August 12, 2014

Another fun workshop week with Mel Stabin has just come to a close. Mel has been coming to teach workshops at the Hudson River Valley Art Workshops more years than I want to count!

This year he taught a workshop titled “Pushing the Envelope in Watercolor: Express Yourself.” It was all about challenging yourself and go beyond your boundaries in watercolor! Mel wanted to encourage his students to experience the magical, spontaneous, and transparent qualities of watercolor and help them discover that watercolor is at its best when it is set free.

The class spent about equal time painting outdoors on location and in the studio.

The final day was spent in the studio where Mel did a demo on figures and how to incorporate them in your landscapes. This was Mel’s demo painting.

Painting and learning all day can be exhausting but this group knew how to relax. Every evening they’d gather on the front porch of the inn for some beers or wine, and some great conversation.

This is one of the dishes served for dinner during the workshop – a savory Thai braised beef served on top of long rice noodles. The fragrance of the lemongrass, coconut milk, and spices emanating from the kitchen has people licking their lips in anticipation.

And speaking of licking lips, this is Link who came with Suzy and got more attention and hellos than anyone else in the workshop.

Maybe he is thinking of the home-made pumpkin dog biscuit he found in his room upon his arrival!

If you missed this class, Mel is scheduled to return again in 2016! Don’t miss it.