Let’s Explore Techniques & Materials Together.

An extended weekend of exploring personal, creative preferences and getting into artistic approaches and style in a deeper way. This creative experience is hands-on learning of a wide variety of mixed media materials and techniques intended to guide you toward preferences for color, shape and line, ways to create depth through layering and . Foundational knowledge of materials is key to artistic growth, and my aim is to take the mystery out of things like gels, pastes and mediums, the different viscosities of paint, and to show you unique, new ways to use acrylics that will spark your imagination and lead to new discoveries for your own work.

Instead of outcome-oriented projects, we will do a lot of open-ended mini-projects, exercises and experiments. Over the course of the weekend, you will see your own mixed media projects occur and evolve organically in a supportive environment where ideas and energy are contagious. Optional journal prompts provide you with thoughtful ways to examine and explore the personal narrative that is the heart of your work. Nightly Share Circles are an informal way to receive feedback, discuss outcomes and have a dialogue about the day’s discoveries or challenges.

Winter is a perfect time to get cozy, intentionally unplug from real life and immerse ourselves in our work. There is even a shop at the inn with a coffee and chocolate shop, lovely handmade things as well as an array of basic art supplies. Opening night features a wine and cheese reception and, each afternoon, coffee and homemade cookies. Dinner in the main house dining room is a fun way to unwind after a day of making art and the studio is open 24 hours for all you night owls.

Is This Workshop for Me?

You might want to participate for any number of reasons, but some of the reasons I hear from past students are:

• Having uninterrupted, immersive time with our art and supplies and being able to create without any distractions or obligations.

• Being in a community of artists and riding on that supportive, enthusiastic, contagious energy.

• Learning new approaches and techniques and/or diving back into foundational knowledge.

• Participating in exploratory exercises that challenge us and inspire new ways forward in discovering our authentic style.

• Getting unstuck from creative lulls or ruts and reconnecting with our art.

Important Workshop Details:

While “all skill levels” are welcome, this is not a true beginner’s workshop. The expectation is that attendees have a basic understanding of acrylics, tools and substrates, though they need not be working or “professional” artists as the time we spend together will be specifically on materials, techniques and how this affects creative development. Instruction will be on various materials and techniques with a mindfulness for showing you things that might be new, exciting and yet to be tried, as well as playfully revisiting the foundations of color, mark-making, layering and composition in fun mini-projects that you can grow into personal pieces or bodies of work.

This is a “nuts and bolts” type of workshop. I teach the materials, techniques and approaches that will help you deepen your acrylic, mixed-media practice and add to the development or evolution of your style. While art can be an integral way to deepen self-awareness and deal with emotional and personal issues, this workshop is not intended to facilitate those objectives. There are many instructors and art therapists who do lead these types of experiences, however, I am not that instructor and this is important to know so that the community experience is a good fit for everyone.

• Arrival/Check in on Thursday, January 23, 2025 is 3:00. p.m. Wine and Cheese Reception is at 5:00 p.m.

• Room check out on Sunday, January 26 is 10:30 a.m. Workshop concludes in the Studio at 3:00 p.m.

• Instructional hours Friday and Saturday are from 9:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening with demos, exercises, discussions on creativity and style, sharing in the spirit of problem solving and pushing through to resolutions of our work. Students should be prepared to bring 3-6 works in progress as well as works in “stuckness” to bounce around on during our weekend, as well as supplies (see below).

• Lunch is daily from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. and is available for purchase at the inn’s cafe for those who wish to stay on site, or on your own in town. (Everyone usually eats on site!)

• Access to the studio is 24 hours.

• There are 13 spots available for this weekend.

  
  

Creating in a community is an experience like no other and I’m excited to share this with all of you.

Love, Dar

Fee for Lodging, Tuition, Breakfast, Dinner and Golden Swag:

Single $1,950.00 per person.

Double $1,750 per person.

Note: Double’s price will be honored if you sign up with a friend and indicate that on your registration OR if you would like to see if there is another person waiting for a roommate on my end. Any leftover Doubles will be billed as Singles prior to check in. Please email me if “Double” is out of stock on this page; it’s possible there is still availability. dar@darsworld.com

Cancellation Policy:

• Cancellations must be made via email or phone, OR you may transfer your registration to another student at any time by providing me with their name and email address via email or phone.

• If 90 days or more before the first day of the event, you will receive a 100% refund of payments made.

