Laura Villanueva will hold a master class, “Pintura alla prima” (Italian for “paint your first impression”), Saturday, October 29, at the Casa del Sol Inn in Ajijic.
The focus is to rapidly paint with oils, wet over wet, with the painting always fresh and spontaneous. The idea is to synthesize form and color without worrying too much about the drawing, detail or the time to dry the layers that traditional oil paintings take.
Villanueva has a 25-year career with studies in design, painting and art education. She has held ten individual expositions and shown in some 60-plus collective exhibits in Mexico and abroad.
“As an artist, I like to paint in the pintura alla prima technique because it allows me to work freely, and with great spontaneity,” said Villanueva. “With a few brush strokes, I can realize something extraordinary without worrying too much about the details. I first tried this technique almost 25 years ago and it has allowed me to discover more and better possibilities to utilize oils.
“I also like to teach this technique because people normally have the idea that painting with oils is very difficult and requires a lot of knowledge—that oil painting is only for the professionals, and this is not at all true.
“People should learn to paint in a simple way, without so many details and use a palate with just a few colors.
“In this class the students have the chance to create their own work, which represents a grand goal for many and makes them happy. They not only learn about elements of color, light and shade, but also experiment with their curiosity and creativity.
“I became passionate about painting with oil as an adolescent exploring books on art and later meeting local artists painting with oils. Of all the techniques, oil painting is known as the ‘master,’ because of its grand visual impact and enormous artistic possibilities.”
For more information or to register for the class, call Elizabeth Shepard, 333-964-5320.