The 2014 Vermont Plein Air Workshop was a great success!!
The 2015 class will run from June 23 - 27.
Details for that class will be posted here in January.
Happy painting everyone!
23.6.14
20.5.14
Tues June 17, 2014
Crit site – Beaver Brook Road, Pawlet
2pm palette lesson in my studio
4pm plein air painting & critique
- Take Route 30 to Pawlet
- turn on to Route 133 North (to Middletown Springs)
- follow rte 133 for 1.8 miles (rte 133 bends left at 1.3 miles)
- turn left on to
- take first right on to
- my studio is 360 Beaver Brook Road (the 3rd driveway on the right, name is on the mailbox) enter through breezeway between the house & studio
- drive up the road past my driveway and find a suitable place to paint
2.2.14
THOMAS TORAK
PLEIN AIR LANDSCAPE CLASS
Welcome to everyone
interested in the June 2014 Landscape Oil Painting Class.
Almost a hundred years ago Frank Vincent DuMond, an instructor at the newly formed Art Students League of
New York, decided his students would benefit from landscape instruction during the summer months. Every summer he and
his students packed up their palettes and brushes and traveled to Old Lyme, Connecticut, where the DuMonds had a farm, to spend three months painting en plein air. In 1951 Frank Vincent DuMond died and his student Frank Mason took over the class in New York. Having benefited greatly from DuMond’s insistence on the study of landscape, Mason continued the practice of a summer landscape class while limiting its duration to the month of June and relocating the class to Stowe, Vermont near the Masons’ summer home. In 2009 Frank Mason passed away and Thomas Torak, artist and former student of Mason’s, took over in Studio 7 at the Art Students League. Torak, in his turn, continues the tradition of a June landscape class. Like DuMond and Mason before him Torak has relocated the class to the area near his home
and studio: the class is now held in scenic Pawlet, Vermont in the southwest corner of the state.
This year the landscape class runs for five days, Tues – Sat, June 17 – 21. Living and working in the landscape for five days gives the student time to explore his or her thoughts and ideas about painting, even as each day brings new observations on the effect of light and weather. Students have time to get to know one another and to form a community of artists. A Saturday night supper for the class, hosted by the Toraks, strengthens those bonds by giving everyone a chance to relax and socialize at the close of a week of intensive painting.
Tuesday thru Friday the class meets outdoors for plein air painting. The time of the session could be anywhere from sunrise to late afternoon, depending on the location and the weather. Students paint on location for 1 hour, and then gather to watch critiques. Torak’s critiques usually last 3 to 4 hours. Students are encouraged to do another plein air painting on their own each day. Though the distances are not long (and the drives are beautiful) everyone will need a car or a friend with whom they can carpool.
On Saturday everyone brings a painting they have done on their own to Torak’s studio. Torak gives each student a critique while discussing the principles and theories of landscape painting. At the end of the day everyone is invited to stay for supper and socializing. Students are encouraged to bring any friends or family who may be visiting.
For more information please email thomastorak@gmail.com or phone (802) 325-6428
This year the landscape class runs for five days, Tues – Sat, June 17 – 21. Living and working in the landscape for five days gives the student time to explore his or her thoughts and ideas about painting, even as each day brings new observations on the effect of light and weather. Students have time to get to know one another and to form a community of artists. A Saturday night supper for the class, hosted by the Toraks, strengthens those bonds by giving everyone a chance to relax and socialize at the close of a week of intensive painting.
Tuesday thru Friday the class meets outdoors for plein air painting. The time of the session could be anywhere from sunrise to late afternoon, depending on the location and the weather. Students paint on location for 1 hour, and then gather to watch critiques. Torak’s critiques usually last 3 to 4 hours. Students are encouraged to do another plein air painting on their own each day. Though the distances are not long (and the drives are beautiful) everyone will need a car or a friend with whom they can carpool.
On Saturday everyone brings a painting they have done on their own to Torak’s studio. Torak gives each student a critique while discussing the principles and theories of landscape painting. At the end of the day everyone is invited to stay for supper and socializing. Students are encouraged to bring any friends or family who may be visiting.
