ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP

Let’s have fun and experiment with acrylic!

Are you an experienced artist feeling stuck and wanting to rekindle that excitement you first felt when painting?

Do you normally work in oil or watercolour but you fancy giving acrylic a go?

Do you want to develop a looser, more expressive style?

Or perhaps you are new to painting and just want to have some fun with other likeminded creative souls?

If so, this weekend workshop could be just right for you!

Led by Margaret, an experienced teacher, we will try out a variety of fun techniques to help us loosen up creatively. Together, we will explore colour and texture and try out a variety of mark making tools.

We will experiment with palette knives and discover the amazing ways they can be used … to slide, scrumble, dapple, blend and slice paint onto the paper. You will discover ways to physically apply paint to create mood and express emotion in the painting. We will explore ways to energetically paint crashing waves, dramatic storm clouds, craggy textured rocks. We will discover how to apply paint in gentle flowing movements to suggest calm lapping water and rippling grasses.

Experimenting with different colour combinations, we will learn how to create harmonious colour and how to use colour complimentaries to great effect in a painting. You will be encouraged to observe which colours you are drawn to on the day and what feelings they evoke in your paintings.

Over the weekend, we will try out a variety of techniques in a fun relaxed way. The emphasis will be on discovering, exploring, experimenting. At the end, you will have several quick studies. You may or may not have a finished painting but you will go away with a toolbox of creative techniques and the confidence to apply these to your paintings. Above all it will be a playful and absorbing creative weekend.

Materials needed

Pad of watercolour paper

Tempered glass kitchen chopping board for use as a palette. Must be smooth surface for ease of cleaning. Available from most household stores eg Dunnes, Homestore and More etc

Paint scraper (available from most hardware stores)

Selection of different shaped palette knives  (2 or 3)

Brushes : Large, medium and small brushes. Some old scraggy brushes

A feather

Cotton buds

Water sprayer (an old windolene spray bottle or plant sprayer filled with water will do fine)

Masking tape

Disposable gloves

A Selection of acrylic paints 60ml tubes Bring what you have. The choice of colours is very personal and it is not necessary to have all of these. These colours are my personal favourites:
Process Cyan or Cerulean Blue

Ultramarine or indigo

Turquoise

Purple

Raw Umber

Pthalo Green

Process Magenta

Lemon Yellow

Crimson Red or Permanent Alizarin

Cadmium Orange

Titanium White (2 x 60ml tubes because we will use a lot of white!)

About the Tutor

I am a contemporary Irish landscape and seascape artist

I love the outdoors and am a keen hillwalker, beach stroller and occasional sailor. I have always been drawn to wild, remote landscapes and rugged coastlines, especially our wild Atlantic coast. My art is an emotional response to the natural landscape and an attempt to capture the feelings and memories it evokes

 Over the years, I have explored a variety of media- oil, watercolour and silk painting, weaving and sculpture before discovering acrylic. I love expressing myself in bold vibrant colours. Using acrylic as a medium allows me to combine some of the most interesting characteristics of both watercolour and oil. Dilute, it allows me to create delicate washes and build up layers. Applied thickly, I can achieve lovely juicy textures and patterns. Acrylic dries quickly which suits my style. I like to work with bold, intuitive strokes so that my work has an energy and spontaneity to it.

I have had several solo exhibitions, am in many private collections and have regularly shown my artwork at People's Art on Stephen's Green and in Malahide, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Schoolhouse for Art Enniskerry and many other group shows.

 A teacher by profession, I retired some years ago to follow my passion of being a fulltime artist. I now have the space and time to be creative and have my own studio at home in Dublin.

Come join me in this fun acrylic workshop where together we explore and experiment with loads of different techniques and learn how to use them to great effect in our paintings.

testimonials

 “I took an incredible amount away from the day’s workshop with Margaret! She is not only an extremely gifted artist, but through her friendliness and encouragement she built up our confidence and guided us through our paintings step by step. We learned so much about techniques and colour palettes - we covered seascapes, skies, flowers, and still-life – and we were shown in detail how to paint these different styles. She shared all her painting secrets, and to now know how to approach certain painting styles is a gift and a revelation! We had an amazing, laughter-filled day and we were left feeling utterly inspired to continue where we left off!!!” Michelle

 “What a day- full of exploration, fun, colour, laughter and inspiration. We learnt so much and she continually guided us patiently, encouragingly and sagely on new scenes, techniques and creations. Thank you Margaret for a day of wonderful memories that I know will be the start of many more”  Siobhan