Still Life Painting from Memory
Ashley Johnson
$360
When we paint from observation our perceptions become a part of our bodies. In this unique weekend workshop we will be exploring the concept of memory in painting. We will spend the first day setting up a still life scene using meaningful objects to each student and painting multiple studies from that set up, taking value, color and compositional notes along the way, learning to be radically present with the scene in front of us. On day two of this workshop we will then put these objects away and paint on one larger surface from memory, asking ourselves what are the essential elements that remain, how does the observational painting interact with the memory painting, what can one mode of painting offer the other? Beginners and advanced students welcome!
Required Supplies
Suggested Oil Pigments*
Mars Black
Ivory Black
Titanium White
Titanium White
Cadmium Orange (or Permanent orange)
Ultramarine Blue
Phthalo Blue
Dioxazine Purple
Cadmium Yellow light (or hansa yellow light)
Phthalo Green
Cadmium red medium (or Napthol)
*Please feel free to bring whatever you already have. You will need one red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. They can vary from the above suggested pigments.
Glass Palette for mixing oil pigment (preferred) or disposable Palette Paper Pad, Large (16”x20” ish)
Assortment of bristle (rough) and smooth oil brushes*
I prefer Princeton’s Synthetic Mongoose brushes for my smooths (round size 4 & 6)
I prefer Princeton’s Natural Bristle Brush (round 4 & 6)
*Please bring whatever you already have/prefer. No need to spend a lot of $ on brushes
Palette knife
I prefer Blick’s Medium Trowel #30
Small squeeze bottle
Gamsol Odorless mineral spirits*
*No turpentine will be allowed in class only gamsol
Linseed oil
Pad of Arches Oil paper 12” x 16” or canvas paper
White Artist Tape
Foam core board to attach paper to
Paper towels or old rags for oil paint cleanup
Baby wipes
Disposable gloves
Assortment of colored construction paper
Meaningful objects to you that you would like to paint! Shells, plants, photographs, sculptures!
Ashley Johnson
Ashley is a painter, writer, nurse, and teacher based in Bremerton, Washington. She recently graduated with her MFA at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts...