The Language of Color: Still Life with Aimee Erickson
4 Day Split-Schedule Studio Workshop:
September 9 - 13, 2025
See schedule below for class details
$825 + NM Sales Tax
A note to our students: To ensure that the workshop will not be canceled, we kindly request that you sign up as early as possible. Please note that if the minimum number of students required is not met three (3) weeks before the first day of class, the workshop will be canceled. However, we offer a full refund in the event of a canceled workshop, so there is no monetary risk for you. Please take some time to review our cancellation policy.
About the Workshop
This is a ‘split schedule’ workshop which means the class meets in the morning, followed by a long lunch break/siesta, and then another class meeting later in the afternoon. It really helps with stamina over the course of the week.
Skill level: This workshop is appropriate for all levels; true beginners are advised to familiarize themselves with tools and materials, particularly French easels, before class starts.
Materials used: Oil, acrylic, gouache and pastel are accepted. Aimee will use what ever materials you bring to teach you!
Overview: In painting we use color and value to show how light describes nature. Learning to understand various lighting phenomena gives us more freedom in choosing how we paint the objects we see, rather than having to look to nature for every decision.
Still life provides us the opportunity to set up challenges so we can paint to learn. There are three types of still life: formal, found, and part of a larger scene. Start with what you do know and gain skills by doing exercises that isolate different aspects of painting and will inform your decisions from here on. Fun and informative, with loads of practical take-home principles.
Schedule:
Tuesday, Sept. 9: 3:30 - 6 p.m.: An evening demo and a meet and greet.
Wednesday, Sept. 10: Morning session 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Lunch/Siesta, then Afternoon session 3:30 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 11: Morning session 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Lunch/Siesta Afternoon session 3:30 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12: Morning class 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. We will meet at Meyer Gallery at 4 p.m. to attend Aimee’s opening. and enjoy a group dinner at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13: We will meet at 9 a.m. and the workshop ends at 12 p.m.
About Aimee
Book Available on Amazon
“Color has emotional weight and is related to the shape of space. Drawing or painting, for me, means to look at the thing and transmit its vitality to the canvas.”
Known for an engaging style and versatility in subject matter, AIMEE ERICKSON is an oil painter of international renown. Her paintings capture elusive moments of beauty. She has gift for teaching, and has given lectures and demonstrations at venues worldwide. A standout at plein air painting competitions, she has won both Best of Show and Artists’ Choice at Plein Air Easton, as well as Best of Show at Carmel, Sonoma, Olmsted, Laguna, and Pacific Northwest Plein Air art festivals. Erickson has been a Portrait Society of America finalist, won Best of Show at an American Women Artists national show, and is a signature member with multiple awards from Oil Painters of America. She has exhibited with international plein-air groups in China and Russia, is an inaugural member of Charlie Hunter’s En Train Air expedition, and in 1997 painted the official portrait of governor of Oregon Barbara Roberts. Her work has been featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine, American Art Collector, and Plein Air Magazine, and on OutdoorPainter.com. Her first book, Plein Air Techniques for Artists: Principles and Methods for Painting in Natural Light, was released in 2023 and is widely available. Erickson has a BFA in Visual Communication Design with an Illustration emphasis. She lives in Portland, Oregon, and carries a sketchbook.
What’s Included
Bluebird Studios offers an array of complimentary food and beverages during our workshops. Attendees can enjoy an ice breaker the evening before the first day, complimentary continental breakfast served every morning, complimentary unlimited beverages, and afternoon treats each day. We also offer catered lunches brought to the studio or the plein air site (optional for $20), and lastly, our complimentary signature lunch of Frito Chili Pie on the final day. We will spoil you!
Materials List:
The supply list for this class can be opened via the button below and printed at your convenience.