Curious to find out how you can master writing about your art? It is an industry-standard that artists must often provide context for their work through an artist statement for art prize applications. Join us on the 9th of May 2024 for an exclusive online masterclass designed for artists, "Crafting Compelling Art Prize Applications and Artist Statements." Hosted by Karen van Hoey Smith, Art Director, this masterclass is a valuable opportunity to gain insights from renowned panellists Karen Turner, Dubel Art Prize Finalist, and Josephine Zentner, Jackson's Art Prize winner.

Karen Turner
Karen Turner is an award-winning figure and portrait artist whose oil paintings are a commentary on the weight of expectations. Focusing on the physical body and the scrutiny to which it is commonly subjected, her paintings explore what society expects of a woman, the ways in which a woman’s shape is often considered to define her, and the impact that this has on her life and sense of self.
Karen was the winner of the VAA Professional Artist Award in 2022 and is currently one of ten finalists for The Dubel Emerging Artist of the Year Prize. She was awarded the President’s Prize by the Institute of East Anglian Artists and has been a finalist in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, the Holly Bush Emerging Woman Painter Prize and the Theo Paphitis Art Prize. She exhibits with The Other Art Fair and has recently held her first solo show in London with Red Eight Gallery.
Josephine Zentner
Josephine Zentner is the Art Prize and Gallery Coordinator at Jackson's. She produces the annual international competition that attracts thousands of entries per year, resulting in two London exhibitions of shortlisted works. Being a practicing artist herself, Josephine offers first hand insight on submitting art to competitions.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Refine Your Art Prize Applications: Learn how to craft compelling and impactful art prize applications that catch the attention of award juries and grant committees.
2. Master the Art of Writing Artist Statements: Understand the nuances of writing artist statements that effectively communicate your artistic vision, process, and unique voice.
3. Gain Insights from Industry Experts: Benefit from the experience and expertise of our esteemed panellists as they share tips, examples, and best practices from their successful art prize journeys.
Who Is This Masterclass For:
o Artists at any level of their career
o Artists who struggle to communicate the meaning behind their artwork
o Artists looking for professional opportunities
o Artists who want to know if their prize/exhibition applications are up to scratch
Registration:
Secure your spot by registering for this enriching masterclass. Premium members can enjoy this session as part of their exclusive benefits, while non-members can register for £19.99. Standard members can gain a 10% discount.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your art career and master the art of crafting compelling art prize applications and artist statements. Register now and prepare to unlock new dimensions of artistic success!
This masterclass is brought to you by the Visual Artists Association, committed to empowering artists and fostering excellence in the visual arts.

Del Ray Urban Sketchers. “Working Out (St. Elmo’s)” by Cathy Messina. Usually meets second Sunday of the month outside at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in Del Ray. This program is FREE! Donations appreciated. Emphasizes storytelling that conveys a sense of place or a moment in time through drawings completed from direct observations. Del Ray Urban Sketchers operates on a drop-in basis and typically meets the second Sunday of each month. Bring your supplies and join us to produce still life, figure or architecture subjects in your sketchbook. Participants will spend some time putting their skills into practice and then reconvene for a review of finished works.

Bring your supplies and join us outside at the cafe to produce still life, figure, or architecture subjects in your sketchbook. Participants will spend some time putting their skills into practice and then reconvene for a review of finished works.

This program is FREE! Donations appreciated.

Are you interested in being a part of the next generation of BIPOC arts journalists? Join our next BIPOC Critics Lab Cohort, in partnership with founder & cultural critic, Jose Solís! Applicants who were not accepted to any past cohorts are encouraged to apply again; previously accepted Lab participants are ineligible to re-apply. Applications are now open until Wednesday, May 15. Learn more here.

The Public Theater is hosting cultural critic Jose Solís’ BIPOC Critics Lab in the 2024-25 season. After successfully hosting the 2023-2024 cohort, The Public is honored to continue Solís’ commitment to creating an educational space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers in the realm of cultural criticism.

Sessions for the Lab will span the course of The Public’s 2024-25 season. Those chosen to participate will receive offers to join the cohort in late June, with the cohort officially beginning in mid-September. This iteration of the cohort will be a hybrid model of online sessions and option in-person activities.

The program begins with ten 90-minute weekly sessions on Zoom for cohort members to define “What My Criticism Will Be”, to take place in Fall 2024. Additional learning opportunities will take place in the spring on a semi-regular basis. Participants who meet the attendance requirements will be assigned a future commissioned piece with compensation.

Following the tenets of dialogue, compassion, and nurturing one’s unique voice, future critics who participate in the cohort will contribute to the creation of a custom program that fits their specific needs and encourages them to pursue the path of criticism that best serves them. Participating in the cohort is at no cost to members. Selected members will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of arts journalism through a variety of mediums beyond the written word. BIPOC experts in the field also serve as guest speakers for the Lab. Writers who meet the attendance requirements at the culmination of the program will be assigned a future commissioned piece with compensation.
About the BIPOC Critics Lab
The BIPOC Critics Lab was founded in 2020 by Jose Solís as a first-of-its-kind program designed to train and create work by emerging BIPOC theater journalists. Solís noticed a gap in training based on his own experience as a cultural critic in the field and created an educational space for BIPOC writers who had not been welcomed into cultural criticism, whether due to systemic oppression, lack of opportunity, or because they didn’t know they were allowed to see themselves as critics. Solís solicited applicants for the first cohort through Twitter where over 100 BIPOC participants expressed interest in participating. From 2021-2023, The Kennedy Center hosted the BIPOC Critics Lab online as a part of the American College Theater Festival. In the summer of 2023, a cohort was also co-hosted by the Stratford Festival and Intermission Magazine. During its 2023-2024 season, The Public Theater hosted its first BIPOC Critics Lab cohort. Alumni of the program have gone on to write and work as editors for outlets such as The Los Angeles Times, Andscape, Elle, Glamour, American Theatre, Broadway News, 3Views, Brooklyn Rail, and Token Theatre Friends.

Join us for an introductory taster session of the Art Curation & Exhibition mamnagemnt Short Course, hosted by Karen Van Hoey Smith and the Visual Artists Association. This session is a sneak peek into the full program.

These four sessions will offer you a systematic approach to curation and exhibition management. Whether you are an artist looking to curate your own work, or an art professional looking to step into art exhibition management, the course offers step-by-step instructions to help you become consistent and increase your knowledge of taking ideas to reality.

Curriculum:

Session 1: Introduction to Curation

- Understanding the role of a curator

- Exploring different curation styles

- Fundamentals of exhibition planning

Session 2: Curatorial Practices

- Curating for specific audiences

- Incorporating themes and narratives – from idea to reality

- Selecting and arranging artworks

Session 3: Exhibition Management

- Logistics of exhibition setup

- Marketing and promotion strategies

- Engaging visitors and managing feedback

Session 4: Putting Theory into Practice

- Budgets and fundraising

- Contracts, negotiations and obligations

- Designing your own exhibition concept and curated collection

- Feedback and guidance from experts

MEET THE TUTORS OF THE TASTER SESSION

Karen van Hoey Smith

Karen is an Artist Director and Fine Art Auctioneer with a Degree in Fine Art Evaluation, previously working as gallerist for over 15 years. In addition to this was she was also a partner of a leading UK art publishing house. With a successful history in face-to-face selling working as an Art Broker, having sold pieces for the likes of Banksy, Karen found that she was representing and helping Artists on a regular basis achieve more sales and reaching

their goals. She is now the lead Artists Mentor at the VAA, leading professional development of artists.

Louise Minnaar

Based in South Africa & UK; Louise followed her passion for art early on, attending Art School for 4 years and going on to achieve a degree in education. Louise brings over 10 years’ experience in the art industry, from art auctions all over the world to working with one of the largest publishers in the UK with Whitewall Galleries. Louise has helped clients from all walks of life get happily involved in collecting artwork, from not only the likes of Picasso and Miro, but also exciting up-and-comers at all stages in their art careers. Louise has attended Art Sales Academies with a number of leading galleries.

Course Description
If you’ve ever wondered how you can make fully finished paintings of fleeting subjects (flowers which wilt, food which rots, etc.) then this is the class for you!
In this workshop we will focus on creating a fully resolved still life painting in a direct manner which will allow for improvisation in terms of our composition and also allow us to make fully finished paintings of subjects which may not give us a lot of time to work with them.

We will skip the initial drawing and underpainting which many of us are used to doing, in favor of diving right in and finishing each element as we go. During the course of the week we will discuss how to paint light and form, color mixing, paint handling and many other aspects of painting as well as discussing how to build a composition “on the fly” as we go.

Students will be able to pick their own subject matter for their paintings, and can choose to paint objects which will remain stable for the entire week, or can choose subjects which will change more quickly.

