Online Class: Flowers in Pastels

Join us in an exploration of the pastel medium to create colorful flowers reminiscent of Georgia O’Keeffe’s abstract florals. The fluidity and layering ability of pastels makes them an ideal medium for rendering abstract shapes, creating transparency, and building luminous color. In this class, we will start with a little history, art terms, and some basics of drawing. Next, we will learn about value, volume, and color, then work directly from fresh flowers to create our paintings! By the end of the class, participants will have a completed a their very own floral composition. No pastel experience is required.

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This class is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. Children are welcome to participate alongside their adults.

Space is limited, reservations required.

This program will take place via the video conferencing app – ZOOM. Details for accessing the Zoom meeting will be with your receipt upon registering and again sent via email the day prior. Please register in advance in order to access the program. Note that all program times are in Mountain Time.

Online classes are not recorded. Online classes are offered only as a live and interactive experience.

Supplies needed for this class:

• A beautiful flower you wish to paint
• Mask (always wear for pastel work!)
• Apron (always wear for pastel work!)
• Uart 12 x 16 Premium Mounted Board, #600
• Mungyo Soft Pastels for Artists 64 colors
• Kneaded eraser for cleaning edges and pencil lines
• Xacto knife for sharpening your pencils or edges of the pastel
• HB graphite pencil for sketching
• Brush and cup for alcohol wash
• Pastel pencils in various colors for detail work
• White charcoal pencil for added clean fresh highlights and edges
• Rags for wiping hands
• Paper towel for tapping off dust
• Winsor & Newton Artguard Barrier Cream
• Fixative for the finished drawing (spray outside)

Always work in a well-ventilated area with pastels!

About the Instructor

Deborah Shea was born and raised in San Francisco. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Design at UC Davis, where she studied with Wayne Thiebaud and Roland Peterson. A San Francisco Native, Deb spent over 20 years as a creative director, designer, and illustrator before becoming a full-time fine artist in 2017. She prefers to work in large scale paintings, drawing the viewer in to experience her art. She has won numerous awards in juried and solo exhibitions and was one of seven artists chosen for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Exhibition for 2023 in Redwood City, California. She conducts pastel workshops and courses at Filoli, Pacific Art League, The Society of West Coast Artists, and her studio at Art Bias in San Carlos, California. Deb is pursuing her MFA at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. She currently resides in Redwood City, California.

This class is being offered on a sliding scale:

$10; minimal fee.

$20; covers the cost of the class.

$30; covers the cost of the class, plus a contribution to support educational programs