Art Workshop with Janice Robertson

At the beginning of the week, I took part in one of the Whistler Arts Council’s, Whistler Art Workshops on the Lake courses. It was a 3 day course with local Vancouver artist Janice Robertson, on Intermediate Acrylics. The course took place in the beautiful Alta Lake House, overlooking the Alta Lake, in Whistler.

As it was such a great day, I set up my easel outside on the deck overlooking the lake, Janice encouraged us to start painting something that inspired us, whether it be a photograph, found object, our imagination or the view. I brought in a few photos from that I took on my weekend away in Tofino. Amazing images of beaches, sea and waves, something that I have never attempted before with acrylics.

Whistler Art Workshops on the lake

Janice started off the day by demonstrating the process and steps she takes when beginning a new piece of work, prepping the canvas laying out the composition and the initial layers of paint. We all then worked away at our own masterpieces!

The group comprised of 12 people, all of varying ages, skills and location, from Whistler, Squamish and Vancouver. Janice spent the 3 days mixing her time between demonstrations, theory, one on one tips, advice and group feedback and critique sessions. It was a great experience to get away from the real world and spend time painting with all these artists, all of different styles, imagination and experience. I feel my technique and style developed immensely over the 3 days and I managed to accomplish 2 paintings in this time. (Although the second still has a little more work left)

This workshop was not the first Whistler Arts Council’s, Whistler Art Workshops on the Lake course I have attended, last year I took part in Chili Thom’s, Colour Theory class and Isobel Mac’Laurin’s Drawing class. All three classes have been completely different in many ways and well worth the price and time. I look forward to taking more next year…

Tofino by Ruth Johnson

Group Feedback with Janice Robertson

The range of work produced by the class