Floral Still Life Painting

with James Brandess

June 7, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

Learn to paint a floral still life in oils from a local master. Turn your focus to painting from observation, using a demo floral arrangement made that morning as the subject. Luxuriate in the colorful playness and compositional inspiration that only flowers can provide. Students will be required to bring their own materials. For a full-day making experience, during which you will make your own floral arrangement, sign up for the first part of this workshop, Flowering: History and Arrangement led by Maddie Reyna.

Plan to bring: Gessoed canvases, flat bristle brushes, oil paints, 1 pint of odorless paint thinner, drawing supplies (vine charcoal, pencil, white eraser, sketchbook), 3 empty tin cans, empty glass jar with lid, blue shop towels, 18 x 24 inch plexi glass palette, vinyl gloves, sunscreen, bug spray.

James Brandess, (he/him), is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He teaches landscape and still-life painting workshops at Ox-Bow. His painting travels have taken him to Vermont, Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas. He maintains his studio and gallery in downtown Saugatuck in the historic Old Post Office Building.

Landscape Painting

with James Brandess

June 21, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. or July 26, 10:00 a.m.–1;00p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

In these multi-level oil painting workshops, students will paint outdoors in the historic Ox-Bow landscape in the painting medium of their choice. Instruction will focus on recognizing and then painting what we actually see. Through this process of learning to see, we will create paintings that have veracity and strength. The workshop will include discussion of the tools and materials needed to set-up and paint in any landscape you choose. Sign up for one or both of these three-hour morning painting workshops on the meadow alongside the lagoon. 

Plan to bring: Small gessoed canvases, flat bristle brushes, oil paints, 1 pint of odorless paint thinner, travel easel, drawing supplies (vine charcoal, pencil, white eraser, sketchbook), at least 3 empty tin cans, empty glass jar with lid, blue shop towels, 18 x 24 inch plexi glass palette, vinyl gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, hat with a visor.

James Brandess, (he/him), is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He teaches landscape and still-life painting workshops at Ox-Bow. His painting travels have taken him to Vermont, Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas. He maintains his studio and gallery in downtown Saugatuck in the historic Old Post Office Building.

Nature Abstracted in Oil on Canvas

with Maggie Bandstra

June 28, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

Working in oils outside, students will use shapes found in nature as a jumping-off point for a color study. Drawing, color mixing, and painting demonstrations will be conducted throughout the workshop. The workshop will include introductions, a demonstration of finding inspiration in the landscape at Ox-Bow, a discussion/demonstration of color mixing, and time to complete your painting in the studio.

Plan to bring: 1-2 canvas substrates (16 x 20 inch or larger), a variety of oil paint colors and Gamsol, a variety of brush sizes, at least one smaller brush for drawing shapes, and a palette to mix paints on.

Maggie Clifford-Bandstra (she/her) Manager of Ox-Bow House at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist Residencies. She maintains an active studio practice and was an Adjunct Professor at Hope College from 2022 to 2023. Bandstra earned her M.F.A. in Painting from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021. From 1997-2020, Bandstra taught pre-K through 6th grade art classes. In 2014, she began curating pop-up art shows, which led to the establishment of the Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective. She is currently the president of this non-profit and serves as secretary on the executive board of the Douglas DDA.
Maggie's paintings are nature abstracted, using exaggerated scales, movement, and patterns to explore the themes of nature, healing, and human connection. Her passion is not just about creating art but also about sharing her love of art, living a creative life with others, and inspiring them to do the same.

Landscape Painting

with James Brandess

July 26, 10:00 a.m.–1;00p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

In these multi-level oil painting workshops, students will paint outdoors in the historic Ox-Bow landscape in the painting medium of their choice. Instruction will focus on recognizing and then painting what we actually see. Through this process of learning to see, we will create paintings that have veracity and strength. The workshop will include discussion of the tools and materials needed to set-up and paint in any landscape you choose. Sign up for one or both of these three-hour morning painting workshops on the meadow alongside the lagoon. 

Plan to bring: Small gessoed canvases, flat bristle brushes, oil paints, 1 pint of odorless paint thinner, travel easel, drawing supplies (vine charcoal, pencil, white eraser, sketchbook), at least 3 empty tin cans, empty glass jar with lid, blue shop towels, 18 x 24 inch plexi glass palette, vinyl gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, hat with a visor.

James Brandess, (he/him), is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He teaches landscape and still-life painting workshops at Ox-Bow. His painting travels have taken him to Vermont, Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas. He maintains his studio and gallery in downtown Saugatuck in the historic Old Post Office Building.

Stretching & Preparing Canvas for Painting

with Maggie Bandstra

July 26, 3:00–6:00p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: $80

Students will learn to create and take home one small and one medium canvas for oil or acrylic paintings. We will briefly discuss the history of substrates and understand how to choose the right surface for the media of your choice. Demonstrations in stretching various-sized canvases using different methods will be the focus of this class. Students will discuss a variety of substrates and the pros and cons of different materials used in creating them. Then, the students will each make two stretched canvases of their own. 

