5 - 6 April 2025, Botanicals in Acrylics with Karen Holloway

Learn all about using acrylic paint as a medium for creating nature-inspired art with a vintage feel.

Dates: 5 - 6 April 2025
Times: Saturday/Sunday 9.30am - 4.30pm
Venue: NatureArt Lab Studio, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith; free parking is available at either the front or both sides of the building.

About the Course
Not sure where to begin with creating your own vintage-look artworks inspired by nature? Using a beautiful native bouquet and vintage vase as inspiration, this course will cover the basics of learning to paint with environmentally friendly acrylic paint through a series of practical step by step exercises and discussions.

Students will be guided through:

• the different types and properties of acrylic paint (including environmental friendly options)
• choosing paint brushes and surfaces
• using colour and design theory to create a balanced, harmonious composition with depth, highlight and texture
• producing petal effects with shape and form using various brush strokes
•  ways of creating vintage vibes, and
• applying detail and surface embellishment to give your artwork that unique look

At the end of the class students can expect to be familiar with choosing and using material and equipment, mixing colour, employing composition and colour basics to make a pleasing composition, and using different brush strokes to create a loose native floral artwork. Students can choose to create the class project or enhance their own process of discovery by working on a composition of their own creation.

Materials
A materials list will be provided before the start of the first class.
The kit (of the acrylic medium and set of pigments) has been bought specifically for this course. The kit costs an additional $44.00, which can be paid directly to the tutor.

Level of course/workshop
Suitable for students from beginners through to intermediate students
This course is suitable for any nature enthusiast aged 16+. No prior experience or artistic ability is required.

About the tutor
Karen Holloway is a Canberra based botanical and mixed-media artist with a background in design and applied science. She combines her love of nature, patterns and surface decoration with keen observation honed by many years working as a paper conservator to create fresh, loose artworks with a vintage sensibility.

Karen is an enthusiastic advocate for using art and observation to connect with nature regardless of age or skill level. She encourages students to enjoy investigating different techniques and mediums to embrace the beauty of nature and explore their own passion for the natural world.