Earth|Marks

The overall aim of this workshop is to encourage intuitive, direct, and indirect ways of approaching the landscape while enjoying the freedom to experiment with paint and mark-making. We will also explore some unconventional tools that will add a magical alchemy to what is observed and translated onto the working surface. Participants emerge with a small body of work made up of sketchbook studies and works on paper/board, opening up unlimited possibilities and providing inspiration for their painting practice going forward. Join us in this transformative experience, where the landscape becomes a canvas for unrestricted creativity and a springboard for ongoing artistic inspiration.

Professional artist Sondra Holtzman’s artwork reflects musings of travel, afar and close to home. She leads painting explorations all over the world, including Europe, South America and the South Pacific.

After attending Rhode Island School of Design, Sondra worked as a freelance designer, creating artwork for clients like Nike and Delta Air Lines. Her work has been published in 1000 Artist Journal Pages and Signatures: The Art Journal Collection by Somerset Studio.

For Sondra, the true joy of being an artist also lies in the sharing of her passion with others, helping them to discover their own artistic voice.

Any landscape images you like, including ones in black and white

Acrylic Inks in the colors of your choice. Recommended: A blue, a yellow, red, black and white. Also: Payne’s Gray, Indigo, Sepia, Burnt Umber, Antelope Brown. I love FW Daler Rowney acrylic inks.

Small set of artist grade watercolors; I like the ones in half pans. Two water cups and a terry cloth washrag for blotting brushes

Charcoal: vine, compressed and a jar of charcoal powder (Raven Powders, get on Amazon)

Small container of  either white gesso or Liquitex Acrylic paint in white

Bottle of Bleed Proof White from Dr. Ph. Martins

2-3 Gessoboards or Aquaboards made by Ampersand in the size of your choice. No larger than 8 x 10"

I recommend Gessoboard.

One - Two sheets of Arches HOT PRESS watercolor paper and a board to tape them down on. I highly recommend Arches Watercolor Paper, 140lb HOT PRESS 22 x 30" available from John Neal Booksellers. $11.95 per sheet. This can be cut down into smaller pieces in the sizes of your choice before the workshop.

A watercolor sketchbook: 8 x 10" is a good size. Spiral sketchbooks are great for this class.

2 binder clips to hold sketchbook pages open while painting

Brushes: 1/4"  & 1/8" flat synthetic brush, rigger brush (size 1), Black Gold 311 size 0 round synthetic watercolor brush or a size 8 and 10 round synthetic brush, 1/2" bristle brush at Ace, any old beat up brushes you might have

Erasers: Kneaded and white silicone

Pair of small sharp scissors

Dip pen

A roll of blue painter’s tape or artist tape

A small packet or a box of Kleenex tissues

Micron pen (I like size .03 in Black)

Ball point pen (I recommend the Pilot G-2 series, Size 0.38

Pencils: A mechanical pencil, 2B pencil and a graphite stick if you have one

An Xacto knife or a scalpel with a sharp blade for carving a mark making tool

Small spray bottles (these must be returned to me)

Samples of different paper surfaces

Plastic 6-well palettes (these must be returned to me)

Roll of plastic wrap

I will bring my 2 scalpels and a few extra blades and a cone of string

Small containers for holding the India ink

Large bottle of India ink

Charcoal powder/plastic lids or containers for this/spoon

Images/photographs

Plastic plates

Cotton string

Handout