Jessel Gallery | Art Classes

Student Work 2024

Into the Mist (12/23 & 12/27)

Floating Around the Valley (12/9 & 12/13)

Mustard Landscapes (12/2 & 12/6)

Cigar Boxes (11/29)

Wooden Ornaments (11/19 & 11/22)

Holiday Cards (11/11 & 11/15)

Trees (11/4 & 11/8)

Finding Figures and Animals (11/1)

From Chaos to Magical Realism (10/28)

Pumpkins on Prepared Canvas with Chaos (10/25)
Today I prepared small canvas piece with blots of paint and folks went outside and brought in a pumpkin to paint. LOVELY WORK

Florals on Canvas with Chaos (10/18)
We did 2 projects in class. The first was painting on a small canvas I prepared for the class of just colors and class then "found" Flowers and interpreted the image.
The second painting was floral on white paper. The goal was to inspire innovation in the final painting on white paper and bring some surprises to the final piece. Not all the students got the 2 done.

Primary Colors Class (10/11)
This was a wonderful opportunity for students to create their own secondary colors using only red, blue and yellow with a little white. Lovely images.

Palette Knife Class (10/4)

Colorful Clothes on a Line (9/20)

Color Study Class (9/11 & 9/13)
The class was working to match colors exactly after creating a color wheel with 3 primary colors.

Light Through Windows (9/4 & 9/6)
This week we focused on using canvas abstracts color concepts to start with that I created for everyone.

Barns & Shadows (8/30)

Boats on Water (8/21 & 8/23)

Primitive or Naïve Art (8/16)
Naïve art is characterized by its charmingly unsophisticated approach, embracing a lack of formal training or not adhering to established artistic rules. Since most of my students are still learning to draw this was a great opportunity to let go of the rules and just play in color and design.

Goats & Sheep (8/7 & 8/9)

Mountain Majesty (8/2)
The focus of this class was to drift back to the mountains and let them tell a story.

Lavender Fields Forever (7/24 & 7/26)

Outing to Sam Gitting's Farm (7/19)

Rooftop Painting Party (7/13)

Oceans Away! Ocean Images & Coastal Concepts (7/10 & 7/12)

Cows on Sta Wet and on White Paper (7/5)

Abstracting Reality (6/28)

Outing to Richard Mendelson's Sculpture Garden (6/21)
The class visited Marilyn Knight Mendelson (my student and my yoga instructor) and Richard's lovely sculpture garden. Marilyn gave us a lovely tour and talked about her husband's passion!

The concept for the class was to paint either a shot of the garden with or without sculpture in it or pick a cottage garden piece from my offerings. It was not an easy task yet several of the students rallied behind the idea and several did lovely interpretations of this most powerful place filled with brilliant visions by Richard.

Shadows in Complimentary Colors (6/12 & 6/14)

Our Friday class did something a little different. Each student did the real version of an image and then followed by the complimentary color version of the same image. Fascinating and very informative.

Summer Soirée - Rooftop Rockers (6/1)
First Summer Soirée: schmoozing, sipping and painting on rocks!

Reflections (5/29 & 5/31)
Everyone in class did a tiny painting on canvas as the preliminary to a larger piece. Then they worked on the same image on paper larger.

Road Painting on Sta Wet & Paper (5/22 & 5/24)

Photo to Fantasy
The goal for this class was to experience both palette knife and brush from images given to the class. Some did the same image and some did different images.

Still Life Two Ways
PART 1: The concept this week was 2 fold. First we worked from an actual pepper on a small piece of paper to loosen up for the second challenge that was more involved. There were 4 new students and I love to see how they do in the mix and they all did wonderful first pieces.

PART 2: The second piece reflected a complete still life using the skills learned in doing the pepper and it helped relax folks. The Pepper Paintings were like stretching before one exercises and the second piece is the workout! The class did so well. Several people did not finish their pieces yet they promised to do so and send the images to me.

Swoosh and Sta Wet: Two Different Approaches to Negative Space
PART 1: Leaving the Sta Wet Mess on the page and forming the creature by painting the outside

PART 2: Part 2 of the class was creating a swoosh on white paper and then working around the creature to create the concept

JESSEL'S MESSAGE & CLASS FEEDBACK: Swoosh and Sta Wet

Hello Loved Students,
I watched you struggle yesterday and Wednesday and wanted you to know that you were not alone. PLEASE do not get discouraged when class subject and concepts throw you for a loop.

YOU are doing great and growing each week, and some weeks many students lose their way. I am here, and we can do this together. It's more important to master the piece and the concept each week than it is to create a masterpiece.

PLEASE KNOW I am here to catch you when you fall and wrap my arms around you creative soul when you feel like you need to put $100's of dollars in the complaint jar.

TRUST ME I too have had to put my dollars in the jar on days I want to tear up my work, yet you TEACH ME to keep my chin up and keep going!

Anytime you struggle with a concept, I am here all week, and you are welcome to come paint the same idea anew with my tutelage. Just let me know when you want to come and redo or start over with more explanation. I watched as several students "didn't quite get the concept" and take that as my not explaining the idea thoroughly. I will do better!

I love you all and appreciate your trust in me as your friend and teacher.

Sally, one of our new students yesterday wrote this note. I woke up first thing this morning feeling bad about those of you who struggled this week and her note lifted me up....as you do each week.

BIGGEST, HEARTFUL HUGS
PS. Check out Sally's Website. FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHY www.seymourandmcintosh.com
Jessel

Hi Jessel --
I had such a grand time at the painting class yesterday. Venturing into unknown territory was a bit intimidating, but your formidable skills (as artist, teacher) and the camaraderie of the group overcame any urge to go hide in the closet. And I learned quite a bit! I will definitely be back. You’re a great guide into the unknown!
So, not eloquent, but heartfelt, thank you!
all my best
Sally

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Thank you for the heartfelt email. Yes, I was one who did not quite get the concept. I do appreciate the offer to come in and redo/restart with your tutelage and I will take you up on it . Every time I have wanted to quit, I painted something that I really liked like the geisha or the 2 Modiglianis. Like the Japanese students who must make 1000 tea bowls before they become a master, I have a long way to go. Sadly I will miss this upcoming Friday as I will be going to Redding for a Mother's Day celebration but I will be back.
Fondly,
Linda

Floral Acrylics on Sta Wet
We started our images on Sta Wet Paper that is covered in paint. It is the palette sheet we use to put paint on and once the paper has run its course we dry them and then use them as the basis for other paintings. The surprise of unique patterns and colors adds to the unique element each piece takes on. One can paint any subject matter on this paper and come up with one of a kind finished product.

Tongue-in-Cheek Humor with the Masters

Honoring the Masters
From Van Gogh to Matisse, the students created compositions honoring the masters.

Honoring The Artist
This class was about honoring another artist's work and either recreating the concept as close to the original or using it as an inspiration to honor your own home. Shelley was the only artist who created the copy and then veered off into her home's color scheme. All the other students spent the time trying to color match the inspiration piece. GREAT WORK!