates: Wednesday-Thursday, August 21-22
Time: 9:30AM - 3:30PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $350 plus materials for 2 day workshop (link to materials list below and option to purchase Supplies Kit).

Brand new Workshop! This exciting and fun class will cover the basic principles of oil painting specifically with regard to painting birds of the Vineyard. After the basics are covered, we will start by painting some single shore and wading birds, then some groups, birds standing, and birds in flight throughout the next couple of days. Great profiles of these very beautiful birds, their reflections and light and shadow, are all some of the things that we will study and paint. For those who have studied with Douglas before, this overview of principles is always a good review, and no matter what the subject, these principles are key, and new discussions and tips are added each season. Each day’s demo will include simple discussions on 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 your painting). Students will work in their own style/technique so that the finished work is their own.
After a brief morning intro Douglas will introduce the DuMond palette, which he has found to be a lifesaver, and he will assist students with mixing. He will review individual students a few times during each session and tailor instruction to help everyone’s skills develop at a comfortable rate. Demos and individual discussions/instruction will help each student begin to reach the preliminary goals they are striving to meet. Plan to bring notebook/sketchbook and enjoy some demos along with some great stories to help you remember these essential principles.

Recommended Materials List and option to purchase a Supplies Kit online as well as Course Outline can be found here.
Learn more about Douglas here.

Landscape Painting & Drawing Workshops with Katherine Gagnon
Days: Tuesdays
Dates: July 9 // July 23 // August 6 // August 20*
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio (8/20 in Drawing Studio)
Fee: $80 per 3 hour workshop, includes all materials.

In these one day workshops, participants will be asked to bring a compelling landscape image (photograph printed out or on a iPad/tablet is fine too!) Something you are drawn to mimic, find aesthetically pleasing or has a meaningful connection to you. After a brief materials demonstration (watercolor and oil pastels), students will layer these materials and think about how color and texture are applied to create their very own landscape painting! We will learn about and be asked to consider light condition, hue, value and figure/ground relationships. Join artist Katherine Gagnon to find your own artistic voice through painting and drawing in this hands on beginner friendly workshop!

Learn more about Katherine here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Basics of Oil Painting with Douglas David
Date: Tuesday, August 20
Time: 9:30AM - 3:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $175 plus materials for 1 day workshop (link to materials list below and option to purchase Supplies Kit).

New exciting workshop in oil! This really fun and informative 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 one-day 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 for each subject that the class paints. 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. Students will paint simple still lifes from photos that Douglas supplies which usually includes items like apples, eggs and really common and fun things like a watermelon slice! You will paint from a photo to help you get the idea of what painting “en plein air/out of doors” is like, usually we paint a beach and sometimes a small sailboat if time allows. Covering this much in a day is great fun and you will be amazed at the paintings that you complete in this short amount of time. Depending on the skill level of each student, students are able to grow and develop at a rate that is to their comfort. You will produce a few small paintings and possibly one larger painting. 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.

Recommended Materials List and option to purchase a Supplies Kit online.
Learn more about Douglas here.

Approaching Painting (painting in watercolor, oil or acrylic) with Eva Cincotta
Days: Mondays (plus Friday 8/23)
Dates: June 24 (6/24, 1-4PM) / July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (7/29, 1-4PM) / August 5, 12, (no 8/19, instead Friday, 8/23)
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM  (6/24 & 7/29, 1-4PM)
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $60 per class  (materials not included, please see list below)

This intermediate/advanced 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.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Eva here.

Zinnia Wellness Painting Workshop with Katherine Gagnon
Date: Tuesday, July 30
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location: Art Barn Library
Fee: $80 for 3 hour workshop, includes all materials.

Creating artwork can be used as an escape, outlet or meditation away from everyday life. This workshop is an attempt at finding inner peace through imperfection. Zinnia Wellness, is a processed based painting class that uses repetition of mark making as means to find stress release towards healing. Designed by Katherine Gagnon, in this hands on workshop we will focus on the process of making, rather than the end result. The instructor will do a brief demonstration and help students create within the timeframe of the course. Students will use watercolor and oil pastels to layer materials. Some of the final results may look like a zinnia flower, depending on hue choices and lines used. The focus of the class will be on each participant concentrating and “getting lost in the moment” of the here and now while painting.

I designed this class as an exercise for myself while reading Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross. It started as a way to relieve stress and do something completely different from my landscape bodies of work. It is loosely based on the idea of a Buddhist mandala through the use of circular repetition*. It is meant as an introduction to meditative art making and using the arts to reduce anxiety. [Katherine Gagnon is a professional artist and education, not a licensed art therapist]

*Magsamen, Susan and Ross, Ivy. “Your Brain on Art” How the Arts Transform Us, Random House, 2023, pp.140-141.

Learn more about Katherine here.

Painting from Photos: An Older Photo - A New Look! with Ken Vincent
Days: Wednesday-Friday
Dates: July 10-12
Time: 10:00AM - 1:00PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $250 for 3 day workshop

Using your photo as a reference and starting point only, methods will be introduced to make quick “paint-sketches” to begin to take chances and push color, size, and break through fears about your painting process. Through a series of guided exercises, you will be assisted in finding fresh ways of seeing an old photo. Push to loosen up and follow new techniques to bring more expression and immediacy to your work.
This class is for oil or acrylic painters, intermediate or advanced. It’s time to give your painting a push!

Visiting Artist Workshop: Paint Your Life with Dr. Morna McNulty
Date: Tuesday, June 25
Time: 9:00AM - 3:00PM (please bring bag lunch!)
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $160 for 6 hour workshop, includes materials

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.

Learn more about Dr. McNulty here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Dyeing & Painting with Natural Inks with Katama Murray
Dates: Tuesday March 19
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $75, includes all materials

In this hands-on workshop, learn the process of creating handmade dye and ink using plant pigments from natural dye baths! Students will learn the basics of natural dyeing with shibori resist methods to dye a cotton bandana, as well as methods for extracting pigments to create a palette of liquid inks. These inks will be employed to experiment with mark making, pattern, and visual color stories on paper and fiber to connect with local flora throughout the season.

Learn more about Katama here.

Make it Your Own Painting Workshop with Marston Clough
Dates: Tuesday & Wednesday, March 12 & 13
Time: 10:00AM - 2:00PM each day
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $200 for 2 day workshop

Using photos as a starting point, we will work on leaving them behind. We will start working from photographs to identify large shapes to be used in making a painting. Expect to spend time sketching and planning before painting, you do not need to be skilled at drawing detail. Expect to make multiple variations before committing to painting. These exercises should be useful for landscapes as well as still life. Our goal will be to simplify compositions and explore options. I will also demonstrate and discuss painting skies since they seem to take over my brain when I hold a brush. Students will work from instructor photos as well as their own.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Marston here.

Serious Still Life with Liz Taft
Days: Wednesdays
Dates: Session 1: January 17, 24, 31, February 7
Time: 10:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $200 for 4 week course

This 4 week course is about learning to see things simply and translating that into a painting. We will do that by observing a single natural element - a flower, a vegetable, a piece of fruit - and distilling it, seeing its irregularities. We’ll start by drawing the item, sketching its shape/s, creating an interesting composition. That’s the first step in making something you will be pleased with. Once you get the hang of that, we’ll move on to doing a one color study. The last step will be painting with colors. This class is about taking your time to figure out what you are doing by really looking at what is in front of you.

Every week each student will bring in a still life natural object to work with. It can be a single flower, a vegetable, a piece of fruit.

If you have not taken this course before, please contact Liz in advance to discuss materials and class.

Recommended Materials List
Learn more about Liz here.