Online Studio – Abstraction: Ways to Start and Where to Go

Our online studio sessions feature artists from across the country, working in a range of mediums. In each Zoom webinar, you’ll be introduced to a work of art from an exhibition currently on view at the Gallery, and be guided through a studio lesson by a practicing artist.

This workshop is inspired by works of art in the exhibition Riopelle: Crossroads in Time.

These live events will be recorded and posted on the NGC YouTube channel in the weeks following the workshop.

Technical Support for Online Studio, before live online studio classes.

Description

In this workshop we will explore various ways to approach painting an abstract work and begin to think about the abstraction process as having a start, a middle and an end. Working with limited materials, we will start by exploring ways of loosening up, then we will try our hand at being present with our work and making meaningful decisions along the journey into abstraction.

Free

Home Studio Set-Up

Materials Required

• Gouache or other liquid paint in blue, yellow, green, and red, as well as black or white. (optional: orange and mauve)

• Various small to medium paint brushes (at least 3 different ones)

• 3 to 4 sheets of heavy-weight paper (we recommend watercolour or mixed media paper)

• Surfaces or containers to hold and mix paint (this could be recycled plastic containers, old muffin tins, small glass jars, etc.)

• 2 water containers

• Rags or paper towels for cleaning

Artist Biography

Jennifer Lefort is born in Montreal and currently works in Gatineau, Quebec. Known for her unique and layered approach to abstraction, the artist was shortlisted for the prestigious Contemporary Art Prize from the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in 2018. In 2016 she was the recipient of the Artwork of the year award by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. In April 2024, the artist will have her first American solo museum exhibition at the Castellani Art Museum.

Photo: Jennifer Lefort