This course is open to all levels and there will be instruction geared towards beginners and advanced students alike.

Course Description
If you’ve ever wondered how you can make fully finished paintings of fleeting subjects (flowers which wilt, food which rots, etc.) then this is the class for you!
In this workshop we will focus on creating a fully resolved still life painting in a direct manner which will allow for improvisation in terms of our composition and also allow us to make fully finished paintings of subjects which may not give us a lot of time to work with them.

We will skip the initial drawing and underpainting which many of us are used to doing, in favor of diving right in and finishing each element as we go. During the course of the week we will discuss how to paint light and form, color mixing, paint handling and many other aspects of painting as well as discussing how to build a composition “on the fly” as we go.

Students will be able to pick their own subject matter for their paintings, and can choose to paint objects which will remain stable for the entire week, or can choose subjects which will change more quickly.

This course is open to all levels and there will be instruction geared towards beginners and advanced students alike.

Course Description
In this week-long workshop students will aim to complete two drawings using the materials of
red, black and white pencils, graphite and charcoal. Dividing time between block in and
modeling stages students will hone their skills of accurate observation and conceptual
knowledge to convey both a physical presence and character of the model. A skull and ecorche
casts will be used to bolster the discussion of the architecture of the portrait and the
fundamentals of representation – character of the model, anatomy & structural conventions, and
form rendering.

With the aid of master drawings we will investigate the historical use of dry media, from the Renaissance to the 19th Beaux Arts, and discuss the use of material to evoke the hue variety and textures of life.

Chelsea will illustrate each stage of the drawing process with a demonstration, one to be completed in three colors and one in charcoal and graphite. Alongside demos students will receive one on one critiques helping them towards their independent goals.

In this two-day plein-air sculpture workshop, students will learn how to sculpt directly from nature in bas-relief.

In this course, artists will work outdoors to select their subject materials, which may range from individual botanicals such as florals, branches, and leaves, to multi-plant arrangements and landscape composition.

Working beside their selection, students will learn how to sculpt in low-relief by sketching their subject directly onto clay and building outward three-dimensionally in an alla-prima, intuitive style.

Instruction will include how to compose your subject matter within a defined space, organize depths according to an internal establishment of volumes and perspective, and utilize different textures and patterns to convey nature’s diverse forms. Students will learn how to edit nature’s infinite details into its most essential and striking components and capture the transitory nature of live botanicals. Consideration for artistic composition, surface texture and depth will be discussed. Demos on how to block-in a bas-relief, draw directly into clay and develop form will take place. Discussion will include the function of bas-relief as botanical study and as artistic three-dimensional records of the natural world.

Clay and wooden boards will be provided. Students will work outdoors, weather permitting.

Course Outline:

Day One:

Setting up your Bas-Relief

How to construct a clay base for bas-relief
Selecting your subject matter
Clay as canvas: drawing directly onto the surface plane
How to organize and establish depths
Day Two:

Refinement of forms
Essentializing nature’s multiplicities
How to describe visual and color differences through texture and composition
Addressing the challenges of working from life’s transitory stages

Course Description
This workshop will focus on Portrait Painting Fundamentals. The instructor will demonstrate on day one how to Block-in directly on the canvas with the brush. No previous drawing or transfer is necessary. The painting will be developed in 4 Layer: Block-in, Underpainting, Form Pass and Over Passes. Diana will explain each step with demos and lectures, including the structure of the head, comparative measurements, color properties, Light and form. Students begin working on day one in the afternoon session after Diana’s morning demo. A long pose will serve the student to slow down and learn how to work from observation and achieve likeness and naturalism.

A fundamental part of the workshop will focus on understanding our palette and characteristics of color: Hue, Value and Chroma. Diana will lecture and demo at the beginning of the class, followed by individual critiques.

See detail schedule below:

Day 1: Direct Block in with Raw Umber on the canvas. Lecture on the Structure of the Head and Comparative Measurements in the morning. Students work in the afternoon, individual critiques.

Day 2: Diluted and abbreviated Underpainting using Raw umber and White. Demo in the morning. Students continue working on their block-in of necessary or begin the underpainting. Individual critiques.

Day 3: Form Pass with Color. Demo and Lecture on Color and Form in the morning. Students begin working in the afternoon. Individual critiques.

Day 4: Form rendering continues. Diana demoes alongside the students while they work in their paintings. Students work all day. Individual Critiques all day.

