3-DAY EVENT WITH DONNA DOWNEY
CLICK HERE FOR DONNA'S VIDEO ABOUT THIS RETREAT!
“Don’t Hold Back”... Using the intuitive painting process to find your voice
We’ve been conditioned to think art is about developing technique or natural-born ability...but I say “bullshit!”
I believe art is about tapping into the human soul and awakening the freedom to be…
3-DAY EVENT WITH DONNA DOWNEY
CLICK HERE FOR DONNA'S VIDEO ABOUT THIS RETREAT!
“Don’t Hold Back”... Using the intuitive painting process to find your voice
We’ve been conditioned to think art is about developing technique or natural-born ability...but I say “bullshit!”
I believe art is about tapping into the human soul and awakening the freedom to be comfortable with our own marks, our unique placement of shape, our use of color, and then connecting the parts instinctively into a whole.
It is not enough to be an intuitive painter. Artists use the intuitive process beyond the mark to tell their stories, but first, we must embrace the pieces of our untethered artistic souls.
Develop your artistic instincts. Trust the instinctual process of allowing what’s inside of you to come out by embracing the intuitive mark-making that is in your heart without any thought.
Lean into the fear of letting go of expectations and allow your painting to evolve based on pure emotion. Embrace what you do and never question anything about it.
There are no analyses, judgments, or do-overs, in intuitive painting. There is no discipline or thought necessary. It is your gut, heart, and soul talking, not your brain.
Students will learn to work in acrylic layers across a large canvas as Donna shares tips for building a stronger working knowledge of color-blending transitional layers while experimenting with tools, textures, and shapes. Begin to confidently use the surface as your narrative and paint what feels right...allow your story to unfold naturally.
Come create with Donna Downey at Rockin' R Retreat Center in Temple, TX!
This AMAZING Retreat includes...
- Three nights' accommodation - Thursday-Saturday
- Thursday check-in: 6pm to 9pm (light snacks provided, you're on your own for Thursday dinner)
- Sunday check-out: 6pm
- Meals: Friday breakfast, lunch, dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner & Sunday continental breakfast, lunch
- Light Snacks, Coffee, Tea, Water
- Happy Hour: Friday 5pm
- Class starts at 10am and ends at 5pm on Friday & Saturday, 10am-4pm on Sunday
SCHEDULE: Feel free to paint during any free time you have!
Thursday, April 27th
- 6-9pm - Check-in & light snack...bring your favorite wine to share! (dinner on your own)
Friday, April 28th
- 9am-9:45 - breakfast
- 10am-1pm ART
- 1pm-1:45pm - lunch
- 2pm-5pm - ART
- 5pm-6pm - Happy Hour w/ beer margaritas, chips and salsa
- 6:30pm-7:30pm - dinner
Saturday, April 29th
- 9am-9:45 - breakfast
- 10am-1pm ART
- 1pm-1:45pm - lunch
- 2pm-5pm - ART
- 6:30pm-7:30pm - dinner
Sunday, April 30th
- 9am-9:45 - continental breakfast
- 10am-1pm ART
- 1pm-1:45pm - lunch
- 2pm-4pm - ART
- Check-out 6pm
SUPPLIES:
We aren't including supplies in the price because many of you will have some if not all of the supplies and this will save you money!
Students will need to bring or purchase and have shipped the following supplies.
As our event gets closer, we'll add an Amazon list here for your convenience.
If you are flying in you can ship your supplies to c/o Rena Cotti 1603 N. 15th St. Temple, TX 76501.
Students will need:
- 2 large canvases (30" or larger) NOTE: If you know you are a fast painter, you may want to consider a 3rd canvas.
- Additional substrate (this could be paper, journal, or additional canvas of any size.) We will use this to create what I refer to as a “cast-off” painting (if time allows) from the leftover bits from the first painting
- A variety of favorite fluid and heavy-body acrylic paints
- Marabu acrylic spray paint (i like black but any color is fun)
- 1 or 2 collage papers
- white gesso
- small and large brushes
- stencils
- fun mark-making tools (palette knife, wedges, spatula, scrapers)
- palette paper and/or sta-wet palette
- OPTIONAL but strongly recommended
This course is perfect for all mixed-media applications. So if you like to mix things up by adding other media...I SAY, “Don’t hold back!”
We will provide you with:
- apron
- baby wipes
- paper towels
- pencil
- water jar
- spray bottle for water
- table covering
For sharing, we will also have...
- stencils
- collage papers
- stamps
- marking tools
'THE TEACHER:
Empowering artists to take creative risks and realize their creative potential.I consider myself to be on a creative journey that continues to surprise me every time I step in front of my canvas. My paintings continue to evolve in style and technique, but one thing stays constant: I am in love with painting the human figure. I use unfinished lines and painterly strokes to express the emotional vulnerability of human existence in everyday life. The impermanence and fragility of life are the essential focus of my work.
I love to experiment with either a monochromatic palette or an explosion of vibrant colors, depending on my mood. The process of applying paint to canvas is an emotional experience for me and I even find it a bit sexy. Exploring the use of shadow and light as a push and pull of interest for the viewer is a constant theme in my art. I often start each painting with a simple concept or idea in mind then I start placing color throughout the canvas, letting the colors intuitively reveal the composition. The paintings develop in response to the energy created between myself and the paint. I use painting as meditation and I deeply enjoy the never-ending challenge to evoke a particular mood or emotion for the viewer.
-Donna
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/donnadowney/posts
Website: https://www.donnadowney.com/
Facebook: @donnadowneyARTIST https://www.facebook.com/donnadowneyARTIST/
Instagram: @donnadowney https://www.instagram.com/donnadowney/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/donnadowney
Amazon Faves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-8fd8bf25
Covid Precautions:
- You need to bring your own pillow. You can also bring your own blanket(s) if you wish or choose to use the quilt we provide.
- We ask everyone to wash their hands before getting ice, meals, shared snacks, napkins, coffee, tea, etc... or using salt and pepper... basically anything that is shared by others.
- Everyone needs to self-monitor for symptoms and exposure to COVID.
- If you are not vaccinated, you need to use your judgment in wearing a mask and social distancing.
