Classes and Open Studios – 2019

registration form

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Plein Air Oil Painting Workshop – “Painting the Cove”

Instructor: Bruce Habowski

July 13  ~  Saturday  ~  9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: Schooner Landing (public boat launch), Damariscotta, Maine

Members:  $ 60 / Non-members:  $ 65 

This class is designed for intermediate level artists that are looking to broaden their painting skills. The workshop will offer solid instruction in the mechanics of painting plein air. Topics covered will include composition, brushwork, palette knife use, color mixing, equipment selection, gear setup, and more. Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece. The goal is to come with an open mind and explore the options that Bruce will make available to you for expressing yourself.

Bruce has been painting in oil for more than 20 years. His inspiration comes from many sources such as music, media, and books. Being a self-directed artist, Bruce’s education has consisted of reading about and studying the work of artists he admires. The styles range from Richard Diebenkorn to Robert Bechtle. By far, the most influential has been Edward Hopper.

Bruce’s award-winning work has been exhibited in many shows across the country and has been included in juried exhibitions at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, Portland Museum of Art in Maine and at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland. In addition, Bruce has taught several oil painting workshops and currently provides instructional painting videos on his YouTube channel, habowskistudio.

 

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Give Clay a Try

Instructor: Annette Stormont

Two Sessions meeting on Tuesdays ~ 1:00 to 3:00 pm

Session 1: June 18, June 25

Session 2: July16, July 23    

Members:  $ 100 each session / Non-members:  $ 110 each session

In this two week workshop you will be shown how to make a functional vessel from clay.  It could be a box, a vase or a cup.  In the first week, we will construct the vessel. In the second week, we will glaze it.  Your ceramic piece will then be fired in an electric kiln and be ready for pick up about a week later.

This is an entry level class and will use hand building techniques only. Clay, glazes, and necessary tools will be provided by the instructor.

Annette discovered clay over 25 years ago, when she began taking pottery classes at a small art school in Minnesota. She was instantly hooked on this medium.  The many directions that clay can take the artist never cease to amaze her.  Each day provides the opportunity to try new techniques and improve existing ones.  Annette’s art work includes both functional and decorative pieces. 

 

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Japanese Shibori Silk Scarves

Instructor: Sandi Cirillo

July 20  ~  Saturday  ~  9:00-noon

Members:  $ 40 / Non-members:  $ 45 

An additional $10.00 materials fee is payable to instructor  

In this workshop, students learn about “shibori”, the Japanese resist method of creating designs on silk using a PVC pipe. This is a unique process as we wrap our scarves around a PVC pipe and watch as our creativity takes over, spilling silk dye onto the pipe in layer after layer of color. You will also be given the opportunity to paint directly on your scarves. Each student will complete two scarves in this class.

Class is open to ages 15 and above. Bring an old towel to class and wear old clothes.

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Color Study Intensive

Instructor: Carolyn Gabbe

June 1-2    and/or    June 22-23   ~   9 AM – 4 PM

Members:   $ 180 for either 2 day workshop, 6 hours of instruction/day      or       $ 340 for both classes

Non-members: $ 200 for either 2 day workshop, 6 hours of instruction/day   or     $ 375 for both classes

Explore painting the effect of light, the relativity of color, and plane changes on a surface described with color!  Explore the principles of painting the total effect of light on objects! Gain a better understanding of value, temperature and saturation in masses of color! 

This two day workshop investigates the color palette developed by Nelson Shanks, the world-renown artist who painted Princess Diana and Pope John Paul II. Nelson’s palette, developed from his years of experience and training, is used and taught at Studio Incamminati, the school founded by Nelson and Leona Shanks.  Learn more at StudioIncamminati.org.

This workshop is appropriate for all levels of students who can put the basic shape of an object on a canvas.  The class will be working in oils, but individuals working with acrylic are welcome.

The first workshop is NOT required to take the second. Toned canvases will be provided. Materials list available upon registration.

Carolyn Gabbe is a graduate of the Studio Incammianti four year professional program and teacher training program.  She has shown work in juried shows and galleries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine and New Mexico including the The Ellarslie Open at Trenton City Museum, Freeman’s Gallery, The Union League Club in Philadelphia, New Hope Arts,, The Comcast Center Gallery, the Philadelphia Sketch Club, Avery Gallery in Radnor, PA, Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, River Arts, Kefauver Gallery, Boothbay Regional Art Foundation, Harlow Gallery,  and Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.  She has been juried into membership at Oil Painters of America and the Philadelphia Sketch Club.  She is a member of the Portrait Society of America and American Women Artists. 

