The Heart of Painting: A Week-long Master Class

A painting is a field of visual forces. Over time, practice grows into mastery of the foundational elements of successful painting. Tangible skills like drawing, composition, color mixing and brushwork come together with the intangible, the meaning. How do we explain compelling works by artists with little or no skill? What inner process could bring depth to our painting? How might you paint as freely as a bird sings or as patiently as a riverbed rests? This five-day class is for experienced painters. Any subject. Any style. Any painting medium. Any process. You are skilled already. Now what?

A Northwest native, Jef Gunn studied drawing and painting in California through the 1970s and held residencies in Barcelona and Paris in the 1980s, and since the mid 1990s has engaged in a passionate study of Asian art and related world views. With a balance of humor, broad knowledge and helpful insight, he is able to draw from each student their own natural way to paint, while bringing to bear practical instruction through contemporary and historical examples, from most periods and world perspectives. He's been teaching for 24 years.

• You already have a developed way of working, so we will each work with our own media. Any medium. Any process. Any subject. Almost any scale. We will find your leading edge, and you’ll work that edge. Bring whatever you need for your current way of working. Also come prepared to expand on that, or to limit it if that turns out to be your challenge.

• There are easels and tables in the studio. There’s a floor but no walls to work on.

• Media can include oils, acrylics, water-based media, charcoal or graphite drawing, ink, collage, encaustic. (We can accommodate up to two encaustic painters. For encaustic painters please communicate with me ahead of the class.)

• My own materials for my painting process

• Slide shows

• Handouts of inspiring readings

• Online critique and review platform

• A big heart