My approach to teaching is primarily to focus on how to see, and analyze what it is you are looking at. This involves a series of lectures, followed by outdoor demos, and then direct work by each participant, during which I will drop by your easel to give one on one input. So, daily lectures, followed by substantial outdoor painting time to allow one to observe and practice the concepts. We will explore various locations throughout the week. We’ll also have informal opportunities to observe each other’s work, as well as a final group critique, to sum up our experiences.  Making a picture is not rocket science, but it does require thought and effort from the individual. I expect joy and humor will play a role, as well as the process of discovery. And as we’ll be in France,  one can expect some delicious meals during our stay.

I have often taught in nature, so of course we’ll be looking at those elements, but the architecture of the locale deserves to be acknowledged, observed and integrated into the curriculum, so I will cover some basic perspective as well as the mechanics of water, atmosphere, color temperature, composition, and other topics. 

I work in pastel, and encourage folks to use it, but if you’re more comfortable and already equipped with another medium, feel free to use that. I do certainly demonstrate how I work with pastels, but most of my instruction applies to analyzing one’s surroundings in terms of making a picture, so is not medium specific. 

Please come join me on this artistic adventure.