The Academy Art Museum is offering two upcoming events that promise to “take the sting out of watercolors.” Hillary Parker, a naturalist and international award-winning botanical watercolor artist, whose paintings have been exhibited and sold worldwide, will be offering her “Wine and Watercolors” event on Thursday Evening, July 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Academy Art Museum in Easton. This fun and educational art experience is for everyone, including those closet artists wanting a little “liquid courage,” to pick up a paint brush for the first time.
According to Katie Cassidy, painting instructor and education consultant at the Museum, “With contagious enthusiasm and a mastery of skills, Hillary encourages her guests to experience, explore, and see the world through the eyes of an artist. In a relaxed and social setting, this art event is a great way meet new friends and have fun learning some basics to creating easy and successful watercolor paintings.”
Parker, who has been teaching, painting and exhibiting her art for over 30 years has expanded her business to presenting Art Events. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education from Florida International University and found that her events are a natural extension of her classes and workshops. It is a great opportunity to work with people outside of the studio in a social setting, who have never tried painting before. She offers these art events to corporate groups and private parties, at beautiful resorts, museums, galleries, wineries, and trade shows all across the country. She comments, “It is the perfect balance of the things I love most about my work; painting, teaching, traveling and meeting terrific people! Each unique art event whether casual or sophisticated, offers people the opportunity to socialize and network as well as have the freedom to play and experiment with watercolors in a relaxed and supportive setting.”
According to Parker, “Wine and Watercolors” offers four simple steps to watercolors and participants can be successful creating a watercolor by the end of the evening. She adds, “It offers the opportunity for people to experiment and get to know the medium and to feel like an artist for a night.”
In addition to this event, Parker will be teaching a two-day botanical watercolor workshop, “Watercolor Workshop: Indian Summer Botanicals,” in Easton on September 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. This workshop will be held in a large art studio, not far from downtown Easton, and on the private grounds of a beautiful 30-acre waterfront estate with many flowers and trees. Capturing the “Indian Summer” harvest of botanicals in fruit and bloom is the theme for this workshop and students will collect local flora to create delicate botanical studies in graphite and watercolors with scientific accuracy and detail.
She states, “The Museum’s workshop will focus on the area’s indigenous late summer flowers, woodland ferns, autumn leaves, and abundant harvest of apples and pumpkins. Students will enjoy learning to adapt, adjust, and problem solve using an effective repertoire of techniques, while applying seasonal color palettes and skills to each unique subject.”
Parker teaches classes across the country at such institutions as Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, FL; Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester, VT; Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME; and New York Botanical Garden, in New York, NY.
The cost for the “Wine and Watercolors” class is $45 per person and includes all supplies, wine and light snacks. The cost for the two-day fall Watercolor Workshop is $150 for Museum members and $180 for non-Museum members. For further information about Hillary Parker, visit hillaryparkerwatercolors.com. To register for either class, visit academyartmuseum.org or call 410-822-2787.
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