Exploring Intuitive Painting

Adult Summer Class | This program is completed

All levels welcome, recommended for beginners.

6/23/2022-7/28/2022

1:00 PM-4:00 PM EDT on Th

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$195.00

$175.00

$15.00

This workshop welcomes students of all levels who wish to explore a groundbreaking and transformational approach to painting that celebrates intuition, connects body, mind, and spirit and allows unique and expressive paintings to emerge naturally and authentically. This process encourages you to allow your paintings to emerge organically in unexpected ways as a result of listening to your intuition, trusting and being brave. Throughout the workshop, the instructor will demonstrate many painting techniques while creating a large original painting from start to finish. The process is broken down into easy, bite-sized lessons which explore color theory, translucent layering, value contrast, expressive mark making, dripping, texture, stamping and drawing.

What You Will Learn in This Course:

1. Learn techniques for working with vibrant color and avoiding mud.
2. Make rich and varied marks with a variety of unexpected tools.
3. Break compositional rules

  • This is an in-person class which will take place in our building with strict social distancing protocols and reduced student capacity. Please see our COVID-19 community safety policies.
  • • 2 pre-stretched pre-gessoed canvas (no less than 24 x 24 inches up to 48 x 48 inches). You may need additional canvas, but just two to start. If you find the canvases expensive, other options include: heavy watercolor paper (something like a 300 lb. paper will work great), panels (such as pieces of masonite from the hardware store), paint over old paintings from thrift stores, or old doors. Any materials other than pre-gessoed canvas must be primed before class. 
    • 4 ounces, or larger size of these paint colors (any shade*) in red, yellow, blue, black, titanium white (heavy-bodied is best); plus any two colors you really love (preferably fluid acrylic for those) and one metallic color (copper or gold). Bring any shade of green, purple and orange (you can also mix these yourself if you prefer). In addition, feel free to also bring any other colors you really love. *Choose paint brands based on your budget (I prefer Golden brand, but they are the most expensive and not necessary for this course. If you are able to buy a couple of Golden’s fluid acrylics, this will be very helpful – try a mix of heavy-bodied acrylics and fluid acrylics. Depending on how much paint you use, you might need to purchase more paint throughout the course. 
    • Acrylic glazing medium/liquid 
    • 5 bristle brushes for detailed work. Cheap ones are fine, just make sure you have at least one very pointed brush. 
    • 1 Palette Knife/spatula it can be any size, I prefer the metal ones. 
    • 4 foam brushes (wooden handled with the grey foam square from the paint section at a hardware store): 2 one-inch brushes and 2 two-inch brushes (the stiffer, the better) 
    • A variety of mark-making, etching and stamping tools such as old pencils, non-working pens, caps from bottles, bubble wrap, feathers, etc…No need to buy new things. Just look around your house and be creative! 
    • Spray bottle for water (the bigger the better and make sure it works!) 
    • Big can or jar to put your water in 
    • A few rags 
    • Apron and/or comfy paint clothes (this is a pretty messy process!) 
    • Latex gloves (optional, to keep your hands clean of paint) 
    • Paint palette – the bigger the better. I use a piece of glass with a white piece of paper underneath so I can see the colors in their truest form. You’ll want to tape the edges for safety if you use glass. A large cookie sheet or a muffin tin from a thrift store will also work well, or you can use palette paper. 
    • Blank journal/sketchbook and a pen 

Lara Cantu-Hertzler is a Philadelphia painter who is inspired by architecture and the figure. She explores themes of urban decay and feminine identity. Lara’s influences include: classical art, dance, photography, abstract expressionism and impressionism. In 2008 Lara graduated from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduating with a Certificate in painting. In 2014 Lara received a full fellowship to Vermont Studio Center. Lara’s had solo shows at: Allens Lane Art Center, Abington Art Center, and High Wire Gallery. She’s also exhibited her work at Rittenhouse Square, and Rosenfeld Gallery. Lara has won numerous awards from The Philadelphia Sketch club, and The Philadelphia National Arts Program.