Let experienced artist Amy Hibbs open your mind to new possibilities of making, mixing, and painting by diving deep into color using traditional and handmade watercolor. The morning session teaches color mixing and the creation of a color wheel with from-the-tube watercolors. In the afternoon we go outside, mining our immediate surroundings for pigments that we make into watercolor paints to share. Using these unique, natural paints we create a new color wheel reflecting our time and place. Emphasis is on experimentation, skills, and fun. You will come away with knowledge of how to make basic watercolors and some tools for continuing your exploration at home.

This workshop is for beginners and experienced watercolorists.

All the materials necessary are provided in the class fee, but there is an additional watercolor pan kit available for those who would like to purchase something a little extra. Check the Add-On section in the Tickets.

Materials:

Paper

Palette knife

Small jars for taking samples home

Pipettes

Small strainer

Stirring sticks

Watercolor brush

Mullers for mixing paint

Meet the Instructor

Amy Hibbs is a Northern California native who enjoyed an extended youth in far-flung places before settling in the Bay Area. Her background as a garden instructor strongly informs her understanding of plants; her childhood gardening alongside her mother informs her sensibility; and her travels in Japan inform her aesthetic. She received her MFA from Mills College in Oakland in 2003 and was awarded the graduate affiliate residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in 2004-2006. She has shown nationally and internationally. She lives in San Jose with her husband and two children.

Statement:

My paintings explore the relationships between people, communities, and the plant life that supports and surrounds them. I collects plant material from locations where it is overlooked or decayed. Street side yard waste, past-due food waste, or spent cemetery bouquets all provide rich material for studying how and what we use, value, and discard. Exploring these concepts, I use a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture. I’m passionate about plants and trees, and I love sharing my enthusiasm with students of all ages.