Previous TPS Workshops

Aline Ordman - Pastel Simplification and So Much More!

3/16/2019

March 14-16, 2019

Thank you, Aline, for a fantastic workshop. Working from our own photos, we learned how to simplify an image to enhance the composition, clarity and color technique. The photos show her 3 day demos that were just breath-taking.

Hola Aline,

What a great workshop!!! I learned so much….have a hero; work top to bottom; hold the pastel with three fingers; simplify…simplify; use charcoal for first stage, block in colors, then refine; suggest forms; eliminate clutter….and much more. You are such an accomplished artist and excellent teacher. Thank you for coming all the way out to Tucson…perhaps San Miguel next???

Lorie Topinka (Attendee and member from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico)

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Christine Ivers - Nightscapes

11/11/2018

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November 8-10, 2018

Thank you, Christine Ivers, for a fabulous workshop. The workshop focused on Christine’s graphing technique that you can use with nightscapes or any complicated scene and how colors respond on the black surface. Everyone made their own surface with black gatorboard and Art Spectrum Colorfix Pastel and Multimedium Primer.

Chris is so generous and shares her knowledge of art, pastel and photography freely. Everyone learned so much and had such a good time!!

The photos at the left are the projects from the workshop. Some are finished, and some need additional work in the studio. All attendees were impressed with their ability to now create the proper perspective for building and complicated vistas.

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Liz Haywood-Sullivan Workshop

3/14/2018

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Mountains and Skies of Arizona in Pastel

Mar 8-10, 2018

Mountains and Skies was a fabulous three-day workshop with an outstanding instructor. The first day, we used photographic images of skies to create a pastel/alcohol underpainting by ‘seeing’ what the photograph hides. On day two, we ventured to Rio Vista Park on Tucson Ave. for a plein air event where Liz taught us to use a viewfinder to choose a scene to paint. We created a thumbnail sketch of the scene and then did a value drawing of the scene on our paper using charcoal. In the afternoon, we added pastel to our charcoal image and the results were amazing. Since the values were already determined it was great fun to just add color. On the third day, we worked with photographic images of mountains and skies, using all of the techniques we learned in the first two days. With endless energy and enthusiasm, Liz shared her process for creating art. She is truly a remarkable instructor and a wonderful person. Thank you so much, Liz!

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Dawn Emerson - Pastel Innovations

1/18/2018

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Jan 8 - 12, 2018

Pastel Innovations: was an intense, fast paced and fun workshop that will changed the way we think about layering imagery, creating backgrounds, drawing, and incorporation non-traditional tools and techniques into our pastel painting. Dawn had many guided exercises and mini demos will provided us with maximum time to work, share information, and inspire each other. Dawns new book, "Pastel Innovations, " was the text book for the class. Great inspiration!

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Christine Debrosky

3/10/2017

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Capturing the Light - Field to Studio Workshop

Mar 2 - 4, 2017

The first day was spent at beautiful Tohono Chul Park learning how to simplify the landscape by focusing on the light and shadow patterns and gathering reference material. Then we spent the next two days painting in our building from field sketches and photos. We discussed how to edit and modify reference material. We worked on identifying the color and quality of light and may other aspects of working from field studies.

Thank you so much, Christine, for a wonderful workshop.

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Richard McKinley

11/27/2016

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March 10 - 12, 2016

The workshop focused on field sketching and on underpainting with dry pastel, watercolor and impasto. This was not a class to finish paintings but to get a better understanding of how to start a painting with many creative ways. Richard gave us two ways to create the impression of impasto yet retain a stable final pastel surface. This technique gives your painting interesting texture. Where watercolor underpaintings give a serendipity approach to your application of pastel, impasto requires advance thought to the placement of the buildup of the acrylic gritted gesso.
Richard is an amazing instructor and everyone taking this workshop went back to their daily painting with an abundance of new ideas and techniques.
Thank you, Richard, for this opportunity to learn from a master!

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Dawn Emerson Workshop

3/29/2016

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March 24-26, 2016

This 3 day workshop opened up a whole new world for us and introduced us to new ways of thinking about our subjects. Dawn is a great teacher with lots of charisma and lot of of patience. She did a few demonstrations, helped each student one on one, showed us some new tools and we all left with a lot of new ideas on how to approach art.

