Make Studio is very lucky to have some wonderfully talented and enthusiastic interns this summer. As part of their experience at the studio, we asked our interns Maeve and Acacia to each design, organize, and teach a workshop to the resident artists. Take a look at their reflections about the process of creating a workshop and engaging the members of Make Studio!

Color Theory with Maeve Goldstein

“When I was asked to start on a proposal for a workshop, I made observations around the studio to help determine where to start. I wanted to pick something the artists could take home with them to think about and use to improve their own artwork.

I sorted through notes from a color theory class I took last year at Hood College.  I made a vocabulary list, color wheel and complimentary color exercise, and drafted an outline of what I would discuss. I included a little bit about the science of perception, the history of color theory, and the basics of the color wheel and color interaction. 

At first it took a few minutes for the artists to settle in and focus, but they seemed to be interested. Some asked questions and related the lesson to things they learned in school. Most sat and focused, quietly taking in what I was saying and answering questions when asked.

The workshop itself went well. I procured a color wheel poster for reference, as well as a small pocket wheel and a pocket color chart. I even brought some color-aid to show side by side comparisons of warm and cool hues, tints, shades, and tones. Overall it went really smoothly, and gave me a good opportunity for organizational and leadership practice.”

– Maeve Goldstein

Watercolor Washes with Acacia Matheson

We were thrilled when Acacia decided to share her knowledge of alternative watercolor techniques with Make Studio artists. Acacia prepared examples of different watercolor wash techniques, and activities with the artists included: wet on dry paper, wet on wet paper, one color on top of another, blending colors, creating texture using salt, and plastic wrap on wet paper. Watercolor is a  very popular medium among the artists, and they were fascinated to learn new ways of working through the process. Several artists are still applying the techniques weeks later in their current projects.

“Doing the workshop on two different days with different groups of artists affected how the tone of the workshop. The first group was rather quiet and very set in their ways. As such, I had to adapt to them and pay more attention to keeping the focus of the group on the task at hand. The group on the second day went a lot smoother, because I felt what I was trying to teach was more on par with what that group of artists were already doing.

The workshop was a helpful building block for them. Everyone was excited and able to keep focus on their own projects, which allowed me to spend one-on-one time with a select few artists who needed it.

I  noticed a difference when it came to Make Studio artist Louis Middleton, as he was present for both days of my workshop. For the first day, the workshop didn’t hold his interest for long and his attempts at at new techniques were minimal. However on the second day I noticed such a difference. Other artists in the group were interested in the techniques and involved with their own experiments, and I was able to work with Louis one-on-one. I felt it helped hold his interest more on the workshop and learning the techniques.”