From Nature: Botanical Painting en Plein Air with Christina Weaver

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, you 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.