Watercolor in the Sacred Milieu

With Kristen Gilje

July 23 - 29, 2023

Location: Grunewald Guild Fiber Arts Studio

What will class time be like?: Each morning will start in the studio with a painting demonstration, followed by time to paint. Daily drawing exercises will help us capture our vision. If the weather cooperates we will spend time painting outdoors, and if the weather is inclement we’ll paint near a crackling wood fire with tea in the studio instead.

Will I need to work outside of class?: Yes, participants wishing to create complex or ambitious projects should expect to spend additional time working outside of class.

What can I expect to create?: 1-3 small paintings per day, with the opportunity to make larger more involved projects. You will also keep a drawing journal to fill with drawing practice and nature sketches, as you wish.

Do I need experience to take this class?: All experience levels welcome, including beginners

What do I need to bring to class?: Extra water bottle with a tight lid (to hold painting water in the field); daypack for art supplies and personal items in the event of an outing; comfortable clothes for outdoor painting

Minimum age of participant: 16

required deposit: $250

  • Commuter – $115.00
  • Cabin – $1,180.00
  • Hilltop House King Private Room + Private Bath – $1,120.00
  • Hilltop House Queen Private Room + Shared Bath – $1,060.00
  • Hilltop Private Room (Full + Two Twins) + Shared Bath – $1,000.00
  • Private Queen Room + Shared Bath – $940.00
  • Private Twin Room + Shared Bath – $940.00
  • Shared Room + Shared Bath – $610.00
  • Yurt – $730.00
  • Library Dorm – $460.00
  • RV with Electric: 125V/30 Amp – $460.00
  • RV with Electric: 25V/20 Amp – $460.00
  • Personal Tent or Car Camping – $400.00

Come play in a sacred realm of divine color! Let’s pay close attention to our paints, paper, and brushes, and to our hand movements as we paint. We’ll attempt deep observation of both our exterior surroundings and our interior emotional and prayer lives, to invite the sacred into our painting time.  In this week-long workshop, we will learn techniques to control our medium just enough, while allowing watercolor to do what it does best – to move and mix and be beautiful no matter what we do to it.

Each morning will start in the studio with a painting demonstration, followed by time to paint. We will explore the individual character of our paint colors, learning a bit about where each pigment comes from to appreciate their source as part of sacred creation. We will use simple drawing techniques to help us see more deeply the sacred essence of what we observe. And we will use simple watercolor techniques to pull it all together on paper.

Whether you are a beginning watercolor student or more advanced, this class will help you advance in your watercolor skills, as well as develop a tool for sensing the Sacred’s presence in all life.

About the Faculty

Kristen Gilje

Kristen Gilje is a full-time artist who works in her Bellingham WA studio on art commissions for sacred spaces. She makes large colorful works on silk for seasonal use, which can be seen in churches from coast to coast. Kristen spent 9 years as Artist in Residence at Holden village, near Chelan WA, where she […]

Learn more about Kristen Gilje

Categories : , ,