Jim Ann Howard

Watercolor: On Site and Natural

Course Description
In this workshop, participants will create site-specific landscape and nature-based mixed-media works on paper. The sites where the class will go, Fiery Gizzard Trail and Shakerag Hollow, feature examples of the extraordinary wild water-courses, geological formations, fauna, and flora of the Cumberland Plateau at its best. The workshop will include instruction on making inks, dyes, and water-based paints from materials found in nature, although, because of time constraints, paints that are made from commercial dry pigments in conjunction with other aqueous mediums will be used, such as watercolor and casein, and carbon pencil. Acrylic paints will not be used. There are abundant and sometimes rare wild flowers blooming here in June, and participants may want to try painting botanicals on site. By the end of the week participants may have created at least one large piece worthy of exhibition and will have started (or continued) a naturalist’s journal of studies, sketches, and notes.