April 25 & 26 - Steve Griggs 2-Day Workshop "Watercolor Painting with Energy and Freedom" -- At the Littleton Museum
During this two-day workshop, participants were invited to try out a variety of watercolor painting strategies and techniques with an emphasis on becoming more loose and free. Participants were given the opportunity to paint short, warm-up sketches as well as finished landscape, cityscape, and/or waterscape paintings.
During the workshop participants moved out of their comfort zones and encouraged one another's efforts.
During the workshop participants moved out of their comfort zones and encouraged one another's efforts.
Steve Griggs is an accomplished artist. The team of Steve and Sue use each of their best qualities to put together this workshop. From the beginning I got a sense of calmness and peace from this artist. His method of teaching is encouragement mixed with storytelling. As with many seasoned artists, Steve has a tremendous amount of knowledge that he tried to give us in 2 days. We are shape collectors. We each have our own voice that is different from everyone else and our paintings tell stories using form, format, motifs, color, contrast and many techniques that bring our paintings to life. Placing human forms in paintings brings interest and making loose paintings lets the beholder fill in the visual gaps of impressions we made. He made a point of going around helping us, encouraging and critiquing.
Steve gave us wonderful exercises that incorporated human forms, watercolor techniques and space division. In the space of two days he demonstrated a landscape and then had us paint one using his techniques. He then demoed one using human forms and space division and asked us to do the same. As we were running out of time we did a follow the teacher seascape. This I found challenging as I like to “see” where I am going. A visual reference would have been helpful as with the other 2 demos he did.
All in all I got what I wanted from the workshop. I was most impressed with the extensive sketchbooks he kept…his legacy. We had little exercises to do which are important, allowing us to play with forms. I was able to play and experiment with water and techniques. I would have liked to have had 1 or 2 more demos and more time to paint, being a visual and kinesthetic learner. I responded with less anxiety and frenetic energy with this workshop due to Steve’s quiet and spiritual nature. And thank you Steve Griggs for that.I’ve always believed that workshops are an integral part of an artists on going learning. Even accomplished artist continue to advance their skills from taking classes from other artists. There are many lessons to learn. And new evolving techniques that continue to challenge us as artists. The venue was good for light and accessibility. And the second day a/v was much improved over the first.
Thank you Mary Kay and Shirley for bringing us these workshops.
-- Submitted by Shelli Grogan
Steve gave us wonderful exercises that incorporated human forms, watercolor techniques and space division. In the space of two days he demonstrated a landscape and then had us paint one using his techniques. He then demoed one using human forms and space division and asked us to do the same. As we were running out of time we did a follow the teacher seascape. This I found challenging as I like to “see” where I am going. A visual reference would have been helpful as with the other 2 demos he did.
All in all I got what I wanted from the workshop. I was most impressed with the extensive sketchbooks he kept…his legacy. We had little exercises to do which are important, allowing us to play with forms. I was able to play and experiment with water and techniques. I would have liked to have had 1 or 2 more demos and more time to paint, being a visual and kinesthetic learner. I responded with less anxiety and frenetic energy with this workshop due to Steve’s quiet and spiritual nature. And thank you Steve Griggs for that.I’ve always believed that workshops are an integral part of an artists on going learning. Even accomplished artist continue to advance their skills from taking classes from other artists. There are many lessons to learn. And new evolving techniques that continue to challenge us as artists. The venue was good for light and accessibility. And the second day a/v was much improved over the first.
Thank you Mary Kay and Shirley for bringing us these workshops.
-- Submitted by Shelli Grogan