Emily Dykstra
Education Intern

On Saturday, June 20, the David Owsley Museum of Art hosted a painting course that encouraged participants to explore a variety of painting mediums. Artist-teacher Aaron Nicholson instructed the class with the intent to encourage the students to tap into their creative mindset through collaborative and individual painting. Nicholson approached the class with a relaxed agenda, letting the creativity of class participants expand.

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Penny and Daniel Henderson receive instruction from Aaron Nicholson

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The final painting from one of the class collaborations

“There are so many ways to take paint and use it,” Nicholson explained. “Start with a middle tone then go to dark, and add white highlights. Then things will pop,” Nicholson demonstrated the process on a blank canvas using numerous paints from basic house paint to oil paint.Stations were set up along tables with a variety of different paint types and utensils. Every fifteen minutes the stations switched and participants would make additions to the previous individual’s painting. Students were intrigued by the idea of collaborating and had positive outlooks on the activity.

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One of the paintings from the class collaboration

“I have never done this kind of thing before…I am used to making my own painting,” class participant Sinu Zheng explained. Students painted freely with the knowledge that not one painting was specifically theirs alone. By the end of the activity, boards were filled with artwork that symbolized a blend of everyone’s individual style.

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A floral bouquet painting done by Emily Dykstra

Nicholson then switched tactics during the final project of the session, which was an individual painting of a flower bouquet. Students were given a small board and were allowed to use  any of the mediums from the previous stations. One of the students, Daniel Henderson, comments that after the group collaboration he “had more control and understanding to make [the floral bouquet] come out right.”

The individuals in attendance enjoyed learning various painting techniques and forms. The students’ were able to learn in a beautiful and memorable environment while expanding their creativity.

There are two more of DOMA’s Summer Art series coming up:

Introduction to Metal Casting- July 11, 12, 18 & 19, 1:30-4:30 pm

Mixed Media Approaches to Sculpting- August 8, 1:30-4:30 pm

Register online at tinyurl.com/oc2b6ov. Come visit and learn with us here at the David Owsley Museum of Art!