Outdoor Study-to-Studio Painting Workshop: Dakota Pastels, Mount Vernon, WA, May 1-4, 2019

I'm excited about an upcoming trip to the Pacific Northwest to teach for Dakota Pastels this May.  Only a few minutes from Mount Vernon and the historic village of La Conner, Dakota is located in the scenic Skagit Valley, where we'll have plenty of subjects to choose from.  I'm told we might even still be in tulip season!

In this outdoor study-to-studio workshop, we'll first venture into the landscape, where I'll show you the best way to gather reference material in the way of color sketches and photos.  Then, we'll head for the studio, where we'll explore value designs and color schemes based on this material.  Finally, we'll put it all together to create stunning, finished paintings.

Dakota has spacious classrooms and art materials on-site at the retail store. The largest selection of pastels in the world is in the adjacent warehouse and is open to workshop attendees.  Students will receive a generous 10% discount on materials (during the workshop only and while you're there) so I suggest you purchase your materials through Dakota at www.DakotaPastels.com.

By the way, although the workshop is being hosted by Dakota Pastels, the workshop is also open to oil painters.  I will be working in both media, so no one will be left out!

Details:

Dates:  May 1-4, 2019
Price:  $400
Register on-line at https://www.dakotapastels.com/product/Johnson-2019?cat=272 .  You may also email info@dakotapastels.com or call 888-345-0067 ext 5

I hope to see you in the Skagit Valley in May!

Workshop in Gig Harbor, Washington, and Judging a Show

Massive Mount Rainier
from Gig Harbor

I was excited when the Northwest Pastel Society invited me to visit Gig Harbor and Tacoma, Washington, to judge its annual international open exhibition and to teach a workshop. Besides the fact that the NPS is a well-respected group and it is an honor to be asked by them, I've always wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest. 

For the workshop, I flew from Albuquerque to SeaTac, where I was picked up and taken to my host's home in Gig Harbor. Donna is a wonderful host and also an excellent painter and teacher of art; she's  been teaching painting privately for over 25 years.  She also has a well-stocked studio in which these workshops are held and a vast library of art books. It was a real joy to stay with someone who appreciates art so much.

I got in a day early, so I was invited to participate in the weekly figure drop-in session.  My schedule doesn't allow me to work from the model very often, so I jumped at the chance.  For four hours, we worked with Caylin, who was a wonderful model.  Here's one of my sketches.

The workshop lasted three days, and although it was sponsored by a pastel society, I was asked to include oil, and also to mix in a little plein air with studio work, weather permitting. They don't grow those hundred-foot Douglas firs in the Pacific Northwest without a lot of rain, so no one was really sure what the weather would be like. About a week before the workshop, the forecast had been rather gloomy. But luckily, only our first day had intermittent showers, which was followed by two days of glorious sunshine. The weather ended up being much better than anyone expected, so we were able to get out and enjoy the sun.

In the Studio

In the Field

Painting among the Rhododendrons

I had a really good group for the workshop. Several were pastelists who were also closet oil painters and "came out" at the workshop. Everyone was eager to learn and had a great time, whether I was demonstrating in pastel or oil or whether we were in the studio or out. Two of the students also stayed with my host, and we enjoyed communal meals and evening "art talk" together.

Here are some demonstration sketches from the workshop:

Quiet Marsh 9x12 pastel

Gig Harbor, Low Tide 12x9 oil - SOLD

Morning Light among the Firs, 9x12 oil/knife

Thursday afternoon I was taken over to The American Art Company to judge the show. Earlier in the spring, I had selected 71 pieces to be in the exhibition, doing so on the computer. Paintings always look different - and, one hopes, better - when seen in person.  (You can apply this rule to the photos of my sketches above.)  When I walked into the gallery, I was very happy to see what a beautiful, cohesive show it was. The gallery owner had done a wonderful job hanging it, and the paintings themselves were beautiful. It took me a long time to go through them all to select thirteen for awards.  Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who made it into the show!  In my next post, I will elaborate on my judging process.

The workshop ended on Friday.  The reception and awards presentation for the exhibit will be Saturday afternoon, after which I fly back to Albuquerque on Sunday so we can resume our trip east.

Onward to Tacoma and Gig Harbor, Washington

Storm over the Jemez Mountains in New Mexico
One reason I love New Mexico:  Clouds!

I've left Santa Fe, and early tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving New Mexico.  I'm flying to Tacoma, where I'll be teaching a three-day oil and pastel studio workshop (with the possibility of plein air, weather permitting) and then giving awards at the Northwest Pastel Society's annual international open exhibition.  I am honored that the society selected me to be both the juror of selection, the judge of awards and also the teacher for this premium event.

It was a difficult task selecting work for the exhibition, as there were so many excellent paintings.  It's going to be a great show, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the works I selected in person.  I'm also looking forward to meeting all the artists and the public at the reception, which will be Saturday, May 9, from 2-4 pm at the American Art Company, 1126 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma.

There are still a couple of spaces left in my workshop.  The workshop is three days, May 6-8 (Wed-Fri), and will be held at the studio of one of the NPS members in Gig Harbor.  For full details on the workshop, the reception and the exhibition, please visit:

http://nwps.org

I'm really excited about this workshop, as this will be my first time in the Pacific Northwest, and I hear that Gig Harbor is beautiful.

With that, I leave you with another image of New Mexico!  Goodbye, New Mexico - the Pacific Northwest awaits!

A Classic Northern New Mexico Landscape (near Cerrillos)

Upcoming Workshop: Gig Harbor, Washington - Northwest Pastel Society

In case you haven't heard, I will be both the Juror of Selection and Judge of Awards for the Northwest Pastel Society's 29th Annual International Open Exhibit.  If this exhibit is anything like the previous ones, it'll be filled with beautiful works.  I can't tell you how excited I am to be judging such a major show.  (You can find the prospectus here.)

The exhibit will run from May 9-June 20, 2015.  I will be at the opening reception and awards ceremony on May 9, 2015 from 4-6 pm, and I look forward to meeting all the artists.

Also, in conjunction with the exhibit, I'll be conducting a three-day, studio-only, pastel and oil workshop.  The dates are May 6-8, 2015.  The workshop is filling fast and is limited to only 15 students, so please don't hesitate to sign up.

Cost for the 3-day workshop is $350 for NPS members and $400 for non-members (includes 2015 membership). For details and registration contact: Jo Ann Sullivan at 360-710-2217 or sullivanjm1@msn.com.

I hope to see many of you there!