 

• Materials:
  Brushes: several new bristle filberts and extra long filberts, in a variety of sizes
• Wooden palette (if you use glass, please have a medium value gray underneath)
• Palette knife (flexible, with a long tip)
• Hat or visor for shielding eyes from any glare
• Paper towels (Viva recommended)
• Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) or Gamsol (please, no turpentine)
• Stand oil or linseed oil or Gamblin Galkyd gel, which ever you prefer
• Containers with lids, for medium and OMS
• Small trash bag for used paper towels
• Toned canvases will be provided.

• Pigments: Please get artist, not student, grade paints and not “hue” 
• Burnt Sienna
• Alizarin Crimson Permanent
• Permanent Rose 
• Perylene Red
• Cadmium Red Deep
• Cadmium Red
• Cadmium Scarlet
• Cadmium Orange 
• Indian Yellow (Winsor & Newton)
• Raw Sienna 
• Cadmium Yellow Deep
• Cadmium Yellow Light or Lemon
• Cadmium Green Pale (Winsor & Newton)
• Cadmium Green Light (Vasari – sample provided if you want to try before purchasing)
• Viridian
• Pthalo Green
• Pthalo Turquiose
• Cerulean Blue
• Cobalt Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Dioxazine Purple
• Quinacridone Magenta 
• Titanium White
• Cremnitz or lead white (optional)

Please be ready to start on time.  As it can take 15-20 minutes to set up, plan to arrive early.  Please have the materials listed.  Please turn off cell phones or put them on silent. 

Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes, as I strongly encourage painters to stand as much as possible so they can more easily observe their progress.

 

 

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Watercolor Journaling

Instructor: Sandi Cirillo

June 8  ~  Saturday  ~  9:30-noon

Members:  $ 40   /  Non-members:  $ 45 

An additional $8.00 materials fee is payable to instructor  

Learn about watercolor journaling and capturing memories on paper using pen and ink and watercolors. The class will first spend some time honing drawing skills and then learn about the properties of watercolor painting. Soon your watercolor journals will be filled with pictures of the world around you.

Class is open to ages 15 and above. Bring photos of favorite places to incorporate into your journals. All materials will be supplied by instructor.

 

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Group Critique

Instructor: John Lorence

Beginning April 30 

• Mondays for 6 bi- weekly sessions until July 8
  

• 1:30 pm to 4 pm

Members $150  /  Non-members $165

This is an every other week forum allowing individuals to have their work reviewed constructively.  We will be considering composition, color, structure and technique.  Bring paintings, prints, drawings and / or sculpture – up to one or two pieces maximum for each meeting.

John will provide a list of words we will often use to help us navigate an individual’s work.

“We will only make references to the object you present before the group.  This is not an analysis of the individual maker.  This must be understood. The maker can agree or disagree with what is said about the maker’s work.  There can only be constructive references!!!  There can be no malice.  We all gain from what is speculated upon: we all gain from what we will participate in.  Activity neutral.  A safe place.”

John Lorence is well known to the members of River Arts for his own works of painting and sculpture.  He has a broad experience of teaching, creating and exhibiting art in Maine and abroad in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  He has had extensive studies in design, sculpture, painting and archeology at Case Western, Parsons School of Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge School of Design, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and Oxford University.  His broad knowledge of art, his years of instructing college level courses, as well as his own excursion into multiple mediums have given him a unique ability to conduct insightful and thought provoking critiques so that students working at all levels may benefit from participating.

 

 

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DROP IN and PAINT!  Mondays!

Open Studio morning for painters.  Each Monday this drop in group will begin at 10:00 and end around 12:30.  We are asking for a $5.00 donation for the gallery. The fee will be paid at the time of your arrival.  All levels of ability are invited.  You will work on your own painting projects. Bring your own supplies.

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Ceramic Studio Monthly 

The studio is open from 12:00 until 4:30 pm Monday thru Friday.   Join the ongoing  group!

A two-hour class is offered every Wednesday from 1PM until 3PM. The three basic methods of hand building with clay are pinch, slab and coil. We will explore all of these, both alone and in combination, to create both functional and decorative items. You will also learn basic glazing techniques. Use of the studio at other times must be done with the approval of the River Arts Director.

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