Tuesday, July 10-Thursday July 12, 2018
The Semmes Studio at the San Antonio Art League & Museum
130 King William Street, San Antonio 78204

Inspired Abstractions
taught by Marguerite Moreau McCarthy

Description:  Participants will combine ideas/techniques/styles from at least two artists they admire, producing original abstract works on canvas. 
When:  July 10-12, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Number of participants:  8
Materials needed:
                Acrylic paints:   primary and secondary, plus white and black
                Brushes (small, medium, large)
                Pencil, eraser
                Stretched canvas, your choice of size (suggest 16” x 20” or larger)
                Images you would like to interpret in your painting (photos or drawings or objects)
                Images of art by two different artists you admire
Tuition fee:  $165.00
Day 1:  Students will design two thumbnail compositions on paper showing placement of imagery from photos, drawings, or objects brought in for reference.  They will evaluate and select the best arrangement to transfer to the canvas using pencil.  As a group, we will look at works by artists admired, discuss some of their techniques or treatment of subject matter, and talk about how those things could be incorporated into their paintings in a meaningful way. 
Day 2:  Students will complete drawn compositions on canvas and begin to add or change selected areas to reflect inspiration from at least two artists.  When a final composition is completed or mapped out, and a palette has been decided upon, students will begin applying paint. 
(For example, an artist might draw a figure from observation and include a “borrowed” subject from an artist such as John Singer Sargent.  The artist might then “slice up” the picture with straight lines so that shifts in size or viewpoint can be made across each straight line, imitating a cubist technique used by Pablo Picasso.)
Day 3:  Class critique and discussion of design principles will be held during the first hour of class so that new ideas may be acted upon or changes may be made today.  Students may complete paintings today but are welcome to work further on their compositions after this workshop concludes.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Marguerite Moreau McCarthy is a painter, printmaker, graphic designer, and art educator.  Her works can be found in personal as well as corporate collections throughout the United States.  She specializes in portraits, landscapes, and still life paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, graphite, and ink.  She is equally accomplished as a printmaker in a variety of media including serigraphy, intaglio, relief, and monoprint techniques.  McCarthy is a versatile collage artist as well, incorporating surrealist visions in her multimedia, sometimes sculptural, collage pieces.   She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she also worked as a Graphic Illustrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation and private companies. 
 Marguerite McCarthy has taught art at every level, from pre-kindergarten through college, since 1981.  She has designed and conducted workshops for the National Art Education Association in Reston, Virginia; the Alexandria Museum of Art in Alexandria, Louisiana; the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas.  McCarthy retired as an art teacher for the North East Independent School District of San Antonio, returning to teach for private schools in the area.  She continues her work as an art educator through museums and art venues in her community.

The Semmes Studio is located on the grounds of the San Antonio Art League and Museum at 130 King William Street. It is accessible and parking is available both at SAALM and on the street.  MAP