The first day we practiced how to balance composition with a focus on the basic elements of design including: line, shape, value, edges, texture, space & color. We did a cubist drawing, then by modifying one element, it threw off the principles of design including: balance, unity, variety, contrast, emphasis, rhythm, movement (or direction), pattern, proportion (scale), which then had be readjusted. It was a great lesson on design because all of the elements affect each other and need to be carefully balanced..

The second day we were introduced to monoprints and created some of our own. Some were introduced to the basic vocabulary, techniques and materials used to create monoprints, while others already familiar with monoprints came to see it in a new light, using it as a pastel under-painting. The monoprint drawings were all in black and white but they gave us a wonderful value map and a lot of added texture that enhanced our pastel paintings.

The third day Dawn did a few demos, she approaches her paintings with an energy that is full of life and movement. She gave individual attention to each student and we were inspired to play. We left invigorated and now have a new way to approach making art!

dawnemerson.com

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Phil Starke Workshop

12/9/2015

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Thank you, Phil, for a great workshop. All students came away with a better understanding of value, temperature and shadow patterns. Our work has definitely improved with your instruction.

The workshop focused on the importance of "seeing" as an artist and not as a camera. Simplifying values, shapes and color so that the painting works as a whole and not individual details.

Dec 2-4, 2015

starkestudio@gmail.com

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Deb Steinberg

11/15/2015

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Thank you, Deb for an informative and exciting workshop. Most members were out of their comfort zones but will look at their art with a different vision in the future.

The composition of a work of art, when stripped to its essence, is an abstraction. Learning to think abstractly can improve your design skills. In this workshop you will participate in a series of exercises to help you think abstractly. This new knowledge can help improve your compositions, regardless of subject matter.

Deb teaches at the Drawing Studio.

http://www.thedrawingstudiotds.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SteinbergDeb.pdf

November 14, 2015

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Doug Dawson

4/30/2015

Thank you, Doug and Sue, for a wonderful three days. Attendees came away with new ways of working with pastels.

On the first day, Doug demonstrated working from a black and white thumbnail. On the second day, he introduced the color thumbnail, and talked throughout the workshop about massing shapes, applying intense color, contrast, composition, edges, and so much more. The third day was spent applying all of the new techniques.

As usual, all that attended are ready to get busy at our easels and use all that they learned.

DougDawsonArtist.com

April 16 - 18, 2014

Lee McVey

10/31/2014

October 31 - November 2, 2014

The Tucson Pastels Society members that attended Lee McVey's workshop were treated to three days of fun, fantastic instruction, and studies that expanded our pastel knowledge.

The first day, Lee demonstrated using an under painting with the foundation colors of the painting. The second day, her demonstration was without an under painting. Concept, shapes, values, simultaneous contrast, emotion and so much more were discussed throughout the workshop.

The third day, her demonstration was on the study of clouds with a bright red under painting. This pushed all students out of their comfort zones but with spectacular results.

We all left the workshop excited and ready to paint using new techniques and all that Lee shared with the group.

Thank You, Lee, for the wonderful instruction and a fun three days!

http://leemcvey.com

Richard McKinley

2/1/2014

Richard McKinley has been a professional working artist for 38 years and has over 35 years of teaching experience. In 2010 he participated in the American Masters Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC and was inducted into The Pastel Society of America’s Hall of Fame at the National Arts Club in NYC. His work is represented in several national galleries and is in the permanent collection of the Butler Institute of American Art Museum. He is a frequent contributing editor for the Pastel Journal Magazine. An avid plein air painter, Richard divides his time between painting the locations he is passionate about, reinterpreting those paintings back in the studio, writing about art matters, and instructing workshops.

March 10 - 14, 2014

McKinleyStudio.com

Stephanie Birdsall

2/1/2011

Stephanie Birdsall received her training at the City and Guilds of London Art School in England. She holds a signature membership in the Pastel Society of America (PSA), the Pastel Society of Connecticut, the Pastel Society of New Mexico, the Plein Air Society of Florida and the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters. She is also a member of the Salmagundi Club, the National Association of Women Artists, Women Artists of the West, OPA, and the tucson Plein Air Painter's Society.

March 17 - 19 2011

StephanieBirdsall.com

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