Painting the Dynamic Still life – with Sarah Sedwick
December 6-8, 2024 | Friday – Sunday
Fri, Sat & Sun 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Medium – Oil or Acrylics
All levels of experience are welcome – beginning to advanced!
Paint looser and more confidently during this 3-day workshop with Oregon artist Sarah Sedwick! Take a step-by-step approach to alla prima oil painting, from black-and-white studies to brilliant color. Build a beautiful composition with life and movement, get a new perspective on the still life, and learn tips for bringing inspiration to your home studio practice.
You’ll learn the fundamentals of good design, creating sketches and value studies to plan a composition that works. Using a split-primary palette as your color foundation – two reds, two yellows, and two blues – you’ll do quick, fun exercises to focus on loosening up your brushwork before creating a finished piece.
Sarah will demonstrate, and work with each student individually. Instruction is in oils, and acrylics are welcome – particularly Open acrylics, that stay wet longer.
Class size limited to 12 students. All levels welcome, age 15 and above.
Sarah Sedwick is a prolific painter of still lifes in a style she called “Loose Realism.” Expressive brushwork, brilliant color, and dynamic compositions are her goals in both painting and teaching.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Sarah earned a BFA in Illustration from The Maryland Institute, College of Art in 2001.
Based in Oregon, she has been teaching workshops on alla prima still life and portrait around the country since 2013. She is the author of the book Dynamic Still Life for Artists, published in 2022.
Sarah’s teaching philosophy is simple: the more you paint, the more you improve – so removing the blocks that keep us from the canvas is key. Loosen up, let go of perfectionism, and watch the results unfold!
Facebook and Instagram are great ways to follow Sarah’s work!
Palette – New Wave 11×16” white pad disposable palette, or similar
Palette knife – not a teeny one. You want to be able to scoop up a pile of paint with it. I like the RGM softgrip no. 45 (blue handle)
Rags or paper towels (blue shop towels are the best!)
Solvent: Gamsol
Medium: walnut oil or Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel
Can, jar, or other container for solvent
Paint – I use M. Graham brand. Here is my split-primary palette. Substitutions are ok!
Titanium white
Alizarin Crimson,
Cadmium red (medium or light)
Ultramarine Blue
Pthalo blue or Viridian
Cadmium yellow (medium)
Hansa yellow
Ivory black
Optional colors: yellow ochre, dioxazine purple
Viewfinder – I like the ViewCatcher by The Color Wheel brand.
Brushes – I use Princeton Aspen flats, but please use what you’re comfortable with. A good starter kit is a #2 round and a #6
Canvases or other painting surfaces:
A pad of canvas sheets, canvas paper, or Arches oil paper (recommended)
Both a square canvas and a rectangular canvas or panel – any size you’d like to work on for about 3 hours. You’ll need at least 2. 8×8, 10×10, 8×10, 9×12 or larger. I use Raymar 23SC canvas
Bringing a couple of extra canvases can be
Pencil, sketchbook, black sharpie, masking tape, optional baby wipes
Students may register online or by calling the Sedona Arts Center’s Administrative Offices in the Art Barn, toll-free at 888-954-4442 or locally at 928-282-3809
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express are accepted or student may pay with cash or check by registering in person during office hours at the Art Barn
In-Person and Online Workshops Registration/Cancellation Policy:
Payment in full is due upon registration, or a payment plan can be put in place by the student upon check-out through Sezzle.
There is a $125 Cancellation Fee for any cancellations made before November 6, 2024. Any remaining balance will be refunded or can be kept on file at the Sedona Arts Center for a future workshop or class.
There are no refunds after November 6, 2024.
If Sedona Arts Center cancels the workshop for any reason, all payments made will be refunded in full
Important Cancellation Policy Message:
The Sedona Arts Center is not responsible for providing make-up sessions or issuing refunds, credits, or transfers for courses missed as a result of illness, emergencies, or other events beyond our control. There are absolutely no refunds after the cut-off date for any reason, unless the Sedona Arts Center has to cancel the workshop, then all fees paid will be refunded in full.
“Sarah Sedwick was a dream come true instructor at Field & Flow painting retreats. She truly has the heart of a teacher and it shines in her explicit teaching style and genuine and thorough critiques. Her demos are captivating and her unique exercises like “Twisted Twenties” are sure to offer excitement and growth for students at all levels. I have a lot of favorite artists, but Sarah takes the cake for favorite still life artist who was born to share her gift through instruction. The only thing I could ask more of from Sarah is to come back again... SOON!”
-Fallon Peper, owner Field n Flow art retreats, Charleston, SC
“Wow, what an amazing weekend. I had such a great time learning from Sarah and several of you. I really enjoyed meeting all of you as well. I too would take another workshop with Sarah. Sarah you were an incredible teacher and so much fun to be around. So grateful you could come here and teach us. “
-Michelle B. Orlando, FL
“Thanks Sarah for all the information and a wonderful workshop. I've been trying to develop a proficiency, on and off (mostly off) for maybe a decade. I've done workshops, attended the Plein Aire conventions and gone through lots of books and DVDs. I think your intensive help these past three days might be the most important experience that will help me to move forward.”
- Dennis H. Sutherlin, OR
“Thank you for a well organized, extremely helpful workshop, with a great combination of instruction and practice in a relaxed setting. I feel like I have lots of new tools to practice using - a great jump start for the winter months when we’ll be painting indoors.”
- Judy V. Eugene, OR
“A great workshop--great instruction, great painting time and critique and great artist camaraderie among all those participating in this workshop. Thank you Sarah! See you next spring for another workshop at Patris Studio!”
-Patti M. Sacramento, CA
