pastel and new openings

      This past weekend, I taught my first workshop at The Kevin Dodds Art Gallery, located at 1101 Bank St., near Sunnyside. I've never taught right inside an art gallery before, but it worked out just fine. Plus I love the location. Being a newbee guitar player, we are two doors from the Ottawa folklore Center, which is a magnet for anyone interested in music and instruments. Perhaps the best thing, is being right beside Stellaluna, and gelato and coffee place. My daughter Solange and I popped in there regularily last year, for Hot chocolate, served in a cup, with an extra saucer for your whipped cream, on the side. No, I am not a foody.
       Having spent a good part of this past winter working on my house, it has been very nice teaching more lately. The nice thing about being in the city, is being able to offer my services to people without cars, or city lovers, in general. A whole new and expanding market. Hello Ottawa!

Here are some of my students, and myself, after a hard days play.

Introduction to Pastel, with Margaret Ferraro

Here is an overview of what happens in this two day workshop, for those of you who might want to come next time! Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1. Stay tuned also for weekday dates as well.

The first day of the workshop, we spend the whole day studying different application techniques, by creating colour plays, and by observing and analyzing lots of pastel work from around the world. Huge learning curve here. On Sunday, we make a colour wheel (see photo) where we not only learn how to mix colour, but observe the difference pressure can ratio of one colour to another , can make. We do one layering exercise (In pastel,  layering is very important, and is responsible for the luminous quality you can't get from any other medium). We then have the last afternoon, for one independant piece of work. This workshop has been highly successful because it gives the student a really good basic understanding of how to manipulate the medium, ready to work on your own.

If you'd be interested in taking this workshop, please contact me and we'll see if we can work our some dates in the near future. This workshop is offered in many locations, including Toronto, my studio, and the Haliburton school of the Arts. 

To see more of my work, go to www.ferraro-art.com