Abstracting the Landscape in Encaustic
A COLLABORATIVE TEACHING VENTURE WITH KELLY MILUKAS & LORRAINE GLESSNER
Treat nature by the sphere, the cylinder and the cone…
Sometimes I imagine colors as if they were living ideas, being of pure reason with which to communicate. Nature is not on the surface, it is deep down.
— Paul Cezanne
AUGUST 26-30, 2024 AT LAREAU INN & FARM, WAITSFIELD, VERMONT
Limited to 10 participants
This is the third year running for this retreat and the teaching of it is ever-evolving, just like the earth and landscape we use as inspiration. Using Vermont’s ever-changing light and stunningly diverse landscape as muse, this retreat experience is designed for artists interested in transitioning to an abstract encaustic painting style or advancing their abstract practice, while also developing a unique creative voice. Traditional outdoor image gathering techniques are combined with guided studies exploring new ways of seeing and simplifying color, value, texture and form. Outdoor studies are then translated into encaustic paintings using comprehensive translucency, layering and color mixing techniques, which may be combined with collage and/or mixed media to make the abstract landscape your own. Considerations of our body’s connection and its direct relationship to landscape will also be discussed through journaling, readings and expressive mark-making exercises. Optional individual critiques with both instructors will be offered to all participants.
**Please note that participants should be prepared to spend time outside as well as in the studio. Any participant unable to take part in the outdoor activities are welcome to opt out and alternative indoor creative exercises will be provided.
Retreat Information
-
The Retreat fee includes accommodations for 4 nights at Lareau Inn, daily breakfast and lunch, one dinner, daily afternoon snacks and first night orientation, plus most workshop materials. A list of available rooms with links to images is listed on each of the Retreat pages below.
-
$2300 Per person includes all of the above accommodations, food, snacks, most workshop materials and FUN.
Payment of 50% of the workshop fee ($1150 if paying via check or Venmo, $1190 if paying via Paypal is due at the time of registration with the remaining 50% ($1150) due approximately 6 weeks before the workshop date. Please contact Lorraine for payment details.
Not Interested in Lareau Inn Accommodations, breakfast or lunch?
$1300 includes workshop fee and most materials.
-
Registration Instructions if staying at Lareau Inn:
1. Review the list of available rooms below and choose your room-each is linked to images and a brief description.
2. DO NOT book your room from the Lareau Inn web site. All rooms have already been booked in advance for our Retreats.
3. Contact Lorraine via email with the name of the room you’d like to book and for payment details.
-
Please Note Although the workshop continues through Friday, you must check out of Lareau Inn on Friday morning. If you would like to stay in the area Friday evening or beyond, there are many places in the town of Waitsfield and in nearby Stowe as well as Additional Accommodations in Waitsfield (see menu item below).
Additionally, there is 1 spot available for the workshop ONLY for a Vermont local, commuter, or if someone who would prefer accommodations other than Lareau Inn. The workshop only price is $1300 and includes lunch at Lareau Inn during the workshop.
There are additional accommodations less than a mile away, please see the additional accommodations list below. -
Available at Waitsfield Inn and Featherbed Inn which are within one mile of Lareau Inn.
Please Note Although the workshop continues through Friday, you must check out of Lareau Inn on Friday morning. If you would like to stay in the area Friday evening or beyond, there are many places in the town of Waitsfield and in nearby Stowe.
-
In the event that you need to cancel your workshop, please notify Lorraine via email.
Cancelations made 30 days or more from the workshop start date will be refunded their deposit (minus $100 processing fee).
Cancelations made 30 days or less from the workshop start date will be refunded their deposit (minus $100 processing fee) only if the space can be filled. If the space cannot be filled, no refund will be issued.
In this circumstance, a credit of 50% of the deposit may be applied to another Vermont Retreat Only. The other 50% of the deposit will not be credited or refunded.
Itinerary & Materials
-
Monday 6-9pm Orientation
Tuesday-Friday, 9am-4:00pm Workshop Hours
Tuesday-Thursday, 6:00-9pm optional night studio hours
*NOTE* A Detailed Daily Itinerary including optional evening activities is emailed to participants a few weeks before the Retreat start date.
Monday 6-9pm Orientation
Meet & Greet Wine, Cheese, Snacks and Smores by the Lareau Farm Fire PitTuesday 9-4:00 Workshop, 6:00-9:00pm Optional Night Studio
We will start the day en plein air, learning how to select a composition, rough out the values, create photo references, identify and combine forms within the landscape. Back at the studio a comprehensive discussion and demos of encaustic color mixing, color to value color matching, translucency and layering is the main focus for the afternoon. Lorraine will introduce a series of fun encaustic painting exercises designed to sharpen your encaustic color, application and layering expertise. Kelly will demonstrate mixing B &W tints, shades, and how to make value tools, and both Kelly and Lorraine will begin conducting personalized individual mentoring sessions.Wednesday 9-4:00 Workshop, 6:00-9:00pm Optional Night Studio
A deeper dive into the plein air image gathering experience to include a more complex visual area, and a further exploration of synthesizing form, value and layering color to capture mood. Continued color and value matching to amplify or mute your abstract compositions.Later, Lorraine will introduce a comprehensive talk on composition, encouraging students to think creatively, symbolically and intuitively throughout the creative process. Kelly and Lorraine will continue conducting personalized individual mentoring sessions.
