Water Based Painting Workshop with Margrethe Aanestad

This adult workshop series offers a gentle introduction to the tactile qualities of materials such as paper, pastel, paint, graphite, and ink. Open to all levels, including new students, the series focuses on exploration, play, and the process of making rather than finished outcomes. Participants will experiment with a range of techniques across sessions, including acrylic and watercolor painting, pastel work, ink practices, drawing with graphite and charcoal, and creating sculptural forms from paper. Each class invites a meditative and attentive approach, encouraging students to discover inspiration from both inner and outer worlds. Sessions conclude with supportive group reflections that honor each participant’s process and discoveries.

The series can be taken as a full progression or as individual classes.

Each date is free and open to the public:

Location: Express Newark, 54 Halsey Street rm 307, The Drawing Room @ Paul Robeson Galleries
Dates: Monday, June 8 – Friday, June 12
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Level: All experience levels welcome
Materials: Materials provided

In this course, students will explore and experiment with water-based colored paint and water using brushes on paper.

In this course, students will explore and experiment with using various pastel chalks on paper.

In this course, students will explore and experiment with using ink and water on paper across various techniques.

In this course, students will explore and experiment with using graphite pencils and charcoal on paper.

In this course, students will explore and experiment with making sculptural forms out of paper.

About Margrethe:

Margrethe Aanestad is a Norwegian visual artist working between Norway and New York City. Her practice explores abstraction through mainly drawing, painting, and sculpture, with a focus on materiality, space, and intuitive expression. In addition to her studio work, Margrethe is a seasoned Teaching Artist with over a decade of experience leading art workshops for children, teens, and adults. She has taught in a wide range of settings—from art colleges and cultural institutions to public schools and independent initiatives—consistently fostering creativity, experimentation, and personal expression through hands-on art-making. Based in Brooklyn, she currently works with KokoNYC; Scandinavia House, and recently founded her own platform offering creative coaching and guided art-making sessions for both young people and adults.

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