Arts on Main

Community Arts Center in Gloucester, Virginia

Bringing in the Magic: Oil and Cold Wax from Start to Finish with Mary Montague Sikes

Working in oil and cold wax is one way to develop texture and form, using your own unique personality to create artwork. Learn the basics of cold wax painting and experiment with a variety of materials with this fun method. Develop design skills and create starts that will become paintings that “speak to you”. During this workshop, Monti will demonstrate basic methods and leave you with lots of time to explore the possibilities in your own work.

Bring lots of enthusiasm and a readiness to learn new techniques. All skill levels are welcome! Each class will build upon the previous day. A supply list will be provided at registration.

This 3-day workshop will meet October 27, 28, & 29 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Cost is $200 for the 3-day workshop.

About the Instructor

Since she was a young child, Mary Montague Sikes has been an artist. After studying art at the University of Mary Washington and the College of William & Mary, she earned her MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University. Since then, Sikes has taught art to students of all levels, from kindergarten to adult. She has been featured in numerous one-person exhibitions, including shows at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, Piedmont Arts (Martinsville, Virginia), Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, Creative Arts Center in Yorktown, Moya Gillett in Toronto, Ontario, and more. Her award-winning work is in public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

An oil and acrylic painter most of her life, Sikes, in recent years, has developed a love for working in oil and cold wax on cradled board. She, also, enjoys painting with watercolor on Yupo, Arches paper, and canvas.

“Color and experimentation with various art media are my passion. Watching vivid watercolors spread on Yupo, Arches paper, and stretched canvas takes me in new directions each time I place a brush or plastic card against a surface. I am a colorist and an expressionist with an imagination that conceives exotic places and unique beginnings. Many of my bright new paintings depict my imaginary planet, Xanadu, where there is no war and love and understanding prevail.” – Mary Montague Sikes



Bringing in the Magic: Oil and Cold Wax from Start to Finish with Mary Montague Sikes

Working in oil and cold wax is one way to develop texture and form, using your own unique personality to create artwork. Learn the basics of cold wax painting and experiment with a variety of materials with this fun method. Develop design skills and create starts that will become paintings that “speak to you”. During this workshop, Monti will demonstrate basic methods and leave you with lots of time to explore the possibilities in your own work.

Bring lots of enthusiasm and a readiness to learn new techniques. All skill levels are welcome! Each class will build upon the previous day. A supply list will be provided at registration.

This 3-day workshop will meet October 27, 28, & 29 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Cost is $200 for the 3-day workshop.

About the Instructor

Since she was a young child, Mary Montague Sikes has been an artist. After studying art at the University of Mary Washington and the College of William & Mary, she earned her MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University. Since then, Sikes has taught art to students of all levels, from kindergarten to adult. She has been featured in numerous one-person exhibitions, including shows at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, Piedmont Arts (Martinsville, Virginia), Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, Creative Arts Center in Yorktown, Moya Gillett in Toronto, Ontario, and more. Her award-winning work is in public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

An oil and acrylic painter most of her life, Sikes, in recent years, has developed a love for working in oil and cold wax on cradled board. She, also, enjoys painting with watercolor on Yupo, Arches paper, and canvas.

“Color and experimentation with various art media are my passion. Watching vivid watercolors spread on Yupo, Arches paper, and stretched canvas takes me in new directions each time I place a brush or plastic card against a surface. I am a colorist and an expressionist with an imagination that conceives exotic places and unique beginnings. Many of my bright new paintings depict my imaginary planet, Xanadu, where there is no war and love and understanding prevail.” – Mary Montague Sikes



Bringing in the Magic: Oil and Cold Wax from Start to Finish with Mary Montague Sikes

Working in oil and cold wax is one way to develop texture and form, using your own unique personality to create artwork. Learn the basics of cold wax painting and experiment with a variety of materials with this fun method. Develop design skills and create starts that will become paintings that “speak to you”. During this workshop, Monti will demonstrate basic methods and leave you with lots of time to explore the possibilities in your own work.

