Our eyes and brains are terrific machines, allowing us to see great amounts of detail and a million colors – but is it realistic to paint what you see? As plein air painters, we must learn how to observe and distill what we see into workable and captivating paintings. Learning how to squint is the first step to translating an observed landscape into a finished painting. In this process it will become easier to see important shapes, dominant values, hard and soft edges, glare light and dim light.
This workshop is designed for beginner to intermediate painters interested in improving their current skill set. The workshop will consist of a demonstration in oil paints by Matt; followed by student attempts, with Matt’s guidance. Students may paint in the medium of their choice.
Special Considerations:
Menogyn staff are hosting an all-day paint-out at camp, including lunch in the dining hall and a boat ride across Bearskin Lake to and from camp from the parking lot. An additional $17 charge for lunch and staff time is added to the workshop fee, so you do not have to sign up separately for the paint-out.
Menogyn is a wilderness camp on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). It is not handicap-accessible, and there is no wi-fi or cellular service. A pit toilet is located at the Menogyn parking lot, and a landline phone to camp may be used to contact staff from the parking lot. At camp, a 5 minute hike uphill is required to reach the dining hall and pit toilets.
What to bring:
- Personal plein air painting equipment (easel, paint box, palette knife, brushes, paints, etc.)
- Canvases (small ones for this workshop, such as 8x10, 6x8, or 5x7)
Sketchbook and graphite pencils (HB, 4B, 8B)
- Students will be provided with ViewCatchers and Grayscale Cards for reference
- Sun/rain/insect repellant
- A chair, if desired
- Drinking water
Where to meet:
- Meet at the Rec Hall at 8:30am. All paint-out and workshop participants will caravan (or carpool) up the Gunflint Trail to meet at the Menogyn parking lot for a boat ride across the lake to camp.
- Upon arrival and disembarking at camp, workshop participants will follow Matt to Chapel Point a short walk from the docks. After orientation and a demo/presentation, students will paint around the boat house, sauna, docks, Chapel Point.
- The workshop will wrap up after lunch in the dining hall, and students are free to continue painting or hike or use the canoes at Menogyn with staff assistance before meeting at 4:00pm at the docks for our boat ride back to the parking lot. Expect to arrive back in Grand Marais between 5 and 5:30pm.
Google Maps Links:
Rec Hall: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fq45c1NzPM2J6jBy9
YMCA Camp Menogyn parking lot, 55 Menogyn Trail, Grand Marais, MN 55604: https://maps.app.goo.gl/U4MEjs64HquU3LKv9