Students will develop basic observational drawing skills in six 2 hour sessions. Students will begin working from a provided still life with intricate manufactured and simple natural objects illuminated from a single light source. Students will be “drawing what they see” as compared to drawing what they think they “know”. Weather permitting, students will step into the courtyard and draw from nature & architecture, selecting a scene that most inspires them. Students will learn to organize visual space using the law of thirds while exploring various ways of making marks on a page which might include hatching, cross hatching, smudging, and scribbling. Each class will begin with a drawing exercise to stretch and relax, while developing fine motor skills.

Flip a switch and the entire world becomes the world of your imagination. In this course the emphasis is on interacting with the seen world, seeing what YOU see and interacting with it. Develop the process and allow yourself to see what you see AS you draw or paint and build your own personal LANGUAGE that comes out of living in the moment of your creations. It’s not simply about what you want to say but also about what is the work saying? Can y0u listen to its voice while you are working on it? Whatever materials you bring along for the journey are fair game. This class emphasizes process, experimentation, and the merging of the imagination with the visual world around us. You will build a personalized “mark and color toolbox” through exercises in line, rhythm, pressure, material exploration and more. Over time, you will learn how to trust your instincts, develop visual sensitivity, and cultivate a uniquely personal, meaningful practice..This class is for students who are ready to discover the core of their creativity and ready to develop a truly unique body of work.Open to all levels. Skills for success include curiosity and a willingness to explore.This is a mixed media class: oil, acrylic, wax pencils, oil sticks, pastels, charcoal are some of the possibilities. Painting on paper is encouraged as an affordable way to experiment. Canvas and panel and other materials are acceptable also.