Plan to bring: A sharp pair of scissors, a staple gun with ¼ inch staples, and canvas pliers.

Maggie Clifford-Bandstra (she/her)  is the Manager of Ox-Bow House at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist Residencies. She maintains an active studio practice and was an Adjunct Professor at Hope College from 2022 to 2023. Bandstra earned her MFA. in Painting from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021. From 1997-2020, Bandstra taught pre-K through 6th grade art classes. In 2014, she began curating pop-up art shows, which led to the establishment of the Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective. She is currently the president of this non-profit and serves as secretary on the executive board of the Douglas DDA.  Maggie's paintings are nature abstracted, using exaggerated scales, movement, and patterns to explore the themes of nature, healing, and human connection. Her passion is not just about creating art but also about sharing her love of art, living a creative life with others, and inspiring them to do the same.

Botanical Illustration

with Olivia Mendoza

August 9, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

Led by a natural science illustrator, this botanical drawing workshop will teach students to use colored pencil to render lively and vibrant plant life. There will be a demonstration on how to free hand the composition, establish texture, and layer blended colors of a subject, followed by time to practice these shown methods with personal guidance. This will be a space for nature lovers and illustration enthusiasts alike!

Plan to bring: Smooth Strathmore Bristol paper (9 x 12 inch), Prismacolor Premier pencils, graphite or mechanical pencil for sketching, and erasers (kneaded, block, and narrow, etc.)

Olivia Mendoza (she/they) is a natural science illustrator and drawing teacher. She has been working as an illustrator for over a decade and teaching for five years at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. Her work has led to collaborations with natural science publications of newly discovered plant species, an illustrated avian exhibit for Kalamazoo Nature Center, and native species drawing workshops with the Kalamazoo Public Library—as well as creating botanical work for Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Fernwood Botanical Gardens, Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones, and more. Her enthusiasm for creating new work is equal to the joy of being able to share the process and methods with others.

Nature Abstracted in Oil on Canvas

with Maggie Bandstra

August 16, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

Working in oils outside, students will use shapes found in nature as a jumping-off point for a color study. Drawing, color mixing, and painting demonstrations will be conducted throughout the workshop. The workshop will include introductions, a demonstration of finding inspiration in the landscape at Ox-Bow, a discussion/demonstration of color mixing, and time to complete your painting in the studio.

Plan to bring: 1-2 canvas substrates (16 x 20 inch or larger), a variety of oil paint colors and Gamsol, a variety of brush sizes, at least one smaller brush for drawing shapes, and a palette to mix paints on.

Maggie Clifford-Bandstra (she/her) Manager of Ox-Bow House at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist Residencies. She maintains an active studio practice and was an Adjunct Professor at Hope College from 2022 to 2023. Bandstra earned her M.F.A. in Painting from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021. From 1997-2020, Bandstra taught pre-K through 6th grade art classes. In 2014, she began curating pop-up art shows, which led to the establishment of the Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective. She is currently the president of this non-profit and serves as secretary on the executive board of the Douglas DDA.
Maggie's paintings are nature abstracted, using exaggerated scales, movement, and patterns to explore the themes of nature, healing, and human connection. Her passion is not just about creating art but also about sharing her love of art, living a creative life with others, and inspiring them to do the same.

Telling Tales Through Collage

with Miriam Vukich

August 16, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: $10

In this workshop students will learn to tell a story through a cut paper collage on a painted canvas support. Demonstrations will guide students through organizing clippings, hand cutting images, and unique methods for assembling and affixing images to create an evocative work of art. Canvases, adhesive, and an archive of magazine clippings will be provided.

Plan to bring: Your cutting tool of choice (scissors, X-acto knife, or rotary cutter) and any clippings or ephemera you would like to collage.

Floral Still Life Painting

with James Brandess

August 23, 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Tuition: $100

Materials Fee: N/A

Learn to paint a floral still life in oils from a local master. Turn your focus to painting from observation, using a demo floral arrangement made that morning as the subject. Luxuriate in the colorful playness and compositional inspiration that only flowers can provide. Students will be required to bring their own materials. For a full-day making experience, during which you will make your own floral arrangement, sign up for the first part of this workshop, Flowering: History and Arrangement led by Maddie Reyna.

Plan to bring: Gessoed canvases, flat bristle brushes, oil paints, 1 pint of odorless paint thinner, drawing supplies (vine charcoal, pencil, white eraser, sketchbook), 3 empty tin cans, empty glass jar with lid, blue shop towels, 18 x 24 inch plexi glass palette, vinyl gloves, sunscreen, bug spray.

James Brandess, (he/him), is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He teaches landscape and still-life painting workshops at Ox-Bow. His painting travels have taken him to Vermont, Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas. He maintains his studio and gallery in downtown Saugatuck in the historic Old Post Office Building.