Artist workshops offered at Carlton Gallery
9th annual series starts in May

As 2009 unfolds, Carlton Gallery is eagerly anticipating its 9th annual Painting Workshop Series, as well as celebrating its 27th year.

The workshops are not limited to artists, but all levels are encouraged to attend for classes taught by gallery artists. The season of “Making Art” begins in May and continues through October.

Andy Braitman teaches at Carlton Gallery. Photo submitted

Jim Crompton demonstrates painting at Carlton Gallery. Photo submitted

The small workshop classes assure a hands-on-approach with quality instruction and individual evaluation by the teaching artists. Each workshop is a typical 3-day event.

Carlton Gallery is offering classes in Mixed Media Collage taught by Vae Hamilton; “Creative Paintings from Photographs” with Jim Crompton, as well as a “Color Theory in Oil Painting” by Andy Braitman. These are long standing artists of Carlton Gallery, in addition to having many years of teaching aspiring artists.

Local artist Egi Antonaccio plans an “Abstract Landscapes in Acrylic using Palette Knives” workshop, in which the participants will experience color and the music of life as they loosen their style and enhance their painting skills.

In July, Bill Farnsworth will instruct participants in painting a “Plein Air Landscape.” Noted watercolorist Freeman Beard plans to demonstrate a plein air painting, along with guiding participants in the process of watercolor painting.

For those who want to learn to draw, artist Mary Dobbin will instruct beginning and experienced artists on “Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain.” This class will develop drawing abilities, as well as refine drawing development. Dobbin will also conduct a “Still Life Workshop,” which will explore the abstract elements of composition.

“Oil Relief on Grass Cloth” by Irmaly Brackin rounds out the 9th annual Workshop Series at Carlton Gallery. This workshop by Brackin enables the participants to produce two dimensional art works on Chinese grass cloth. Hot oil and wax media is the first technique, along with a process similar to batiking and then dying achieves unpredictable and artistic work.

Carlton Gallery’s Winter Exhibition runs through March 15, and a collection of art by the teaching artists for the 9th annual Workshop Series is on exhibit.

Information about the workshops or seasonal exhibitions can be found at www.carltonartgallery.com, by calling (828) 963-4288 or by visiting the gallery, located at N.C. 105, 10 miles south of Boone and 7 miles north of Linville. Winter hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday or by appointment. The gallery will be open on Monday, Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.