Art Lessons with Mirja Vahala
Art Workshops
Mirja offers art workshops for all levels that can be customized for your art group. Are you curious about the types of workshops you can take? Download a PDF list of workshop options, or email Mirja with your questions and requests.
Location: Sessions take place at the Mirja Vahala Art Studio or online, unless otherwise arranged.
Subscribe for notice of art courses and workshopsArt Classes & Workshops
Doug Swinton’s
Mix Any Colour, Foreground Fixing & Fall Trees
October 16-18, 2026
$325 + GST
Oils or acrylics
3 spaces left.
Friday 6 to 8:30. Composition demo and how to manage a boring foreground. Wine and cheese. (Whoever wants wine, please bring it. I will have crackers and cheese available.)
Saturday 9:30 to 12:30
How to mix any colour you see.
Saturday 1:00 to 4:00
Fall trees and applying the Friday demo on fixing a boring foreground.
Sunday 9:30 to 4
How to make trees fun and interesting using gesture. And how to paint sky holes in your trees so the birds can fly through. 🙂
Paint COMPELLING LIGHT
with GAYE ADAMS
April 23-25, 2027
Friday 6 – 9
Saturday 10 – 4
www.gayeadams.com
$360 + GST
Oils or Acrylics
Painting convincing light isn’t rocket science, but it can be challenging! It involves mixing accurate value, colour, and temperature relationships. If want beautiful, glowing light in your paintings, this is the perfect painting workshop.
First, you will first learn how to see colours and values accurately. Following this, you will learn how to mix colours that will make your paintings sing with light. This will be accomplished through insightful demos, skill builders and the painting of small studies.
Each day we will begin with a demo, (in oil) and then coaching will be provided at your easel throughout the afternoons.
Supply List
Pigments:
Ultramarine Blue (Prussian Blue or Anthraquinone Blue for acrylics)
Phthalo Blue
Alizarin Crimson
Transparent Earth Red (also called Transparent Red Oxide)
Cad Red Light (Napthol Red for acrylics)
Cad Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Indian Yellow
Titanium White
Supports: Four 8X10” panels, well gessoed
Brushes: please bring good quality brushes – I use mostly flats and brights in various sizes, primarily synthetic hog hair. Acrylic painters, synthetic brushes.
Solvent: Please bring only Gamsol or other high quality ODORLESS solvent. Acrylic painters: acrylic gloss medium and a retarder.
Rags: Please bring only blue shop towels as they work best by a long shot. Acrylics: paper towels.
Photo References: Bring photos that are clear with good exposure and not too small. Working off of a tablet or iPad is a great idea if you have one.
Palette: please bring a disposable palette, 11X14 or larger. Acrylics: 16 x 20 stay-wet palette as well.
