INSTRUCTOR: JANE DAVIES
SATURDAY, JUNE 8 & SUNDAY, JUNE 9
9 A.M.–4 P.M.
SVAC Member: $450; Non-member: $500
Ages 16+
Does “composition” conjure a set of rules that you should be paying attention to in your work? Do you strive for a “pleasing composition,” and is that enough to make a good work of art?

In this workshop we will approach composition as a more playful and exploratory inquiry, rather than a set of rules or guidelines. We’ll take a few visual elements and experiment with value, scale, arrangement, color, transparency, and more, to see how these aspects impact our images. We are not in search of the best composition. Rather we are generating as many variations as possible, and noticing our personal responses to them. The goal is to become more articulate in your expression through a deeper understanding of visual language. This method of inquiry, I hope, will allow you to discover your own personal way with composition.

This is not a beginner workshop. Though the techniques we’re using are accessible to less experienced artists, the concepts will be most helpful to those who have painted long enough to have struggled with composition.