Bring lots of enthusiasm and a readiness to learn new techniques. All skill levels are welcome! Each class will build upon the previous day. A supply list will be provided at registration.

This 3-day workshop will meet October 27, 28, & 29 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Cost is $200 for the 3-day workshop.

About the Instructor

Since she was a young child, Mary Montague Sikes has been an artist. After studying art at the University of Mary Washington and the College of William & Mary, she earned her MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University. Since then, Sikes has taught art to students of all levels, from kindergarten to adult. She has been featured in numerous one-person exhibitions, including shows at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, Piedmont Arts (Martinsville, Virginia), Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, Creative Arts Center in Yorktown, Moya Gillett in Toronto, Ontario, and more. Her award-winning work is in public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

An oil and acrylic painter most of her life, Sikes, in recent years, has developed a love for working in oil and cold wax on cradled board. She, also, enjoys painting with watercolor on Yupo, Arches paper, and canvas.

“Color and experimentation with various art media are my passion. Watching vivid watercolors spread on Yupo, Arches paper, and stretched canvas takes me in new directions each time I place a brush or plastic card against a surface. I am a colorist and an expressionist with an imagination that conceives exotic places and unique beginnings. Many of my bright new paintings depict my imaginary planet, Xanadu, where there is no war and love and understanding prevail.” – Mary Montague Sikes



Capture the Light – Plein Air Painting Using Oils or Pastels (RESCHEDULED)

RESCHEDULED FOR SPRING 2022

More details coming soon!

 

Join Maria Reardon for this exciting two-day, Plein Air Fall workshop and enjoy painting with the vibrant colors of soft pastels or the fluidity of oil paints to create dramatic and expressive paintings. All levels of experience are invited.

 

Autumn is the perfect time of year for getting outdoors and painting on location.  The classroom will be the beautiful community of Gloucester, which offers a multitude of painting subjects including coastal scenes, boats, and structures.  Learn how to make water look wet and reflective.  Paint the feeling of atmosphere in skies and clouds.  Learn how to put variation in the multitude of greens in a landscape. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of plein air painting and how working from life can improve their work.  Each day will begin with a demonstration, followed by plenty of painting time along with lots of individual at-the-easel attention with Maria. She will focus on helping students gain confidence with the challenges and excitement of painting outdoors.

The class will meet at the designated painting site (to be determined by Gloucester Arts on Main). In case of inclement weather, the workshop may be moved indoors, inside the Gloucester Arts on Main studio space, or other appropriate venue or rescheduled.

This workshop takes place over two days: Saturday, September 18th, and Sunday, September 19th from 9am to 4pm each day. Cost: $200 for both days.

 

PASTEL SUPPLIES LIST:

  • Pastel Paper: suggestions – Canson Mi-Tientes paper (mid-gray tones), UART or Pastel Premier sanded paper or another similar brand, suggested sizes 9×12, 12×16, foam board or something similar to adhere paper to, masking tape.
  • Large assortment of SOFT pastel sticks ( not OIL pastels), my favorite brands are Rembrandt pastels and NuPastels.   ( Rembrandt offers half stick sets that are a good variety of colors at a reasonable price). I purchase my pastel supplies online from Jerry’s Artarama.

 

  • Small sketchbook and pencil (4B or 6B graphite),  paper towels 

 

OIL PAINTING SUPPLIES LIST:

Oil Colors:

Titanium White, Cad Yellow Light or Lemon, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue

Medium – Gamblin’s Solvent-Free Gel (optional)

Gamsol, or other odorless thinner for thinning paint and cleaning brushes, jar or metal brush washer to put Gamsol in

Brushes: Bristle flats and brights sizes 6-8-10-12 I like Robert Simmons Signet brushes but there are many options available

Stretched Canvas or Canvas Panels, suggested sizes 9×12, 12×16  I purchase my oil supplies online from Jerry’s Artarama

Basic Day Kit for Outdoor Painting:

Portable easel: French Easel or palette/panel holder with tripod.    Backpack or something to carry your gear. Hat with brim or visor, long sleeve shirt and sunscreen for sun protection, canteen of water, insect repellent, Wet Ones or other moist wipes

