Make art that lights you up and carries meaning. No experience required!
Express yourself through abstract watercolor painting. In this class, you’ll learn how to summon your creativity while you make friends with your analytical side too. Access your flow and learn a creative process that you can easily repeat at home in just a few minutes per day.
Skill Level All levels | Ages 14+
Cost General $150 | NUMU Members $125
Materials Included
Location Fully outside workshop at Los Gatos Pageant Park
*All participants must show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test the day of the workshop to be able to participate.
NUMU is excited to partner again with Santa Cruz based artist, Luz Donahue. In 2020, Luz held a wonderful in-person workshop at NUMU introducing students to abstract expressionism. Luz’ work was recently featured in our exhibition, Art in the Time of Corona. We love working with Luz and are excited for this special summer workshop outside.
Many people are intimidated by abstract painting, but Mark Rothko believed that we should start fine art education with modernism. Why? He believed all it took to make good art was emotional intensity. To look at modern abstract art and to say, "a child could have done this" is to pay the artist the highest of compliments. You see, abstract art removes a subject and focuses on the feelings the artist has while making. So when we look at good abstract art we might feel pieces of the emotion left on the canvas. It's mostly not about technique but about unlearning all the things the world puts on you that make expressing yourself less automatic and natural.
We forget in our culture that creation and analysis are fundamentally *different* cognitive processes. We criticize ourselves out of the space our mind and heart need to be in to make beauty. If we can focus on remaining in a space of creation and only very consciously move to analysis with compassion, we can transcend our inner critic. This is what intuitive abstract paintings teach us. When you leave this workshop, you will have a piece of work that will look sophisticated and mysterious to others. They may feel something and not know why exactly. To you, it will be an object honoring your most deeply joyful and fulfilled moments.
In this workshop, we will:
learn how abstract art works
learn how to create abstract paintings from inspiration
create an abstract painting from an memory
let go and discover your artistic voice
learn how to make several paintings at the same time
learn to remove creative blocks to expression
get comfortable and confident using watercolor paints
The following supplies are included:
watercolor
inks
metallic paints
watercolor paper
brushes
You can bring:
openness to playfully exploring the material
a willingness to let go of expectations
frisket Pens, watercolor brushes or water soluble paints (do not bring acrylic as we will be outdoors without easy access to a sink)
You will go home with:
Several abstract watercolor paintings made by you!
A fun materials kit you can play with for a long, long time.
A process you can repeat easily at home to create your own expressive abstract art in a series with just a few minutes a day.
*All class fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. A minimum registration of 5 students is required to offer this workshop. If the minimum requirement is not met, you will receive a cancellation notice one week before the program date.