• If 60 days or more before the first day of the event, you will receive a 50% refund of payments made and 5% off your next retreat.

• If fewer than 60 days before the first day of the event there is no refund, however, you will receive 10% off your next retreat.

• Partial attendance is up to you with the understanding that you jump in or out as your circumstances dictate and that you go with the flow while you are with us.

• Any cancellation on my part will result in full refunds for all registrants.

SUPPLIES:

The short answer is: any and all supplies you like! Here is a general list of supplies I regularly use and teach with, however, it is just a starting point to understand what I will be using and you are free and encouraged to bring anything you’d like. The inn has its own shop with a selection of basic art supplies if you feel there is anything you’ve forgotten.

NOTE: I am am an Artist Educator for GOLDEN Acrylics and nearly exclusively use and instruct with their products. You do not have to bring this brand, however, please do not bring “craft” paints like Apple Barrel or student grade like Liquitex “Basics” or Michael’s “Artist’s Loft” as paints that you will use during color mixing exercises. You will not get good color results. GOLDEN is recommended, but any professional grade paints are fine.

I’ve created two Amazon Lists for you to peruse: Basic Supplies I Use and Brushes and Applicators.

• 3-6 Works in Progress. These can be in any medium, any size, any state of being or stuckness. Bring some that you are excited about and some that you aren’t. Anything goes… if you have more and that feels right, that’s fine too but bring something. Everyone will have a 6’ table to work on.

•Fluid acrylics in any colors you like, but minimally in two, different “primary” trios (one each of a red, yellow, blue), plus black, white and at least one shiny iridescent color like gold, silver, micaceous iron oxide, copper or bronze and an interference. Suggested to have an alternate white (Titan Buff).

• Heavy Body acrylics in any colors you like, but minimally in one “primary” trio (red, yellow, blue), black and white. You may also wish to have an alternate white like Titan Buff, which I use often interchangeably with Titanium White.

• High Flow acrylics or acrylic ink in a “primary” trio, plus black and white.

• SoFlat Matte acrylics by GOLDEN are OPTIONAL but I am very fond of them and you will be too.

• Calligraphy pen and/or Fineline applicator for drawing with High Flow

• Substrates can be those that you enjoy working on. I like using cradled wood panels by DaVinci, stretched canvas and student grade watercolor by Canson in their XL pad so that I can use it large or cut down to smaller pieces, “better” watercolor paper in 140 lb. hot or cold press. Have a canvas specifically for offloading paint— a “junk canvas.” Nothing need be larger than 11x14”

• Blank Wooden ATCs (artist trading cards, which are 2.5 x 3.5”). These and the 6x6” wooden “craft” panels are really great for creating mixed media “notebooks,” experimenting on wood and creating test boards— of course, the ATCs double as trading cards if you want! Both are on the Things I Use Amazon List.

• Soft Gel Gloss

• Matte Medium

• ANY gels or pastes you have or enjoy (Tar Gel, Glass Bead Gel, Mica Flake, Coarse Alumina, etc.)

• Gesso (either white or black, or both if you wish)

• Brushes: A variety including one large flat/round, several smaller and medium paintbrushes in flats and rounds, a smaller angled brush (1/8 and ¼) and at least one “liner” and “fan,” and a brush designated for watercolor use. Use any other brushes that you have and like to use—perhaps treat yourself to a special effects brush that you’ve never tried. I am a Silverbrush Educator and have begun a designated Amazon List just for Brushes and Applicators.

• Copy/sketch paper or your art journal to use for exercises and practicing

• A notebook for taking notes or journaling

• Collage paper that you already have in sheets and/or scraps plus blank sheets of better paper to use for making collage paper along the way if you choose (I suggest “kozo,” “calligraphy" or rice paper, AND deli paper, these are all on the Amazon list and inexpensive)

• Gelli Plate(s) and brayer - There are many ways to create very unique collage material with a Gelli plate!

• A selection of mark making tools: Pencils, Fineliners, crayons, markers, Sharpies, pastels, Poscas, Pintars calligraphy pens, Dot stylus tools, etc. You can get ideas from my Amazon List.

• Palette knife (standard is fine, as well as “special effect” knives if you have them)

• Scissors

• Stencils, stamps if you like to use them (I often make them myself and will have a box of goodies to create “stamps” with)

• Spray bottle

• Roll of paper towels

• Container(s) for your water

• Headphones if you need to listen to music while you work. I will play music sometimes but will also provide moments of quiet, focused time.