In collaboration with the New Studio for the Visual arts in Jupiter Florida, Art Barn School of Art presents two virtual workshops with nationally-recognized artist, author and instructor, Pat Dews. Both sessions will focus on abstracting nature, with the January 14th through 16th workshop geared towards getting started with structuring compositions, drawing, painting and creating textures, and March 25th through 27th will serve as a continuation for finishing up projects.
The fee for each workshop is $250 per person and includes live virtual instruction with Pat from her remote location in Florida (see descriptions below). Students may sign up for workshops independently of the other.
Guest Artist Workshops at Art Barn are designed to help adult students improve specific skills in an immersive group environment and to provide the opportunity for networking with other artists from the community and other areas of the country. Additionally, the workshops provide access to experienced teaching artists with international reputations to the local community.
Executive Director, Amy Davis Navardauskas, states “Art Barn is thrilled to be working with Pat and the New Studio for this virtual workshop. Originally we had Pat scheduled to come to Art Barn last fall to work with students in-person, but when it became obvious it wasn’t going to be safe for travel we began working on this option. Pat has had great success with this virtual workshop with the Georgia Watercolor Society in the Fall with 72 students who participated online! We are also excited to embark on this new partnership with New Studio too and we hope that it will lead to other workshops in the future.”
A testimonial from one of Pat’s students:
Pat Dews is a champion!!! I have never participated in a workshop such as this where the artist painted, taught principles and elements of painting and shared her thoughts about every stroke as she created and solved issues as she did!!!! She shared every thought intentionally and unabashedly. The most authentic, helpful and engaging experience in art workshops that I think I have ever experienced!
Guest Artist Workshops are supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
Flower Dance
Abstracting Nature I with Pat Dews
January 14 -16, 1:00-4:00pm CST
Join Pat Dews for a three-day virtual workshop. In collaboration with the New Studio for the Visual Arts in Jupiter Florida Pat will present her own finished works and describe her process of abstracting from nature to create compositions. Painting and drawing techniques such as cropping, collaging, painting with washes, creating textures, and composing strata pieces will be demonstrated in this virtual workshop. Utilizing principles and elements of design this workshop will help students create original works through the process of abstracting nature. Participants are encouraged to take photographs of abstract shapes ahead of class.
Barren Plain 4 received the AWS High Winds Metal in the American Watercolor Society 152 International Exhibition, 2019, The Judith and A. Richard Cohen Abstraction Award in the Adirondacks National Exhibition, Third Place in the Artists Magazine 36th Annual Art Competition Jan,/Feb 2020 and Second Place in the Non Member Show of the Florida Watercolor Society Exhibition, which led me onto Signature Membership
Abstracting Nature II: Lets's Get Started on Finishing with Pat Dews
March 25 - 27, 1:00-4:00pm CDT
Starts are fun, finishes more difficult. In this follow up virtual workshop, students will focus on finishing paintings and design. Learn with Pat, as she discusses the possibilities for each of her many starts. Watch her totally change a painting using acrylic paints, add more inks or watercolors to a start or end up cropping. Pat will discuss design while she works and why she makes certain decisions. She will also discuss value, which is often the reason why a painting doesn’t work or get into a show. Pat will provide tips and rules to follow as you paint. The workshop will be intense and informative, but not boring! You will leave with renewed vigor and ways to finish your starts. Those who register for this workshop should have already taken the first workshop from Pat.
Artist Statement
I paint because I must. I love the painting process. For me, the journey is the best part. I don’t make preliminary sketches, but let each painting evolve. Rather than painting the realistic image before me, I paint the abstract essence of my subject. By avoiding an obligation to one established technique, I’m able to make decisions as I paint, open to the myriad possibilities the painting process holds.
I am drawn to the abstract shapes and textures of flowers, rocks, water, bridges, old and rusted metal and crumbled walls. I find beauty in what has come before.
Working in mixed media, my methods take the fear out of painting. I am able to make radical changes using acrylic paints, cropping techniques and collage elements. Each painting is unique and has a different resolution. By physically working out my painting dilemmas on paper and canvas, I make paintings with strong design, strong values and limited palette. I strongly believe that with desire and hard work, great things are possible.
About
Pat Dews AWS D.F., NWS, NCS, NJWCS, FWS
Pat Dews, a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City is a signature member and Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the National Collage Society, the New Jersey Water Color Society, and the Florida Watercolor Society.
Dews’ creates experimental works in watermedia on paper and canvas. She paints the abstract essence of nature. The shapes and textures of flowers, rocks, water, crumbled walls, rusty objects are translated into richly layered paint surfaces. Dews skillfully juggles organic and geometric forms, transparent and opaque paint - all held together by a basic abstract underlying shape. Collage is often integrated. It is this intricate dance, rendered in strong color and value which produces her award-winning paintings. When Pat paints, it is a lively, fascinating performance where less becomes more.
Some of Dews’ awards include the 33rd and 36th Annual Art Competition Award, Artist Magazine, Mary Bryan Memorial Award at the American Watercolor Society 150th International Exhibition 2017, the Edgar Whitney Memorial Award at the 149th American Watercolor Society Exhibition, 2016, the Paul B. Remmey, AWS, Memorial Award at the 148th American Watercolor Society International Exhibition, 2015, and the China Zou Yinong Silver Award - China/NWS Small Image Exhibition, 2016. Dews’ paintings were represented in the 2015 Small Image Exchange Exhibition and the 2015 Shenzhen International Biennial Exhibition, China.
Pat is the author of [the painter’s workshop] Creative Composition & Design, 2003 (ebook), and Creative Discoveries in Watermedia, 1998, published by North Light Books. Her work has appeared in numerous books and publications. Dews’ videos, Designing Great Starts with Texture and Form and Let’s Get Started Finishing are available through Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff.
Pat is an enthusiastic and popular national, international workshop instructor. Dews’ has served as juror for both the American and National Watercolor Societies. Pat lives in Hobe Sound, FL. Web site www.patdews.com
ABOUT ART BARN
The Art Barn School of Art is not-for-profit organization. Our Mission is to provide quality art education programs for all ages in a supportive, creative environment in order to enrich the quality of life in the region. All proceeds support our organizational mission.