The figurative and still life workshops in Richmond, BC were a great experience for me and, I hope, for the painters who attended.
Two days were spent painting the clothed figure - many thanks to our inspiring model, Amy - and two days were devoted to still life. Painters came from as far away as Tennessee, New York, Jasper, Osoyoos, and Calgary, as well as from the Vancouver area. That meant great conversations in the classroom and over shared meals in some of the restaurants in the vicinity of the workshop venue. And yes, the venue had a lot of Rotary Club paraphernalia, but it was great despite the busy walls. We were in a functions room in a historic hotel, the Steveston, which also contains a pub (The Buck and Ear), a cafe, and a liquor store. Really, you don't need anything else!
Despite the varied subject matter, I found that the recurring themes of the workshops were largely the same: composition, paint layering, edges, tone, color temperature and color interaction. These things concern me no matter what I'm painting, and, in fact, I find subject matter subordinate to them. I've seen stunning paintings with mundane subjects like cutlery, and boring paintings with exciting subjects like beautiful women. My aim is always directed at the former.
Thanks to the great painters who gave their all in these workshops and to the Federation of Canadian Artists for hosting them.
Happy painting!
