Summer 2008: Painting Workshop Retreat

 

The Millay Colony for the Arts, a not-for-profit arts organization located on the grounds of Steepletop, the historic home of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, is launching a new artist retreat program. The Colony will offer a five-day artist retreat workshops at the Colony's sylvan setting. Each of the classes will include eleven hours of workshop time a all meals and a special evening reception and a tour of the historic Steepletop grounds. Private bedrooms and spacious private studios are available for all participants.

The rural beauty and sanctuary of Steepletop has inspired artists since Edna St. Vincent Millay set up her writing cabin under a canopy of pine trees in her front yard more than 80 years ago. Fragrant with blueberries, thyme, and wildflowers, the quiet loveliness of the campus provides uninterrupted calm and inspiration—the perfect retreat for creativity and relaxation.

August 29th through September 3rd
Painting Workshop: Mixed Media Works on Paper
Instructor: Jason Middlebrook

In this workshop, we will explore a range of materials and methods including traditional painting media (water based only) as well as less conventional approaches and materials. There will be a strong emphasis on drawing. We will work outdoors whenever possible and paint from nature. Students should bring good quality watercolor paper (Arches or the equivalent, 22x30", 5-10 pieces), as a broad range of art materials as they can muster up, as well as anything that might be useful to generate interesting forms and surfaces. Bring one set of EITHER acrylics, gouache or watercolor (as many colors as you can afford) and brushes. Bring rulers, ink, stencils, sponges, sticks, charcoal, pastels, markers, colored or pencils too if you have them and want to include them in the class. Some materials will also be provided. We will have a lot of fun.

Jason Middlebrook received his BFA from the University of California at Santa Cruz, his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and is an alumnus of the Whitney Independent Study Program. Middlebrook's work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions at institutions including the Centre Arte Contemporanea, Sienna Italy; Wellcome Trust, London, England; the Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, California; the Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Colorado; the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College; the New Museum of Contemporary Art; and the former WhitneyMuseum at Altria branch. He is represented by Sara Meltzer Gallery in New York City.

 

Workshop Schedule: Each day begins with a fresh breakfast followed by a two- or three- hour workshop at 10:00 AM. Total workshop time for the retreat will be eleven hours. The afternoon can be spent working in the studio, visiting local sites, swimming in a nearby lake or walking the mountain trails. Dinner is served overlooking our gorgeous meadows. Evening hours are devoted to worktime.

Fees: $750 includes tuition, private room, private studio and all meals. $450 includes tuition and meals only.

Participants may purchase a thirty-minute Private Consultation with their instructor for $150. Portfolios can be sent in advance but this is not required.

To Apply: Send a letter of introduction including a brief biography with a $100 deposit. Also include a work sample (10 images on slides or CD). Applicants will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. Please indicate if you require lodging and studio space and if you would like to have a Private Consultation with the instructor.

Apply to The Millay Colony for the Arts, 454 East Hill Road, Austerlitz, NY. Attention: Summer Retreats. Make Checks payable to The Millay Colony for the Arts.

For more information please contact Caroline Crumpacker at 518-392-4144 or . For more information about The Millay Colony and our programs, please visit www.millaycolony.org.

Download a pdf of Workshop scheduling and information