Mill of Kintail - 2 day Painting Workshop, May 13 - 14, 2017
First of all I want to say, “Thank you”, for considering this workshop.
The local landscape will be our subject for two days, and acrylic will be the medium used.
If you are not familiar with The Mill of Kintail Museum and grounds, you are in for a treat!
We will be visiting the Mill Museum to see the summer home and studio of one of Canada'smost accomplished and revered artists, Dr. Robert Tait McKenzie.
He was a real renaissance man in that his career involved medicine, art, teaching, writing and mentoring.
Each of these fields brought Dr. McKenzie worldwide recognition.
The subject matter we will consider is varied... from the Mill of Kintail architecture, to the beauty of the river banks and the pristine forest. The beauty of the Mill and it's grounds is captivating, and inspiring!
*Remember to BRING YOUR CAMERA as well as your painting equipment.
*Please, bring a lunch with you, and a thermos, bottled water etc. as we have a fully
equipped kitchen in the Gatehouse.
*Please, bring landscape photos to work from should the weather not allow us outside.
This is an “Acrylic Landscape Painting Workshop” suitable for painters at all
levels. Basics of colour and composition will be discussed at the beginning of
the session, as well as sketching and drawing.
Saturday, Day 1:
9am: -Meet at the Gatehouse which is just inside the Mill of Kintail grounds, and
introduce ourselves.
9:15-10:15: -Presentation by Chris MacFarlane – photographic compositional techniques. See www.cmacfarlane.ca
10:15-12: -Painting materials, methods, and DEMO
12-1PM: -Lunch time and general Art conversation.
1-3: -Sketching /Drawing on site ….weather permitting
-Visit the Museum and studio of Dr. McKenzie
3-5: Getting the sketch onto the canvas and starting to paint!
6-?: Barley Mow In Almonte for refreshments & sitting by the Mississippi!
Sunday, Day 2:
9-10: Meet at the Gatehouse.
Presentation #2 by Chris MacFarlane....”Demonstration of the best way to photograph your art work.”
10-12: For those who wish to try painting plein air, please have your easel, stool,
and small table (TV type tray will be fine), and a water bottle to go.
For those who may not wish to paint out doors, your easel etc. will still
remain set up in the studio from the day before to paint there.
12-1: Lunch and conversation.
1-5: Continue working on the painting you started Day 1, or another one
should you have finished it.
5-5:30: A brief group critique of the work completed.
This is a valuable and constructive exercise which helps you to improve.
6 - ?: Refreshments in Almonte!
I expect that you will learn quite a lot over our 2 days together, and this should hopefully motivate you to continue drawing and painting. Most of all “It should be fun!”
The more you do, the better you will feel. Self-confidence is very important, so always look at each painting or drawing as a mystery, a challenge, and a puzzle to be solved. Just do your best, and don't give up!
After hearing Chris MacFarlane talk about photography, you may also find yourself much more interested in that medium, and want to take many more pictures. Photos are frozen moments of time that you will be able to look at and enjoy for years to come. They also serve as great reference for paintings, so take many!
Remember, “You can't create art by just thinking about it; you must physically do it.”
Pablo Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of every day life.”
© Blair T. Paul, AOCAD, OSA | Fine Art