Cozy Nest in Acrylics - with Julie Kaldenhoven - Registration open to the public

Workshop: Cozy Nest in Acrylics...with Julie Kaldenhoven

When: March 30, 2024

Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm

Place:  St. Albert Place, Painting Studio

We will create a cozy bird’s nest acrylic painting using a loose and multi-layered approach and a bit of collage and dry media. Starting with brief practice exercises in depicting light and shadow using a reductive technique, we will then proceed to create some interesting texture on our painting surface.

This will be followed by a demonstration of how to loosely block in basic shapes using glazing medium, working quickly to add and remove areas of colour and establish an overall tonal composition. I will also show how I might proceed to build up layers using washes/glazes, gestural mark-making, and negative space painting using a limited colour palette.

In this workshop you will be able to practice:

• ·         a looser approach to painting with acrylics
• ·         “reductive” techniques to quickly block in your composition and subject
• ·         working with a limited colour palette to avoid “mud”
• ·         using glazes and/or washes to achieve depth
• ·         using medium to aid with blending
• ·         taking a few risks with your work

This workshop will give you a solid starting point for painting in more of an intuitive than a “follow me” approach, so come with a playful and open mind, ready to experiment and get a bit messy!

      Materials List

 Materials List for Cozy Nest in Acrylics.pdf

• PAINT:  Heavy-body Acrylic paints. I use the following Golden colours for the best results:
•     Transparent Brown Iron Oxide*
•     Burnt Sienna
•     Payne’s Grey
•     Burnt Umber
•     Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold*
•     Titanium White
•     Additional colours: Cadmium red (or hue), Cadmium yellow (medium or dark), Sap Green, “warm” blue (Cerulean or Phthalo)

Note:  Colours marked with an * are intensely pigmented transparent formulations that make beautiful glazes. You can substitute with similar colours in Amsterdam or Galleria brands, but results will vary. Consider splitting some supplies with other participants if you don’t want to invest in a certain product.

SUBSTRATE(s)

•     Cradled and gessoed birch panel or stretched canvas – minimum size 12 x 12 please. Cradled panel is preferred for stability when collaging, but stretched canvas can be used
•     1 – 2 Small 5x7 canvas panels OR any gessoed paper or canvas paper for practice exercises.

BRUSHES

•     Flat brush at about 1 inch wide.
•     Various sizes round, filbert and flat brushes.
•     A 1”-2” foam brush for collaging.
•     Palette knife and/or small bits of cut up mat board for scraping & moving paint around.

OTHER MEDIA/SUPPLIES

•     Charcoal pencils or sticks, HB or softer pencils.
•     Palette of your choosing (the larger the better for fast colour mixing). If you work in acrylics often, a larger size Sta-Wet palette (and the sponge/paper that goes in it) is great for keeping paints wet for a long time. Here is a link that shows how to make a similar one with things you probably have at home:  This $0 Stay Wet Palette is a MUST for painters (youtube.com).
•     Water bucket, rags, spray bottle for water, paint shirt/apron, gloves
•     Copyright-free photos of nests with eggs. I will have some if you don’t.
•     Paper and pen for taking notes.
•     Lunch, snacks, drinks, etc.

Instructor will supply:

•     Liquitex Acrylic Glazing Liquid
•     Clear acrylic medium for collage
•     Tissue paper
•     Photos of nests with eggs
•     Some mark-making tools

I am a visual artist and art instructor with over 30 years of artmaking experience and 20+ years teaching workshops through public gallery and community art programs as well as school residencies in and around the city. I currently juggle being the Spirited Art Director at Robertson Wesley United Church, working with the Night of Artists Gallery in Bonnie Doon, and helping paint community and school murals for the Mural Mosaic/Global Roots team.

I love to experiment with a wide range of art making materials and techniques and enjoy inspiring others to explore their own creativity. I have a Fine Art Diploma (with Distinction) from Grant MacEwan as well as a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta.

Although primarily an acrylic painter, I also like to dabble with encaustics, digital photography manipulation and most recently have been working on a 3D art mask series. Themes are varied, but I often return to birds, nests and portraits/ figures. I prefer to work quickly and intuitively, letting the work decide where it wants to go next.

You can see my work on Instagram at @juliekaldenhovenart or on Facebook at Artwork by Julie Kaldenhoven.