Looking for more space to spread out and work on a project? Or maybe you want to work amongst other artists to feel inspired and get some helpful feedback on your work. Join other local artists any time between 9am-12pm, for Open Studio. Please pay $10 cash at the door. Bring all supplies you need to use, NRAS has easels available. 

No registration, drop in only, cash or check.

Enliven and strengthen your paintings by creatively simplifying design and pushing color. Whether you are a realist, expressionist or abstract artist, composition is the most important fundamental of visual art.

“Composition really is King." Design a more appealing painting by working out and focusing on composition first. You’ll learn to creatively simplify and lose needless details.

When happy with your well-thought-out design it is time to experiment with color harmonies, both analytically and intuitively to transition, lead the eye, set mood, and establish overall cohesiveness.

All levels welcome.

Material list to follow.

About the Instructor: Barb Chaisson

Barbara Chaisson is an award winning acrylic and mixed media painter with an upbeat sense of color and design. She enjoys painting all things coastal New England - especially the sailing activity surrounding the Boston Harbor Islands.

After capturing a scene plein air she returns to her studio to add the line and collage work.

She received her formal training at Massachusetts College of Art & Design, earning a B.F.A. in Design. she spent many years as an Art Director and Designer in Boston's advertising industry. Her work won awards for clients including AT&T, American Express, Bose, Dunkin Brands, IBM and McDonalds.

Her art direction and design background is evident throughout her paintings.

Her work is a balance of bold color harmonies paired with strong compositions.

Barbara is a Gallery Artist at Cape Cod Art Center in Barnstable and South Shore Art Center in Cohasset. She is a member of North River Arts Society, Plymouth Center for the Arts, Duxbury Art Association and Hull Artists. Her work can also be found at Expressions Contemporary Craft & Fine Art in Scituate.

Materials List: to be provided in next coming weeks. 

Get into the holiday spirit with our Painting Holiday Trees Workshop! Join us for a creative and festive experience where you'll learn how to paint beautiful holiday trees that will add a touch of magic to your seasonal decor.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced painter, this workshop is designed to cater to all skill levels. 

Bring a photo or two of your tree from past years or Kelley will have some images for you to choose from! We'll explore different color palettes and styles, allowing you to personalize your holiday trees to match your unique aesthetic. Our instructor will be on hand to offer individualized guidance and tips, ensuring that you leave with a masterpiece you'll be proud to display in your home.

Not only will you leave with a beautiful piece of art, but you'll also take away newfound skills and confidence in your painting abilities. This workshop is perfect for individuals, friends, families, and couples looking to spend quality time together while creating something special for the holiday season. Supplies available from instructor or bring your own acrylics. 

The best way to learn how to paint portraits is to practice - and there is no more readily available model than yourself! In this course we will find inspiration in the self-portraits of artists that have come before us, explore creative color mixing strategies to maintain vibrancy in our palettes, learn portrait drawing strategies, and create a self portrait. The aim is to jump courageously into the subject matter, release perfectionism, feel the freedom and joy within the possibilities of color, and to spend some time in mindful self-reflection.

Throughout the workshop, you’ll receive personalized feedback and guidance to help you develop your skills and confidence. By the end of the day, you’ll have a completed self-portrait that captures your unique presence and personality.

About the Instructor: Lauren Karjala

Lauren Karjala is a figurative painter based in Newmarket, NH. Her paintings incorporate figures and symbolism to reveal dreamlike, autobiographical narratives that blur the line between memory and imagination. She received a BFA in painting from the University of New Hampshire in 2014. Lauren has been exhibited widely throughout New England, and her work has been featured in three issues of Vanity Fair UK (2022) and the I Like Your Work Podcast Catalog (2023).

Materials List:

Paint - I will be going over traditional oil paint as well as water-soluble oil paint. Traditional oil paint is thinned in odorless mineral spirits, which releases fumes that require a well-ventilated room. Water-soluble oil paint can be thinned in water, and is preferable if you will be painting for long stretches in a small or enclosed space.

Brands:
Traditional Oils: Gamblin, Windsor and Newton
Water-Soluble Oil Paint: Windsor and Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oils Recommended Palette (Small or 37ml Tubes)
***Please have these colors or similar. The rest are optional. You may also bring an introductory set of colors to the class and I will help you use what you have. Feel free to reach out with any questions

Reds:
Burnt Sienna ***
Cadmium Red (Medium or Light) ***
Quinacridone

Red Yellows:
Yellow Ochre ***
Cadmium Yellow Light (or Lemon Yellow)
Cadmium Yellow Medium***
Indian Yellow

Green:
Viridian***
Sap Green

Blue:
Ultramarine Blue***
Cerulean Blue

Purple:
Quinacridone Violet (or Magenta) ***
Dioxazine Purple ***

Neutrals:
Titanium White ***
Burnt Umber ***

IMPORTANT: I want you to choose at least 2-3 additional “fun” colors - when you look at the list of available paint colors, what non-traditional colors speak to you? Radiant Blue? Cadmium Chartreuse? Select some colors that draw your eye to incorporate into your painting and make it your own. 