Day 5: Final day. Diana will explain how to come back to a painting to do the revision passes, including the Oil out technique, Palette knife scrapping, and sand paper technique. During the revision passes, the Over Passes are made as well, such as Glazings, Stumbling and Impasto. Diana will explain the differences of each one and their applications. Lecture and demo in part of the morning, students begin to work after the demo. Individual critiques.

Diana recommends using the Apelles or Limited palette and work on linen. Please see the the supply list.

This workshop is open to all levels of painting, however, a previous knowledge of drawing is strongly recommended.

This workshop is for the painter looking to enhance their skills while depicting coastal scenery, be it the marshes of Southeastern Connecticut, or the crashing surf of Down East Maine. An inspirational and encouraging environment will be fostered through critique and advice. Individual attention and demonstration will be emphasized, as well as the importance of subject choice and personal inspiration. Although oil colors will be the demonstration focus, all media are welcome for working and practice. The prevailing goal will be to approach painting as a fulfilling and enjoyable experience…a learning process that allows us to grow as artists and creators with any subject matter we choose.

An Online Masterclass Special focused on equipping artists with the skills and knowledge to create and sell limited edition prints.

Curious to learn how successful artists sell art prints prolifically? How do you identify your audience? And how can you gain new buyers? Our upcoming masterclass covers the in’s and out’s of limited edition prints. We will be joined by industry experts Stuart Waplington, the founder and CEO of theprintspace, and landscape artist and mentor Amy Jobes. The micro-learning masterclass is held on Zoom and open to artists of all levels. This session with help you navigate the basics and provide you with expert tips to stand out from the crowd.

This session will cover:

Limited edition prints basics
Steps to selling your prints
Do’s & Don’ts of creating promotional campaigns
Insight into how professional artists sell limited-edition prints
How to collaborate with print production experts.
Actionable points for you to get started with selling prints
This event will also provide you with the chance to ask experts your burning questions about selling prints. All attendees will receive a guide, worksheet, and glossary of terms.

Who Should Attend

This Masterclass is perfect for:

- Artists looking to enhance their marketing skills.

- Printmakers interested in expanding their promotional strategies.

- Creative individuals wanting to learn from industry experts.

- Anyone passionate about the art of printmaking and campaign creation.

This Masterclass will be joined by gallery experts, including:

Stuart Waplington, Founder and CEO of theprintspace

theprintspace is the UK’s leading Fine Art and Photographic printers. Since its opening in 2007, theprintspace has enjoyed acclaim from both industry professionals and clients alike, assisting artists to achieve commercial success. With over 11,000 trust pilot reviews, they have earned their reputation for quality and excellence.

Helga Stenzel

Helga Stentzel is a multidisciplinary artist based in London, UK. She works across a wide range of media including photography, illustration, videography, sculpture and mural design. Helga received "Food Art Creator of the Year" award in 2020 and has collaborated with Hermes, Amazon, BBC, Honda and O2, among others. She participated in multiple group exhibitions in New York and London, and held a solo show in Seoul in 2022.

Amy Jobes, Landscape Artist

Amy Jobes is a contemporary landscape painter based in North Devon. Amy has previously had her work featured on the BBC, as well as trade media including Artists & Illustrators Magazine. She has

been a self-employed artist for ten years- taking the leap in 2012. Amy has joined the Visual Artist Association as an Artist Mentor alongside Karen van Hoey Smith

Register to Secure Your Place:

Join us for an engaging Masterclass special focused on enhancing your skills in creating compelling campaigns for limited edition prints, organized by the VAA.

Free for Premium Members

10% Discount for Standard Members

£19.99 for non-members

A recording of the event will be available. Limited spots are available, reserve yours now.

Curious to see how you can take your art practice to the next level? The Visual Artists Association offers an exclusive Momentum Programme that’s carefully curated to provide you with the tools to develop your business and sell more art.

We offer professional expertise on all aspects of your Art Career, including: Career Coaching, Critical Feedback, Marketing Insights, Pricing, Selling, and exhibiting, as well as much more.

Our Momentum Programme is a short, online course which provides you with invaluable knowledge on the key practicalities and necessary considerations for effective business growth; giving an insight into the skills required to successfully access opportunities to gain visibility with the right audience.

Through group discussion and critical reflection on VAA case studies, you will be introduced to contemporary approaches to artists’ income streams, which you will use to develop your own income, visibility path and projects.

