Art Workshop

Learning Watercolour with Poppy Balser

I recently attended a 2-day watercolour workshop with Poppy Balser at Cornwallis, NS.  Twelve people from the Maritimes and Maine spent 2 days under her capable instruction.  It was enjoyable and rewarding.  The Annapolis Basin Conference Centre is a wonderful venue with good accommodations, food and service.

The emphasis of the workshop was not to direct the students step-by-step through a process to finish with one 'good' piece of art.  Its emphasis was on process.  We spent a lot of time on instruction, demonstration and doing technique.  That is what I enjoyed about this workshop. 

I finished with 3 reasonable paintings.  These are certainly not studio pieces but the product of sketches and attempting technique.  That area of Nova Scotia is ripe with subject matter.  We enjoyed the marine atmosphere.

Point Prim Surf

 This was a value study in 2 colours.  It was done to show how value is used to show perspective.

Nova Scotia Landscape

This is also a value study with just a little colour added.  The purpose of this study was to show how to do mist in the background.

Heavy Surf on Rocks

This was a more difficult study of heavy surf on rocks and showing big waves with a rock wall behind.

Poppy Balser is one of Canada's leading watercolorists and has won numerous awards.  She will be giving more workshops this summer and her work can be seen at poppybalser.com.