Watercolor Cosmos

With Vonda Drees

July 16 - 20, 2023

Location: Grunewald Guild Painting Studio

What will class time be like?: In our time together we will explore techniques to express artistic renderings of the Cosmos. We will do our part and then give the watercolor paint a chance to flow forth in color and layers, granting a journey of creative imagination. Each morning we’ll begin in the studio with a painting demonstration, and then there will be plenty of time for everyone to paint. Our daily work will include listening to the subtle whispers of our paintings in process, following our intuitions, and maybe even daring some bold brush strokes. Whatever you paint, it will be COSMIC!

Will I need to work outside of class?: No, all projects can be completed within the allotted class time.

What can I expect to create?: Participants will complete several small to medium sized cosmic paintings, including the following sizes: four to eight postcard size, four or five 8″x10″ images and one 11″x14″. The inspiration for the paintings can be drawn from actual images and/or from the wilds of the imagination!

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

What do I need to bring to class?: All materials will be provided. If there are specific cosmic images you’d like to use for inspiration, feel free to bring them along! If you’d like to participate in the meteor shower gazing, be sure to bring some warm and comfy nighttime wear! An old pillow and blanket would come in handy for this.

Minimum age of participant: 14

required deposit: $150

  • Commuter – $85.00
  • Cabin – $780.00
  • Shared Room + Shared Bath – $400.00
  • Yurt – $480.00
  • Library Dorm – $300.00
  • RV with Electric: 125V/30 Amp – $300.00
  • RV with Electric: 25V/20 Amp – $300.00
  • Personal Tent or Car Camping – $260.00
  • Hilltop House King Private Room + Private Bath – $740.00
  • Hilltop House Queen Private Room + Shared Bath – $700.00
  • Hilltop Private Room (Full + Two Twins) + Shared Bath – $660.00
  • Private Queen Room + Shared Bath – $620.00
  • Private Twin Room + Shared Bath – $620.00

The mysteries of the Cosmos and the magical medium of watercolor come together in this offering! One of Vonda’s secret loves while serving at the Guild was the Perseid meteor shower in late July and August. She describes the experience, “a sacred game of hide and seek with flashes of fire darting across the night sky.” Perhaps you have marveled over NASA’s images of outer space? Some are almost beyond imagination. In this class, we will learn how to paint watercolor galaxies. Watercolors are the perfect medium for this luminous work because depth and vibrancy are created when the paint flows naturally into a dance of cosmic mystery.

About the Faculty

Vonda Drees

Vonda Drees is a visual artist whose love for the questions in life fuels her creative practice. She added a studio partner in November 2024, a curious and playful black lab named Ren. When not in the studio, the two are likely out frolicking in the natural beauty of the Driftless Region in Wisconsin. Vonda and her husband Jim served […]

Learn more about Vonda Drees

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