Gain invaluable tools and learn how to tackle Alla Prima painting with confidence. The term Alla Prima means 'At One Go'. In his remarkable treatise 'In Praise Of Painterly Painters', the late artist, author and teacher, Charles Movalli wrote; painterly painters are surrounded by seeming contradictions. They finish by not finishing, include by leaving out, paint more by painting less. Their means are easy to see, the results, immediately felt. But how such seemingly insufficient means lead to these results is a mystery.

In this two-day workshop, let us take the mystery out of this painterly approach. Economy of stroke is within every painters grasp if they are willing to approach the painting process with a 'Less Is More' mind set. More than half the battle is a willingness to load the brush with enough paint and make each stroke count for something. Over the weekend, we will strive for this. On day one, we will employ the use of just value and shapes. No color allowed! Think of this process like learning to juggle. First we learn to juggle with only two balls, Value and Shapes. I will demo in 5 values with large premixed piles of Burnt Umber and White. There will be enough piles of premixed paint leftover for each participant to use for the day. Each student will then work on their own painting and be asked to use up all the paint that they are given. Good brushwork happens when oil paint is 'built up' on top of oil paint. This lesson will help drive that point home.

On day two, we will use color, and with my help, each student will first mix up a few large piles of basic color and value shapes, that pertain to their individual painting. Then we will employ the same method of painting from day one. Look! You’re juggling! This class is appropriate for beginner through advanced levels.