Get Your Paint On: A Five Week Painting Class
with Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough
January 31 to March 4, 2011
I'm writing this quickly all fuzzy with an ear ache... because I truly believe this class is going to be incredible and potentially life changing, actually most likely it will change your life for the better. 
Paola Navone's summer refuge on the Greek island of Serifos (a feature in Elle Decoration, August 2010 via Poppytalk
Get Your Paint On: A Five Week Painting Class with Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough
www.lisacongdon.com and www.matirose.com
ABOUT THE COURSE
Want to start painting but don’t know where or how to begin? Feeling stuck in your existing art practice and need a little kick in the pants? Wondering how others approach their painting process? Seeking a community of like-minded folks with whom to share your painting experience? Want to be inspired by weekly artist interviews, painting prompts and chock full painting lessons?
Get Your Paint On may be for you!
Artists, illustrators + close friends Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough have joined together to bring youGet Your Paint On, a five-week online course in painting. Lisa and Mati will share what they have learned painting professionally. They’ll share their unique and colorful approach to painting in a warm and welcoming environment. This class is designed to support both beginning painters and more experienced artists.
WHAT THE COURSE WILL COVER
The course will be conducted in a safe, private, password protected online environment. Each of the five weeks, we’ll focus on a different topic:
Week One: Selecting and using materials
Week Two: Choosing subject matter and style
Week Three: Using color
Week Four: Creating beautiful composition
Week Five: Virtual show and celebration
The course will have lots of information to get you going each week, including:
1) A detailed post by Lisa or Mati about the topic for the week. It will include information, tips and important ideas. We’ll post videos, images and photos that help to elaborate on the topic for the week.
2) A painting assignment that is connected to the topic for the week. Participants will have one week to complete the painting assignment and post it to the private group for viewing.
3) An interview with an established painter or illustrator about their work and process.
4) Inspiration for the topic area.
HOW PARTICIPANTS INTERACT IN THE COURSE
Participants will have the opportunity to make comments and ask questions each week on the topic area. Participants are also encouraged to post images of their weekly paintings in our safe, private flickr group and are encouraged to leave questions and positive/ encouraging feedback for their classmates. Mati and Lisa will comment and answer questions posed by participants as the weeks unfold.
WHO ARE MATI AND LISA?
Mati McDonough and Lisa Congdon are artists who also happen to be close friends. They live about 9 blocks from each other in the Mission District of San Francisco. They are passionate about painting, creating community, COLOR (especially hot pink) and are extremely excited to teach Get Your Paint On! Frequently, they are asked to share their art-making knowledge and technique and so they’ve joined together to present this five week course.
More about Mati:
Mati McDonough went back to art school when she was just shy of 30 years old to study painting and illustration at the California College of the Arts. She made art from the time she was very little growing up in Maine, but never considered herself an artist until recently. Now at 34, Mati has had over a dozen art shows, taught painting classes in Italy, Santa Cruz and Utah, had her art and illustrations used for Patagonia, University Games, i-Pop for Madison Park, as well published in numerous books and magazines worldwide and is now happily represented by Lilla Rogers Studio.
More about Lisa:
Like Mati, Lisa did not begin making art seriously or professionally until she was in her 30's. 10 years later she makes most of her living doing professional illustration. Her clients include Chronicle Books, Random House, Running Press, Harper Collins, Pottery Barn Teen, Target and Urban Outfitters. She is also happily represented by Lilla Rogers Studio. Lisa also maintains a thriving fine art practice and shows her work regularly in galleries across the country. She is incredibly grateful to wake every day and paint for a living.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. When does the class start and end?
January 31 through March 4. It is 5 weeks in length.
2. How much does the course cost and how do I pay?
The class costs $99 USD. You will be paying for the course through Paypal (scroll down to see payment link). Paypal automatically converts currency for you.
3. Can you give me a general description of how the course works?
The course is structured in five weekly increments. Sunday evening, the course for the following week is posted in a safe, private, password protected online environment. Each week will include some information, food for thought, technique and tips, artist interviews and of course, a painting assignment! Participants can comment and ask questions in the course environment, and they have a week to finish each painting. By Sunday (though it can be done at any time during the week), participants will post their painting for the week in a private flickr group for other members of the group to see.
4. What if I don’t complete an assignment?
All we ask is that you try your best to complete assignments as you have time in your schedule and are comfortable.
6. What will I need?
-A computer
-A scanner or camera to capture images of your paintings.
-An email address
-A sketchbook
-Five painting surfaces (thick paper is fine, as are canvas or masonite)
-Paint (acrylic or gouache)
-A Flickr account (this is easy to set up and free)
-Time to paint (a minimum of a few hours a week)
7. Do I have to check into the class at specific times?
You do not have to check into the class at specific times. You can access the week’s assignments when your schedule permits. We’d love it if everyone checked into the course environment and read updated material several times a week, but we realize this isn’t possible for everyone.
8. I’ve never taken an art class before and I don’t know how to paint. Is this class for me?
Absolutely! This course is designed for people interested in exploring painting, regardless of their level, whether you are interested in getting started with painting or whether you’d like to take your art practice to the next level.
9. Will other people see my paintings?
The course will include a private space where those taking the class can post their own work and view the work of others in the class. We do encourage everyone who pays for and participates in the class to share the work that they make for the class. Sharing your work is an important part of the process of learning to paint well. That said, mean, critical comments will not be tolerated in the course environments. We hope to create a safe and positive environment for sharing work.
10. Will I get direct feedback from Mati and Lisa?
This class is not designed for regular individual feedback (given the number of participants, this is impossible for us), though we will be logging into the course environment and flickr group to look at work and comment as often as we can.
11. What can I expect to get from the class?
You will receive weekly input on various topics including: using materials and choosing subject matter, defining a personal style, using color and personal symbols in your work and creating an appealing composition. Mati and Lisa will share their expertise and own tips and tricks with you each week, including photos of their processes. They’ll share interviews with accomplished artists. You’ll experiment with approaches to painting. You will get an opportunity to form a group with like-minded others and swap, share, discuss and exchange.
HOW TO REGISTER
1) Click on the "Add to Cart" link below to pay. You will be redirected to Paypal to complete your purchase
2) Within a few minutes you should receive an email from Mati and Lisa welcoming you to the course and giving you all the basic information you need to prepare for the course (supplies you'll need, login info, etc.).
ARE YOU READY TO GET YOUR PAINT ON?