For more information please email thomastorak@gmail.com or phone (802) 325-6428
2014 Information and Materials List
FIRST CLASS:
CLASS SCHEDULE: Tuesday thru Friday we will meet outdoors for plein air painting and critiques. The time of the session could be anywhere from sunrise to late afternoon, depending on the location and the weather. I will decide a day or two before the crit so you should be prepared to keep those days free from other obligations. Saturday we will meet in my studio to discuss the principles and theories of landscape painting, each student should bring one painting.
CLASS SUPPERS: Saturday evening (June 21) Elizabeth and I will host an informal class supper at our home and studio. We invite the students to bring
LAST CLASS:
CLASS FEE: $750 for the week.
A $50 nonrefundable deposit (checks only please, no credit
cards) payable to Thomas Torak will reserve
space in the class, enrollment is limited to 20 students. The balance can be
paid when you arrive.
Mail to: Thomas
Torak , 360 Beaver Brook Road , Pawlet , VT 05761
For additional information contact
SUPPLIES: Portable field easel. Palette (a small wooden palette works well outdoors, no white or paper palettes). Gesso panels, canvas boards or stretched canvases (if you bring stretched canvases bring a piece of cardboard to put behind the canvas so that light will not pass through from the back), 9 x 12 or so is good for field crits, but if you want to do something larger to bring to the Saturday crit please feel free to do so. A sketch pad (9 x 12 or so), pencils, charcoal or other drawing materials are very useful. Mineral spirits in a can or jar to clean your brushes. Filbert and round bristle brushes in a variety of sizes. A few round sables are useful for details. Paper towels or rags to wipe your brushes and a small bag to keep them from blowing away. Palette cups to hold medium.
PAINTS: OIL PAINTS ONLY, no acrylic or water based oils. White (titanium-zinc or Permalba, a large tube); Winsor Newton’s best quality cadmium lemon yellow and cadmium yellow light (these are very important for making rich landscape greens); cadmium yellow medium and/or deep; cadmium orange; cadmium red light (again Winsor Newton’s best quality); cadmium red medium and/or deep; alizarin crimson; cerulean or manganese blue; cobalt blue; ultramarine blue; thalo blue; thalo green; sap green; yellow ochre; ivory or lamp black. Any other colors you like to use.
MEDIUM: A good general medium is: 1 part linseed oil, 1 part dammar or mastic varnish, 1 part turpentine mixed together in a jar. If you prefer to use Fels mediums, Maroger, Liquin or any other medium (except water based) please feel free to do so.
CLOTHES: Prepare for all sorts of weather. Bring boots, warm clothing, rain poncho, sun hat and a swimsuit.
2014 Accomodations
ACCOMMODATIONS in the PAWLET AREA
We recommend that students
stay 6 nights, checking in on June 16th and checking out on June 22.
Rebecca has two rooms with a shared bath. One has a queen
sized bed and the other has a double. Kitchen privileges are available and
she is happy to discuss eating arrangements as far as meals are concerned.
Rebecca and her husband Jim are willing to share meals with guests, the cost of
which they would discuss. There is a garage where paints can be
stored. Rebecca’s property has 180 degrees of mountain views off the deck
on the back of the house, a great place to paint. Also, many wonderful vistas
within walking distance.
$65 per night for queen bed room or $300 per week
$50 per night for double bed room or $250 per week
Rebecca and Jim love to
have guests and we have had excellent reports from students who have stayed
with them.
A beautiful, chef-owned inn
(the food is amazing) in the charming and nearby town of Dorset , Vermont
Another
highly rated inn in Dorset . The
proprietors also own The Barrows House and guests at the
Dorset Inn have access to the pool and tennis courts at The Barrows House. They are offering a 25% discount for a 5 or 6
night stay. Please tell them you are
with the Torak Landscape class.
A
charming little inn in Dorset , simpler and also more economical than the
Dorset Inn. They are offering one free
weekday night to our students. Please
tell them you are with the Torak Landscape class.
Should none of these options appeal to you, there
are many Inns, B&Bs, hotels, motels and resorts in our area. Check out the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber of
Commerce website for information on places to stay as
well as the many things to do in the area.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
