Breakfast in the Clouds: Two New Workshops

This President's Day Weekend we're exited to offer two workshops presented for the first time at GCA. The first is a 5-day still life workshop led by Justin Wood in which each artist will create their own painting in the tradition of the great Dutch masters. The still life paintings of The Dutch Golden Age were a result of the economic prosperity northern Europe experienced in the 17th century.

Jan Davidsz De Heem: Still Life with a Glass and Oysters, 1640

The Dutch trade network brought in foods and wares from all over the world, especially Asia. The incredible variety of food and items provided artists of the time a new and inexhaustible genre.

The Breakfast Still Life or Ontibijtjes (little breakfast) was one type of still life category that developed in Haarlem and Pieter Claesz was one of the leading artists. His paintings typically included monochrome renderings of fruit, roemers (wine glasses), and pewter plates. 

Pieter Claesz: Still Life with Two Lemons, 1629

The calm simplicity of Claesz's arrangements is the essence of Ontbijtjes paintings and the goal of this workshop. Participating artists will create their own compositions of food and objects (glasses, plates, silverware) in the vein of the Dutch painters.

Justin Wood: Still Life with Lemons, 2014

We are also offering a 3-day Portrait in Perspective Workshop led by Anthony Baus. In the spirit of Cortona, Tiepolo and the great fresco painters of yore, this workshop concerns itself with the drawing of a portrait from an extreme perspective. Looking high above in the clouds or far below from the branches of a tree.

Agostino Carracci, 16th Century

Mornings will be spent discussing the main structural points of the skull and their orientation in space. Observations will be made on how these points act when rotated and titled. Each morning will bring a new pose as we learn to quickly locate points essential to a convincing dimensional portrait. Artists will try their hand at drawing the portrait from above as well as below. 

Anthony Baus, 2014

The afternoons will be spent on a single long pose to last three afternoons. Our model will be posed high on the model stand allowing artists to draw the portrait from below as if looking to the sky. Knowledge of skull structure will aid to deepen our understanding of the portrait's spacial orientation. 

Justin Wood: 17th Century Dutch Still Life Workshop Feb 12-16, 2015

Anthony Baus: Portrait in Perspective Workshop: Feb. 14-16, 2015

To sign up and read about our other winter/early spring workshops,  click here.