Return to the Principles: Refresher Bootcamp with Kelley MacDonald

After a summer break, it is always good to have a ‘refresh’ and bone up on the basics to prep for Fall Painting.  In this one day class we will review the tenants of a good composition, and explore the various patterns that are most compelling.  Then we will hone in on value exercises, because without a good value pattern a potentially good painting can be overlooked.  Lastly we will explore color and color mixing, which will give your paintings the punch they need to stand out. Bring a lunch and an open mind, and get ready for a successful Autumn of painting! All levels welcome, and acrylics or oil media is preferred.

About the Instructor: Kelley MacDonald

After getting her Art History degree at Wheaton College, Kelley continued taking art classes at various Art Associations for 10 years before she started painting.  First with watercolor, then oil and now happily with acrylic and mixed media, it has been a lifetime of growing and exploring all things art.  

Kelley has won numerous awards, and has taught classes and workshops for many years.  While for the majority of her career Kelley has been a literal, representational painter, in the past 4 years she has been diving into abstraction, particularly Intuitive Abstraction.  The history involved on the canvas, the multiple layers, the reveal and conceal and push and pull are what attracts her to this method. 

A favorite thing to do is to travel, and be inspired by different landscapes and  cityscapes.  Kelley has traveled to Holland to paint, along with many places on this side of the ocean, namely Nova Scotia, Sedona, Santa Fe, St. Simon’s Island, Seattle, San Miguel de Allende, MX, California and Maine. 

In 2009 Kelley founded the Artists’ Challenge Group “Girls Just Wanna Paint” which is a collection of award winning artists  who post a response to a new topic every month consecutively since July of 2009. Aside from the Providence Art Club Kelley is a member of the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA.  She has taught at the Art Club, Bristol Art Museum, and at North River Arts Society.

Materials List - 

• Colors
• • A warm and a cool of red, yellow and blue.
  • Examples of warm & cool red: cad red light and alizarin crimson or quinacridone magenta or rose
  • Examples of warm and cool blue: Pthalo Blue and Ultramarine Blue
  • Examples of warm and cool yellow: Cad yellow medium and Cad Yellow Lemon
  • Plus a white (titanium) and a dark neutral - like BURNT Umber or Paynes Gray
• Assorted brushes
• Container for water for acrylic paints, or small containers of Gambol for oil painters.
• Apron or old shirt
• Paper Towels
• Disposable Palette
• Sturdy paper like Canson Painting Paper or Bristol Paper or 140 Watercolor paper (if you are using oil, or IF you prefer with Acrylic, gesso about 6 (9x12) or larger sheets

Bring an open mind and enthusiasm - we’ll get ready for the Fall Painting!