Anyone who’s ever contemplated putting paintbrush to canvas to capture some of the natural beauty in this part of the world will have an opportunity to explore that possibility at a workshop in Cochrane Jan. 20 at Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery, 60 Grande Blvd.
Entitled Loosening Up Landscapes, instructor Marla Blackwell said she got the name from feedback she heard in other classes.
The number one question students ask her to help them with is ‘How do I loosen up my painting style?’
Some of the things students will learn include: how to approach painting with a design and composition figured out in a sketch book; how value (everything between light and dark) works in painting and how it is the most important element; how to get the larger shapes right (and the smaller ones will take shape); how to use value, edge, line, shape, contrast and finally colour to pull off your creation, and, how to paint with passion and emotion and enjoy the process.
Blackwell said artists of every level of experience will glean something from her course, including beginners. Participants will be learning and creating something at the same time.
“It’s very important to me that my students, at things like this, go away happy,” she said.
Blackwell grew up on a little farm near Vulcan, Alberta, and has also lived in farm country north of Cochrane. She said living in or around Cochrane is ideal for landscape painters.
“it’s perfect. I’ve lived here for 40 years and can’t see myself anywhere else.”
Students can work in any medium they choose: oil, watercolours, acrylic, pastels – the process, Blackwell said, is the same.
“So much of what I teach is about composition,” she said.
Students will need to bring the following supplies: notebook and pen; water bottle and lunch; paint in either acrylic or oil, with the minimum colours for either medium being white, cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow dark, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, manganese blue, transparent red iron oxide; brushes – a selection of hogs hair bristle and synthetic in a variety of sizes (make sure to have a 1 inch flat or bigger); canvas between 9 by 12 inches and 16 by 20 inches (bring more than one if you are a quick painter; sketch book and pencils; large palette or palette paper (nothing smaller than 8 by 11 inches; thinner and medium for oils; water container and medium such as a mat medium for acrylics; paper towel (blue shop towel works best); plastic bag to take paper towels home for disposal; landscape photos to choose from (they must have a contrast between light and dark.)
Blackwell advises participants to use the best quality they can afford.
Blackwell can be contacted directly at [email protected].
To view some of her work go to marlablackwell.com.
Registration Link: https://square.link/u/XBCgijvY.
Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery is at 60 Grande Blvd (in the Safeway mall). The class runs from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.