Keep it light and convenient. Carry your materials and equipment in a container or backpack that is large enough to carry everything but not too big or heavy when it is fully loaded. Include your pastels or paints, paper or canvas etc. along with any other tools that are needed. A portable easel is essential and a chair or stool and umbrella optional.  Use this plein air kit to paint with for a few days, even if it is in the studio, to make sure that you have everything that you need to make a painting while out on location. Painting outdoors is challenging and there are a lot of distractions and decisions to be made, so make your painting kit the simplest part of the process. Being familiar with your equipment will help you to concentrate on your painting.

 

About Your Instructor

Maria Reardon paints the world around her. Working primarily in pastels, she loves being outdoors, immersed in nature, observing and experiencing everything going on around her.  She’s drawn to the unique and ever-changing relationships of form and color.   Her passion is pastels and plein air, using the vibrant and diverse colors of the pastel medium, in a painterly fashion, to represent the light and mood of a particular location.

“A painting is an opportunity to explore something new. A new subject matter, a new color or technique.  That’s one of the things I love about plein air and painting from life, the experience will be different and exciting every time. I try to capture the essence of a scene and my paintings are just as much about a moment in time as about a specific scene or subject.”

Maria is a Virginia native and received her formal education from Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Art in illustration. She studied portraiture with Daniel Greene and continued her study of the landscape with Albert Handell, Lorenzo Chavez, and other nationally known artists. Her work has been exhibited in the Richmond area and is in private collections. She has received awards during plein air events and gallery shows and has had her work published in the Pastel Journal July/August 2017 issue.

She enjoys working in the plein air tradition, working directly from life for the creation of most of her pastel paintings and she often travels for inspirational landscape locations. She participates in plein air events and is currently represented by Cabell Gallery (Lexington VA), Warm Springs Gallery (Warm Springs VA), Franco’s Fine Clothier (Henrico VA), and Allure Art Center (White Stone VA).

Capture the Light – Plein Air Painting Using Oils or Pastels (RESCHEDULED)

RESCHEDULED FOR SPRING 2022

More details coming soon!

 

Join Maria Reardon for this exciting two-day, Plein Air Fall workshop and enjoy painting with the vibrant colors of soft pastels or the fluidity of oil paints to create dramatic and expressive paintings. All levels of experience are invited.

 

Autumn is the perfect time of year for getting outdoors and painting on location.  The classroom will be the beautiful community of Gloucester, which offers a multitude of painting subjects including coastal scenes, boats, and structures.  Learn how to make water look wet and reflective.  Paint the feeling of atmosphere in skies and clouds.  Learn how to put variation in the multitude of greens in a landscape. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of plein air painting and how working from life can improve their work.  Each day will begin with a demonstration, followed by plenty of painting time along with lots of individual at-the-easel attention with Maria. She will focus on helping students gain confidence with the challenges and excitement of painting outdoors.

The class will meet at the designated painting site (to be determined by Gloucester Arts on Main). In case of inclement weather, the workshop may be moved indoors, inside the Gloucester Arts on Main studio space, or other appropriate venue or rescheduled.

This workshop takes place over two days: Saturday, September 18th, and Sunday, September 19th from 9am to 4pm each day. Cost: $200 for both days.

 

PASTEL SUPPLIES LIST:

  • Pastel Paper: suggestions – Canson Mi-Tientes paper (mid-gray tones), UART or Pastel Premier sanded paper or another similar brand, suggested sizes 9×12, 12×16, foam board or something similar to adhere paper to, masking tape.
  • Large assortment of SOFT pastel sticks ( not OIL pastels), my favorite brands are Rembrandt pastels and NuPastels.   ( Rembrandt offers half stick sets that are a good variety of colors at a reasonable price). I purchase my pastel supplies online from Jerry’s Artarama.

