SM081 Painting Studio: March/April

Paris is a fabulous place to study painting.  This class draws on the riches of the Orsay Museum and the Centre Pompidou to inspire and instruct a variety of painting approaches and techniques.  Gauguin’s luminous color, Cezanne’s brush stroke, and the spatial twists and turns of a Braque still life are a few examples.  Painting enhances your understanding of color and composition.  It solicits your imagination as it engages you with the beauty of the world around you.

Exercises will include:

• Mixing pigments to achieve harmonious color compositions
• Rendering light and shade and painting transparent glazes
• Studies from paintings on display in Paris galleries and museums
• Observing and painting color from nature
• Exploring paint and color as a form of self-expression

This course is designed for those who:

• Enjoy color and want to learn more about how it works
• Appreciate paintings and want to understand color and composition
• Seek a creative experience in a supportive group atmosphere
• Wish to enhance their visual perception

Course requirements

No experience in drawing is necessary.  Just bring your curiosity and willingness to experiment.  Acrylic paints and paper are supplied.  A list of other materials and the addresses of Paris art supply stores will be offered at the first class meeting.

About the instructor

Prior to settling in Paris, Jan Olsson was awarded the Professional Fellowship in Painting from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.  Her paintings have been exhibited in Paris’ most competitive juried exhibitions and are included in both private and museum collections.  Visit her professional website and teaching blog.

Image credit: Jan Olsson