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Thursday, February 23, 2023

Encounter: At Bluebird Studios with Albert Handell, Roberta Remy and Michael Chesley Johnson UPDATED

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(This is an updated version of the video I posted a few days ago.  I have added a ton of "visuals" to alleviate the somewhat-overwhelming "talking head" effect.  If you watched the old version, watch this new one--I think you'll like it!)

To help promote Bluebird Studios and our workshops in Santa Fe, Roberta Remy and I recently chatted with Elizabeth Cooper, owner of the studio, and Albert Handell.  Elizabeth opened her workshop center last year, and in the video, she talks about what makes hers unique.  She also invited Albert, Roberta and me to comment on why students would find an "in-person" workshop more beneficial than one given online; on what students can expect in taking one of our workshops; and, on a personal note, what drew us to Santa Fe and New Mexico.  I think you'll find this 24-minute discussion enlightening, and you can view it here, below.  (Can't see the image? Here's a link.)


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Although Albert isn't teaching a workshop at Bluebird Studios, we each have had a long friendship with him.  To help us out, he has graciously offered to open his studio to our students for a visit.  (Thank you, Albert, for your generosity!)  I've visited Albert many times—I even helped him with a workshop there—and it is fascinating to be in the midst of all that mastery and genius.

My plein air painting workshop runs May 6-9, 2023, and until the end of February, you can get $40 off with discount code MCJ40.  Go here to for more details or to sign up.  Roberta's portrait painting workshop runs May 17-20, 2023.  For details or to sign up, go here.

By the way, I discovered something during the interview—Albert and Roberta have known each other for many, many years.  They were students together at the Art Students League of New York.  "We were both under 20," Albert said.  In talking with Albert and Roberta in a different conversation, I learned about their  long history together.  I suggested that it would be fun to interview the two of them together as they reminisce...so, stay tuned!