 

  • Small sketchbook and pencil (4B or 6B graphite),  paper towels 

 

OIL PAINTING SUPPLIES LIST:

Oil Colors:

Titanium White, Cad Yellow Light or Lemon, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue

Medium – Gamblin’s Solvent-Free Gel (optional)

Gamsol, or other odorless thinner for thinning paint and cleaning brushes, jar or metal brush washer to put Gamsol in

Brushes: Bristle flats and brights sizes 6-8-10-12 I like Robert Simmons Signet brushes but there are many options available

Stretched Canvas or Canvas Panels, suggested sizes 9×12, 12×16  I purchase my oil supplies online from Jerry’s Artarama

Basic Day Kit for Outdoor Painting:

Portable easel: French Easel or palette/panel holder with tripod.    Backpack or something to carry your gear. Hat with brim or visor, long sleeve shirt and sunscreen for sun protection, canteen of water, insect repellent, Wet Ones or other moist wipes

Keep it light and convenient. Carry your materials and equipment in a container or backpack that is large enough to carry everything but not too big or heavy when it is fully loaded. Include your pastels or paints, paper or canvas etc. along with any other tools that are needed. A portable easel is essential and a chair or stool and umbrella optional.  Use this plein air kit to paint with for a few days, even if it is in the studio, to make sure that you have everything that you need to make a painting while out on location. Painting outdoors is challenging and there are a lot of distractions and decisions to be made, so make your painting kit the simplest part of the process. Being familiar with your equipment will help you to concentrate on your painting.

 

About Your Instructor

Maria Reardon paints the world around her. Working primarily in pastels, she loves being outdoors, immersed in nature, observing and experiencing everything going on around her.  She’s drawn to the unique and ever-changing relationships of form and color.   Her passion is pastels and plein air, using the vibrant and diverse colors of the pastel medium, in a painterly fashion, to represent the light and mood of a particular location.

“A painting is an opportunity to explore something new. A new subject matter, a new color or technique.  That’s one of the things I love about plein air and painting from life, the experience will be different and exciting every time. I try to capture the essence of a scene and my paintings are just as much about a moment in time as about a specific scene or subject.”

Maria is a Virginia native and received her formal education from Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Art in illustration. She studied portraiture with Daniel Greene and continued her study of the landscape with Albert Handell, Lorenzo Chavez, and other nationally known artists. Her work has been exhibited in the Richmond area and is in private collections. She has received awards during plein air events and gallery shows and has had her work published in the Pastel Journal July/August 2017 issue.

She enjoys working in the plein air tradition, working directly from life for the creation of most of her pastel paintings and she often travels for inspirational landscape locations. She participates in plein air events and is currently represented by Cabell Gallery (Lexington VA), Warm Springs Gallery (Warm Springs VA), Franco’s Fine Clothier (Henrico VA), and Allure Art Center (White Stone VA).

Virtual Painting Course with Hai-Ou Hou

Beginner and intermediate painters will be introduced to the techniques and skills of internationally-renowned artist, Hai-Ou Hou, as she guides you through four weeks of painting alla prima still lifes and painting from photographs. A free lecture, and short demo, with tips and tricks on how to become a better painter will be given on Monday, July 27th at 1pm. The four-week course will officially begin on Monday, August 3rd at 1pm and end after the last class on Monday, August, 24th at 1pm.

When signing up for the course, registrants will need to provide their email address so that the ZOOM link can be sent to their email address and phone number. If you are purchasing this class for two people, please register separately, providing a different email address and phone number. A ZOOM link will be sent to both addresses and both addresses will need to check-in via ZOOM, even if you are in the same household.

Please note registrants will need a reliable internet connection and a ZOOM account (free).

If your screen goes “dark” for any reason, at any time, during the course, ZOOM will place you back into the “waiting room” until your video feed returns. If you have more than the number of attendees initially purchased for the course appear in your video, your feed will be terminated and you will not be issued a refund.

Due to the digital nature of this product, Arts On Main cannot issue refunds for this course. “Make-up days” will not be possible for missed days. By registering for this course you agree to these terms and conditions.

Registration for this course ends on Saturday, August 1st.