Hog Bristle Brushes - quality does not matter. Try to avoid the soft and synthetic style of brushes. You want them to have some tooth. Brush sets are recommended so that you can try varying sizes and shapes to see what you like best. For example, https://www.dickblick.com/items/winsor-newton-winton-hog-bristle-brushes-set-4-pkg-of-5/

Don’t go too small! We will be keeping it loose.

Palette - Paper tear off palette, 9x12 or larger, or a piece of glass painted white on the underside.

Palette Knife - medium trowel https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-painting-knife-78-x-2-34-painting-style-30-/

Brush Cleaning Jar https://www.dickblick.com/products/silicoil-brush-cleaning-tank/

Second Glass Jar (recycled from the kitchen)

Rags or Paper Towels

Apron

Drawing implement - I recommend bringing a set of watercolor pencils to create washes with, but you can bring a regular pencil or colored pencils, or non-permanent markers.

Painting surface of your choice.Primed canvas, primed panel, or primed paper. I would recommend the size to be at least 8x10” but encourage you to go larger if you desire!

Reference: There are a few different ways to approach self-portraiture, and I encourage you to explore whatever method you feel the most comfortable with. Many traditional portraits were done from life in a mirror. So if you’d like to go the most traditional (and most challenging) route, bring a small mirror on a stand with you. Personally, I like to work from reference photos to allow myself to focus on creative color, rather than spend so much time and energy tweaking a drawing. Having a subject that doesn’t move is valuable in this way. If you take a photo and bring it with you, have fun with the light sources! Point an artificial light at one side of your face, and natural light on the other side of your face. Or even a colored lightbulb! Get creative! Please avoid toothy smiles. Trust me on this one! Your mouth closed with a slight smile will still produce a pleasant result. Or pick a different facial expression, just no visible teeth. You can bring a printed photo with you, at least 8x10”, or bring a tablet with the image loaded onto it. I usually look at reference photos from my iPad. 

You are about to fall in love with acrylic gouache and a very different way of approaching painting! Acrylic Gouache is a versatile medium that is easy to set up and take into the field. You only need water for thinning and clean up. How delightful is that? Basic introductory information about how to best use this medium will be covered. Students will be guided through exercises to gain competence in Suzette’s technique and methods of painting florals and gardens. Studies will be done on paper. The results are surprisingly engaging. Methods translate well to watercolor and acrylic painting. Join us to take risks, and explore the wow of this under appreciated medium.

Students can bring photo references of their summer gardens or Suzette will provide from floral arrangements and reference photos if you don't have one.

About the Instructor: Suzette Lebenzon

Suzette Lebenzon has painted since her childhood in Scituate, MA. She has kept a studio and shown in galleries most of her adult life. Her home and studio are in Wellfleet.

Suzette was a recipient of the Mass Cultural Council’s Unrestricted Artists’ Grants. In 2023, Suzette was inducted to the National Association of Women Artists, as a Signature Member. Her work has been curated into shows at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, the Scollay Square Gallery in Boston’s City Hall, and the Galatea Fine Art Gallery in SOWA.

She is represented by the  AMZehnder Gallery in Wellfleet, MA; and the BBLG Gallery in Smithtown, NY.

Materials List:

1. A variety of brushes like: Princeton Real Value Brush Set - 9153, Golden Taklon, Short Handle, Set of 6 -Item #:06223-9153 at Blick’s  ( bring your own assortment too!)
2. Your paint palette or paper palette OR: Masterson Sta-Wet Premier Palette, Item #: 03029-0000 at Blick’s 
3. Water container
4. paper towels

    5.  Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board Pads, 11x14, 20 sheets

    6.  Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache - Set of 12, 12 ml Tubes

         Item #:00811-1012 at Blick’s 

    7.  Print out photos of a garden bed or have on your iPad.  I will supply   

         also. I’ve got you covered. Don’t stress, if you have nothing. 

Do you want to explore your creative side? Do you want to experiment with colors without fear of making a mistake? Come join me in this easy, magical, and relaxing adventure into the world of freedom and creativity, after which you will get a masterpiece created by your own hands.

We aren’t going to learn how to paint or try complex techniques but observe how the paint lives and reacts on the fabric, directing it wherever our imagination wants the paint to go. During this master class, you will tap into your creativity and grow your unique Flower, a symbol of feminine beauty and divine blessing.

We will be working for 2.5 – 3 hours in a small group. The maximum number of participants is 12 people. You don’t need to bring anything. All necessary materials will be provided.

Looking forward to painting on silk with you!

About the Instructor: Lidia Mikhaylova is an abstract artist inspired by the simple beauties of everyday life. Her work ranges from sensual artwork and still life to fine floral paintings. The elegance, playfulness, and depth of her work are demonstrated through rich, vivid colors composed on silk fabric, with oil or watercolor paintings and pastel drawings. Her creative facilitation creates a space where participants can truly tap into their natural creativity to help bring it out to the surface.

·Lidia is a highly creative artist and art facilitator with more than seven years of professional experience delivering visual art classes in the areas of painting.

·In 3 years, Lidia has conducted over 70 different workshops in art studios, public libraries, educational centers, and private and corporate events among people of all ages.

·Lidia’s work has been featured in international art festivals, Art Hole Magazine, A5 Magazine, and art galleries from Brooklyn, NY to Laguna Beach, CA.

·Lidia is the winner of the Billboard Contest 2022, and her work has been featured on the billboard in Sacramento, CA.