DRAWING CENTER STUDIO

From Nature: Painting en Plein Air
A 3-day Intensive Workshop with Christina Weaver


April 12 -14, 2024 (Friday - Sunday)

Waitlist Registration Deadline: April 11

Friday: 10am - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Sunday: 10am - 5pm
(1 hour lunch break each day)

INITIAL REGISTRATION CAP HAS BEEN MET. TAKING REGISTRATIONS FOR WAITLIST IN CASE MORE SPOTS OPEN UP.

[ GET ON THE WAITLIST HERE ]

Tuition:

Waitlist Registration: $540 / Student*: $459
DEADLINE: April 11, 2024

*student rates offered only with valid academic student i.d. We will contact you to obtain verification in advance of the workshop.




Description:

Participants will experience guided plein air painting at the historic Manifest Drawing Center facility, its grounds and gardens. The beauty and rebirth of spring will support the exploration of small moments in the landscape, honing in on the vibrant colors, striking geometry, and intricate forms of plants. Over the course of 3 days, students will develop an oil painting from start to finish, layering observations to create a richly built surface. Emphasis will be on accurate drawing, value structure, and color relationships as we organize botanical complexity onto canvas.

With direct observation at the heart of our process, we will address the unique challenges of working outside, an endeavor that demands adaptation to an ever- changing environment. Unpredictabilities of light, weather, and movement resist traditional methods of depiction and confront our notions about representation. How do you paint the play of shadows, the dance of leaves, or the unfolding of a flower? These are the questions we will ask as we strike a balance between control and chaos, capturing something true about the nature of our living subjects.

Each day will begin with a demonstration and lecture, then, guided by personalized instruction and feedback, students will paint independently in the afternoon.
In the event of inclement weather, we will engage creatively with the opportunities presented by our special facility, including painting in the covered Arcade, under the Porte Cochère, our front copper-roofed porch, or in the garage (and future printmaking studio) wth doors open out into the courtyard and greenspaces beyond.

Key Workshop Objectives:

• Develop observational painting skills, honing discipline

• Develop an understanding of value structure and color relationships

• How to paint outdoors and adapt to changing conditions

Class Size: Maximum: 15

Materials List:

(download/print PDF here)

Level of Study: This class is suggested for individuals with some painting experience. Basic knowledge of oil paint is expected.

AREA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE TRAVELING TO ATTEND

For those traveling to Cincinnati to attend this visiting artist workshop, there are many exciting or practical options for accommodations. For a special stay within a mile of Manifest's new facility, we would recommend checking with The Clifton House Bed & Breakfast* (https://thecliftonhouse.com) or The Gaslight Bed & Breakfast (https://www.gaslightbb.com). Alternatively, the 21c Museum Hotel is in the heart of downtown just four miles from our location (link). Many other common hotels are within a few miles of our location as well.

*We have confirmed that the Clifton House will honor a special discounted rate for Manifest workshop participants.

LOCATION: Unless otherwise specified, all courses are hosted at Manifest's new facility at 'M1' in Clifton at 3464 Central Parkway (see map and directions below). Manifest's new facility provides multiple studio classrooms, private lesson space, a darkroom, a film processing room, and a multi-purpose lecture and class meeting space as well as on-site parking, grounds, and exterior spaces in which to relax, discuss, and make art. The studios are outfitted with professional equipment, furniture, and study aids.

Map to Manifest's M1 Studios   |   Studio Calendar   |   Darkroom Calendar

Manifest's new home on Central Parkway is a historic 1932 structure ideally suited to the various programs of the Manifest Drawing Center (and future Manifest Gallery). Even now, mostly unchanged from 90 years ago, it serves as a playful collaborator in our educational mission. Students and guests are inspired by both the content of our programs, and the spaces in which they occur. This beast is our gentle dragon.

Paintings by Christina Weaver

About the instructor:

Christina Weaver studied painting and drawing at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Indiana University Bloomington. She has received the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant for artists who work representationally and in 2014-2015, she was a resident artist at Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has taught in a variety of settings and is currently an instructor of drawing and painting at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Her work is exhibited nationwide, collected worldwide, and has been featured in The Artist’s Magazine, Southwest Art, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Christina lives near Waynesville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.