Thursday 9-4:00 Workshop, 6:00-9:00pm Optional Night Studio
After morning discussion, we will continue with uninterrupted work time to further explore abstracting the landscape using encaustic collage, surface manipulation, translucency, layers and mark-making to build a series that expresses your personal connection to the landscape.Take the rest of the afternoon to experiment with marks, make color studies, ask questions, request informal demos, and continue with individual discussions with Kelly and Lorraine.
Early evening project show and tell and group dinner.
Friday 9:00am-1:00pm Workshop
Morning work time to complete projects, look at books, journal your thoughts and continued individual mentoring with Lorraine and Kelly. Lunch, clean up and good-byes. -
All encaustic paints, encaustic medium, tools and equipment
A variety of pigment sticks
Sumi ink & other misc. drawing media
Misc. drawing papers
Paper towels/rags
Extra encaustic brushes
Stencils and other textures
Misc. collage materials
Extra rice/printing papers for encaustic monoprint
-
The following is a list of materials to bring to the Retreat—Visit Lorraine’s Amazon Store for Art Supply/Portable Art Supply Ideas
Watercolor or Mixed Media sketchbook (lay flat, size 9 x 12 or 11×14, heavy stock to withstand wet media, encaustic sketching-at least 117 lb or above)
1-2 drawing media of your choice in black or earth tones (pencil, pastel, conte charcoal, oil pastel, Crayon, graphite, Sharpie felt pen, etc.)
Tombow 56171 Dual Brush Pen Art Markers, Grayscale, 10 Pack. Blendable, Brush and Fine Tip Markers ***A Workshop Must Have!
Portable gouache or watercolor drawing media of your choice for plein air (make sure you have black watercolor and/or black and white gouache)
Water brush (1/2 to 1 inch flats to paint simple shapes)
Low tack masking tape
Closed toe shoes for safety in the studio
Absorbent papers for encaustic monoprinting (rice, masa, other printing papers)
Flat edge Catalyst wedge for mixing color palettes ***A workshop must-have!
4-6 wooden painting panels (your preference of 8×8 or 10×10 or 12×12, but no larger or smaller, please)
4-6 hake or hog’s bristle natural hair brushes in 1-2 ch sizes for encaustic painting (1 brush will be designated your medium brush, so it must be free of color if you are bringing used brushes)
Materials for collage (fabric, papers, magazine images, photos, etc.)
Optional Materials
Smock, any encaustic paint color or pigment stick color you favor, Iwatani torch with extra butane, any tool or material for any technique that you normally employ while working with encaustic, textured objects and/or sharp ended tool for pressing into/incising/writing/drawing into wax, flat edge Catalyst wedge, silicone tipped clay tools or Catalyst tools, 1-2 inspiring books to share with the class, sweatshirt or sweater for chilly evenings and mornings, head lamp or battery operated desk lamp. If you would like to share your current work with Kelly or Lorraine, bring 2-4 actual OR images of your work, digital prints or phone/iPad sharing is fine. -
Sturdy hiking shoes/boots
Small waterproof cushion or portable chair
Butt pack or small backpack
Comfortable clothing
Light rainwear
Hat
Water bottle
For art supply/portable art supply/hiking or travel ideas, visit Lorraine’s Amazon Store
About Lorraine & Kelly
Kelly Milukas, professional working and teaching artist, art & science residency collaborator, is an award-winning multi-media artist whose practice began as a sculptor and has expanded her art making include pastel and encaustic painting. Big, bold, brave color, shape and texture, define her broad and diverse subject matter. Her “Keys to Cures” have been exhibited in many venues including the International Encaustic Museum, Sante Fe, NM, her solo exhibitions at the Ronald Reagan International Forum, in Washington, DC, the Museum at Palm Beach Photographic Centre, FL, and the Regenerative Medicine Forum in Berkeley, CA. Her artwork is in national museums, international private and corporate collections, and been visible at international art fairs such as Red Dot Miami, and Boston International Art Fairs.
Lorraine is a former Assistant Professor at Tyler School of Art (2003-2016), a workshop instructor and an award-winning artist. She has a diverse art background with skills that include painting, sculpture, photography and digital imaging. Recent professional achievements include curating, With Wax: Materiality & Mixed Media in Encaustic at Chester County Art Association in West Chester, PA, a Grand Prize Award from the show (re)Building, Atlantic Gallery, New York, NY and a recently appointed position as an Artist Instructor at R&F Paints. Her work is exhibited locally and nationally in galleries, museums, craft centers, universities, Fine Art Shows and more. Lorraine brings to her teaching a strong interdisciplinary approach, mixed with a balance of concept, process, experimentation and discovery.
Website
Instagram
Gallery
Please enjoy these images of artwork and fun scenes from recently taught workshops and retreats similar to this one
