Main Home - The Painters Keys

Companionship in the age of loneliness

While the art world goes bananas over a banana in Miami, Peter and I are strolling through another kind of shopping spree in Melbourne. Here, Brian Donnelly, a.k.a. KAWS, has mounted a survey of his output-to-date at the National Gallery of Victoria, packaging his beginnings as a ’90s New Jersey graffiti tagger, his “interventions” with bus stop posters, billboards and cartoon icons and his present-day collaborations with Japanese toy manufacturers, global clothing retailers, a luxury brand of cognac and Paris fashion week. If it’s an object of consumer lust, KAWS has x’ed out its eyes, re-appropriated it as art and re-merchandised it as a top echelon consumer good in his adjoining pop-up shop....Read On

Upcoming Workshops

Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 22, 2020 - Exploring Still Life in Oil with Laura Robb — Advanced Techniques for Capturing Light and Depth in Your Paintings

This workshop/retreat will be ideal for artists who are serious about improving their painting skills, but who also enjoy great food, terrific accommodations and a bit of adventure. The instructor has many years of experience in both teaching and painting and is dedicated to passing along her knowledge to those who are eager to learn. Small class size will insure individual attention. We will be working from life and previous experience mixing color will be necessary.

Casa Buena Art Retreat, between Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, is a calm and beautiful place to relax and explore your creative energy. Please check out their website for photos and detailed information about this exciting opportunity http://www.casabuenaartretreat.com/Retreat_LauraRobb.htm Non-painting travel companions are welcome too.

For more information on the instructor or to contact her, please visit http://LauraRobb.com
Feb 19, 2020 to Feb 26, 2020 - PLEIN AIR PAINTING MEXICO – with Hermann Brandt

If you live in the cold north like I do, this is the BEST thing you can do with a February – believe me! Join me, Hermann Brandt for my 4th annual PLEIN AIR workshop/retreat on the west coast of sunny Mexico. Casa Buena Art Retreat Center is a beautiful private residence overlooking the ocean. While our vivacious hostess, Jane Romanishko takes care of almost every need, I will guide you through the process of identifying, designing, composing and painting the gorgeous land and seascape that surrounds us. Medium: oil or acrylic.

At the end of each day, we gather on the veranda by the pool and critique our work – it’s a beautiful thing :-)

I endeavour to run a friendly, encouraging, no-pressure workshop so beginners are welcome. Minimum of 6 participants. IMPORTANT: Registration by 1 Dec 2019

I look forward to painting with you
Feb 26, 2020 to Mar 4, 2020 - Figure and Portrait Drawing in charcoal with Henry Yan at Casa Buena Art Retreat, Mexico

Learn from the Master! The way to do accurate drawing with painterly approach. Join us for this 7 day retreat with 4 day workshop in magical settings of Mexican back country with one of the best instructors of drawing the human figure. From short pose gesture and anatomy studies, to long pose painterly approaches, students will learn step by step the drawing methods, human proportions, anatomy and much more. Live model with small class size will insure lots of personal attention.

Henry Yan has been teaching at Academy of Art University in San Francisco for more than twenty years. His book, “Henry Yan’s Figure Drawing – Techniques and Tips” published in 2006, has been widely used by art students and professional artists in the US and internationally.

Casa Buena Art Retreat is a calm and beautiful place to relax and explore your creative energy. Non painting partners welcome.

For more info check http://www.casabuenaartretreat.com/Retreat_HenryYan.htm
or contact Jane at janerom@shaw.ca
Apr 3, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 - Dive Into Abstract Painting in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Join Julie Schumer and James Koskinas and take a leap into the unknown in this 2 1/2 day intensive acrylic workshop. Through a series of structured exercises designed to help you loosen up, we will explore various elements of a non-objective painting including color, composition, and eye flow, line, value and texture using acrylic paint and a variety of mark making tools.

Bring your artistic passion and the willingness to try something different and gain a new perspective. This workshop is available to all levels but is perfect for those new to abstract painting. Cost is $595.00. A materials list will be provided or materials can be provided for an additional $100.00

https://julieschumer.com/julie-schumer-workshops/
Apr 5, 2020 to Apr 11, 2020 - 3rd Annual Art Retreat for Women in San Miguel de Allende

Join painter/author Ellie Harold in sunny Mexico for a week of immersion in a facilitated discovery of your deepest and most essential artist self. If you’re feeling blocked, thwarted or simply longing for a more meaningful expression, the retreat is a unique opportunity to focus on your life/art purpose, discover new directions and explore next steps. You’ll enjoy your own room in the charming Casa de la Noche in San Miguel’s Historic Centro district, painting and writing (with materials provided), guided reflections and focused discussion with plenty of time to explore the color and culture of this vibrant art city. Created with the needs of mature women in mind, this retreat focuses on process rather than product and is for both experienced and novice art-makers. Limited to 12. Register by November 30 to receive Early Bird free shuttle. Click here for a full description, photos and testimonials from past participants.