A plein air painting workshop that concentrates on creating a method to “Catch the Light” and the essence of the day. Students work on various forms of compositional planning, including notan, value studies, directional lines and color proportion swatches. Learning to use these tools, will help artists capture the essence of the scene before the light shifts.
Students will work at two different locations. Through careful planning and a clear focus students will be able to quickly create a successful painting outdoors in the shifting light.
All media are welcome, oils, acrylics, drawing and watercolor.
Students should be comfortable with the medium they choose. The instructor is mainly versed in watercolor and water soluble oils.
Instructor Bio:
Deena's love of nature, science and art comes together when she paints outside. She is a student of nature who is constantly amazed at the natural world. She paints to help others see, respect, and conserve the beauty in our natural world.
Her nationally re-known landscapes, are known for their innovative use of watercolors in combination with textured ground and specialized surfaces. The majority of her work is painted Plein Air or derived from sketches and observations while she is immersed in nature. She strives to create simple expressive paintings inspired by nature, capturing a moment in time and striking an emotional chord with the viewer.
Deena holds a BA in Art History and Studio Art from Colby College in Waterville, Maine and continued her studies at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and Tyler School of Art. Her landscape watercolor paintings have been exhibited throughout the country. She studied for several years with the late Domenic DiStephano. The Richard Boyd Art Gallery in Portland, Maine is currently representing her.
Recently Deena’s landscape paintings have been exhibited in the Philadelphia Watercolor Society 121st and 122nd Anniversary International Works on Paper Exhibition- PA, Randy Higbee Gallery, CA, Green Mountain Watercolor Society- VT, 35th Northern National Competition- WI, Maine Art Gallery Members Exhibition, Northwind Fine Arts- NY, Back to Nature 2021, A Landscape Painters Invitational in Wayne, PA , New England Watercolor Society Gallery Show- Plymouth, MA , Great American Paint In - Cero Gallery, Florida - and the American Impressionist Society Member Exhibition.
Her work has been published in Splash 12 and 13, Watercolor Artist Magazine, The Art List and the Great American Paint-in.
Deena is an active teaching artist for both adults and children. She is regularly invited to conduct workshops and presentations for artists organizations. Recent presentations have been for Philadelphia Watercolor Society, Onodaga Art Society, Salem County Art Society and the Waterville Area Art Association. She has been teaching workshops and classes on zoom for Chestertown River Arts in Maryland, Mendocino Art Center in California, Community Art Center and Wayne Art Center in PA. She teaches in person out of her studio in Maine and through Artascope. Her studio offers online mentorship programs and hybrid studio classes.
Deena is a past president of the Philadelphia Water Color Society and the co-founder and Artistic Director of the non-profit, LandArt Events which organized Farm to Table Plein Air. She has worked to strengthen the ties between artists, provide opportunities for artists and opportunities for the public to interact with the artistic community. Deena is currently involved in a project to paint scenes from the Falmouth Land Trust Properties to foster greater community awareness about the issues of land development and conservation.
