FSA Week 1 | Watercolor in the Sacred Milieu

This week-long course is part of our annual Fall Sacred Arts (FSA) Program, beginning on Sunday, October 18th and ending on Saturday, October 24th. Class takes place Monday morning through Friday morning, with additional programming on Sunday and Saturday.

Come play with me in sacred realm of divine color! Let’s pay close attention to our paints, paper and brushes, 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. As we move from fall into winter our palettes will be filled with autumn colors and snow possibilities. Be it warm and earthy, cool and foggy, or a crisp clear day with that bite of frost-to-come, we will move with the season expressing through watercolor the changes we see. Whether you are a beginning watercolor student or more advanced, my goal is to help you advance in your watercolor skills, as well as develop a tool for sensing the sacred presence in all life.

What creative modalities are used in this course?

Painting & Drawing

What will class time be like?

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 and how they might reflect our internal and external experience. 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. 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.

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); day pack for art supplies and personal items in the event of an outing; comfortable clothes for outdoor painting