Cullowhee Arts workshop with Chris Liberti - formal elements through direct observation

This summer's 5 day Cullowhee Arts workshop at Western Carolina University was a welcome escape from the Charleston heat, and the wilting national news. 

The class was plein air so we were outside every morning and returned to the same scene each day where we were perched high on a hill in Sylva, NC. Lots to see and paint and a great little town.

Chris Liberti was once again, a fantastic instructor. We rendered the same scene first in oil paint, and then in abstracted collage with over painting and oil pastel. His work has layers and layers of paint and the geometry is something I can relate to. Lots of learning going on. See his work at www.chrisliberti.com/

​And it was nice seeing friends from previous years and catch up.  (I even bought a little honey bear painting by Nathan Perry.) And there's always a tad bit of art supply envy -
​it's all about the easel. 

Initial abstracted collage of recycled paper plant

oil painting over collage

same view, but all in paint with oil pastel