Take the next step toward more sales. If you are interested in a tailored programme to push your art business to the next level, we will be hosting a drop-in session to meet the programme leaders: Karen van Hoey Smith and Amy Jobes.

Limited Spaces Available. Free to attend.

Welcome to the 2024 Summer Workshops

This year, we have lined up 65 extraordinary workshops in visual arts and creative writing over the course of nine weeks. We’ve brought together an outstanding group of instructors that includes many esteemed faculty members, along with many faces who are new to FAWC. We are confident that this dynamic combination of new and familiar faces will help create an inspiring atmosphere at FAWC that will invite students to take creative leaps.

Register for a Workshop

Here are some of this summer’s highlights that we are most excited about:

A new tiered tuition system. In a continuation of our effort to make the Summer Workshops more welcoming and accessible to artists and writers who have been historically underserved by FAWC, we are introducing a tiered tuition system that will make workshops more affordable for those who need it. There is also a special discounted rate for teachers and students. Click here to learn more about it.
Online Catalog Only. This year, we will only offer an online catalog, supplemented by timely promotional announcements. We believe this is a more environmentally sustainable approach aligned with our values and furthers our commitment to mindfully steward our natural resources.
New and familiar faces. Many of you will notice that a few beloved, long-time instructors aren’t teaching this year. Don’t worry—they’ll be back! Our faculty recruitment strategy stresses having a fresh mix of faculty every year. Periodically, we will give all instructors a break for a year or two. This will allow us to invite new faculty consistently every year and keep our catalog vibrant and interesting for our students.
Queer Week is back! Andrea Lawlor is our returning curator for Queer Week II, and they have recruited an amazing group of instructors, including printmaker Miriam Klein Stahl, painter Ilana Savdie, writer and performer Celeste Lescene (along with his colleagues at Future Perfect Project), poet Cameron Awkward-Rich, writer Melissa Febos, and writer Carmen Maria Machado.
Commitment to DEIA. Check out the DEIA Resources link to learn more about everything we are doing to center our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. You’ll also find a variety of articles, videos, and websites where you can learn more about DEIA issues.
Scholarships. We are continuing our commitment to making the Summer Workshops more welcoming and inclusive by offering robust scholarship opportunities. Last year, 20% of our students attended a workshop without having to pay tuition, thanks to the generosity of our community. We aim to match or exceed that this summer. Click here to learn more about our scholarship program and apply for a scholarship. Please click here if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to our Access Fund to support our scholarship program.
Our Partners. We are grateful to our many partners that help make the Summer Workshops so transformative for everyone who attends: the generous foundations and individuals that support the program; the academic institutions, nonprofits, and businesses who partner with us to provide scholarships; the hotels, inns, and B&Bs who make housing affordable for students; and the local businesses that donate goods and services.

We strive to bring you the highest quality day workshops and regular art classes on offer in the region. Every year we devise a large programme of day workshops with top quality visiting tutors, sharing new techniques, inspirational themes and a creativity that helps to make Pegasus a really exciting artists hub. Whether you are a hobby artist, a total beginner or a professional wanting to refresh your skills, there is plenty on offer.

During term time, our team of experienced tutors teach morning and afternoon classes throughout the year in a variety of mediums. Read on to find out more about watercolour classes with Richard Callingham, Mixed Media with Sue Rae, Max Hale's new courses that change medium each term to take you on a learning journey,drawing and painting with Paul Fowler's Life Drawing and Drawing Skills classes, Alison Vickery's mixed media and exploratory courses and oil painting every Friday with Rob Collins RCA. When term begins, the buzz in the Attic Studio is fantastic. It's a great sociable and learning environment.

Join our artist community, learn new skills, garner advice and support and of course, stock up on the finest quality art materials. We look forward to welcoming you to Pegasus Art.

Artworkshops Australia was founded in Bangalow NSW 15 years ago and has staged more than 250 workshops and trips around Australia. Our professional teaching artists are proficient at teaching all levels across most mediums.

Two day weekend workshops are held in our Byron Hinterland studio on private property and provide for an in depth focus across a variety of visual arts disciplines and mediums. Extended 4 day workshops and trips are conducted at various locations within Australia and usually en plein air.

Instruction in Still life, Figurative, Landscape and Abstraction are conducted by acclaimed and inspirational teachers with vast teaching experience and highly regarded in the Australian art world.

Immersing yourself in the adventure of painting with other artists is central to advancing your practice and creating interesting art.

Please reach out to workshop teachers directly for more details about the workshop.