Weekend Workshop: “How To Converse With Your Painting”
Location: my studio in Hoboken, NJ | Jan 7-9th | 10 participants max | Vaccination required
Probably most artists occasionally find themselves sitting in front of a work in progress, and staring at the thing blankly, somewhat paralyzed, while numerous fragmented thoughts run through the mind. Questions such as how do I proceed with this piece? What is it even about? Is it any good? Is it even art? Did I waste time? Is it making sense? How do I know whether it is genius or stupid? How do I know when it’s done? Why am I hungry even though I just had lunch? etc, etc. Some of us might eventually just put the thing against the wall and leave, some might call up a friend, some might attack the piece and destroy it, or try different strategies to try and see it afresh. The difficult thing with any such question is that there is no one who can give us an answer to them. Our work is our work because we find ways to answer these questions ourselves. More often than not, the answers come most clearly when one is not overthinking them, but rather resigning into a state of listening. Training an ability to listen to the work, listen without an agenda, but just an open curiosity, often allows the best to happen in the work. Making a work of art is a conversation between the maker, the vision of what one is trying to make, the reality of what one has already made, the materials, the subject matter, the surroundings, and life in general. One’s own voice is a fragment of this whole equation, and when we listen we can see the contribution of everything around us. In this one weekend crash course I will share with you ways of training that listening muscle through different exercises, discussions and demos, so you can continue building your own ways of stepping further into your work. You will be using your own failed or in progress paintings as starting points from which to go forward. Please see below for more info and to register.
Friday, Jan 7th | 6-9pm
Meet and greet, wine included. I will introduce the main themes of this workshop, and we will do a simple group exercise.
Sat, Jan 8th | 12-6pm
Demonstration on listening to the painting, and playing with decisions using one failed painting from each participant.
Exercise on ways of seeing the work as a starting point, playing with various forward scenarios by working on the second failed painting.
Sun Jan 9th | 12-6pm
Problem solving group critique and discussion in the beginning and end of the day, with time to work in the middle.
Please submit this form to register for this class. You will then receive an email from me with instructions on payment and any additional info. Submitting this form is not yet a payment or confirmation of your registration. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at anyakotler@gmail.com
$250
*Invite a friend to participate, and I’m happy to give 20% off each! Just let me know : )
Please Bring:
2 (or more) paintings. One of these can be an in progress piece that you’re stuck with. It is best if at least one is a work that you have pretty much given up on. (you can always bring them before the class and pick them up at a later date if you want to). Any reasonable size is ok, but I suggest not too tiny.
painting materials
sketchbook with some drawing materials, preferably with some color (pencils/pastel/watercolor..), but not required.
*Please note that the studio is on the 5th floor, the elevator usually works.
**If you want to take the workshop but have a conflict on one of the days, please let me know, we might be able to work something out.