Freedom & Fun with Faces - Mixed Media Art Workshop
About this Event
This is a series with 4 sessions.
Tuesday October 13, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Tuesday October 20, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Tuesday November 3, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Tuesday November 10, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Let go of perfectionism and have a blast in this small group mixed media workshop in my cozy home studio.
This intimate four-week workshop is for anyone who wants to explore mixed media, develop their own artistic style and bring more creativity into their life.
You do not need to consider yourself an “artist” to join us. Curiosity and a willingness to experiment are plenty. Beginners welcome!
Over four weeks, we'll explore watercolour, gouache, acrylic, ink, coloured pencils, markers, collage and mixed-media techniques, learning how different materials behave on their own — and what happens when we start combining them.
We'll cover some of the building blocks that can make artwork really sing: colour theory, contrast, composition, choosing a colour palette, line, movement, layering, pattern and detail.
We'll also spend time drawing faces: understanding basic facial proportions and then playing with them to create expression, personality and whimsy.
We'll experiment with hair, clothing, flowers, patterns and all those little details that can turn a drawing into a character and a picture into a story.
Don't worry, this isn't a class about learning to make art the “right” way.
We'll work through exercises and techniques together, but you'll have lots of room to follow your own ideas, interests and imagination. You might become fascinated with faces, collage, colour, pattern, botanicals, whimsical characters — or discover something completely unexpected. I'll help you develop your ideas and figure out how to take them further.
It's about learning enough technique to give yourself more freedom.
We'll experiment, make mistakes, try things just to see what happens, and work on quieting that annoying inner critic that says I can't draw that or I'm doing it wrong.
Through practice, experimentation and plenty of one-on-one guidance, you'll begin discovering what your art looks like and find your style!
And you definitely don't need to go out and buy a cupboard full of expensive art supplies!
You'll have the chance to experiment with my extensive collection of professional and specialty materials — including Derwent Inktense pencils, Caran d'Ache watercolour crayons, Daniel Smith watercolours, handmade metallic and glitter watercolours, inks, markers, papers, collage materials and lots more.
You'll also have access to my library of art and inspiration books.
Along the way, I'll help you understand which supplies are worth investing in, which ones you can skip, and how to put together an art kit that suits the kind of work you want to make.
Because there are only six spots, this is a very hands-on workshop with lots of individual attention. We'll work together, learn from each other, share ideas and spend four evenings making a glorious creative mess.
My hope is that you leave with more than some finished artwork. I want you to leave feeling braver, more curious and more confident in your own creative voice — and with ideas for building a regular art practice that keeps creativity in your life long after our four weeks together are over.
One little studio note: My home is also home to a small and very cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Fonzie. 🐶
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About your instructor
Laura-Jean Bernhardson, BFA, has been an artist, designer, maker and creative entrepreneur throughout her life. She is perhaps best known as the founder of Toronto fashion business Fresh Collective, and her creative career has spanned fashion, illustration, painting, craft and design.
Laura-Jean has taught art and creative workshops to adults, teens and children for decades and especially loves helping people get past the idea that they have to be “good at art” before they're allowed to enjoy making it.
Her own mixed-media work is colourful, playful and highly expressive, combining watercolour, drawing, ink, pattern, collage and decorative detail. Her whimsical characters are full of personality, with exaggerated faces, flowing hair, fashion, flowers and fantastical little worlds — work that sits somewhere between illustration, folk art and storybook fantasy.
Her approach to teaching is much the same as her approach to making art: learn some technique, stay curious, experiment wildly and don't be afraid to break the rules.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 333.35
