Gualala Arts Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961
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Gualala Arts Center invites artists of all levels to “Awaken the Artist Within – The Road Less Travelled,” a dynamic workshop led by instructors Erin Lee Gafill and Tom Birmingham. Back by popular demand, the workshop will take place on Monday and Tuesday, April 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Coleman Hall. The cost is $275 for members and $325 for non-members. Participants can sign up at the Gualala Arts front desk or online at GualalaArts.org by April 12. There is a $50 materials fee to be paid directly to the instructor.
Are you ready for a reset? A breakthrough? Some creative camaraderie? Join Tom and Erin for a two-day, in-person art and creativity immersion designed to help you tap into the current of creative energy that is always flowing.
Working with acrylics and watercolors, participants will explore:
- Color Block Painting
- Torn Paper Collage
- Observational Drawing
- Free Writing
- Community and Connection
The workshop emphasizes energy, inspiration, and intuition, encouraging participants to work in a space free from criticism and judgment. It is a perfect introduction to the joys of making art or a refresher for experienced artists who need an energy infusion.
All materials and supplies needed for the workshop are provided, but participants are welcome to bring any special brushes, pens, and journals they wish to use.
About the Instructors
Erin Lee Gafill is an award-winning writer, painter, and teacher from Big Sur, California. With nearly 30 years of experience, she has taught arts, crafts, and creative writing programs to children and adults along California’s central coast. Erin co-founded the nonprofit arts education organization Big Sur Arts Initiative in 1998 and has served as the first American artist-in-residence at the Hamada International Children’s Art Museum in Japan. She and her husband, Tom Birmingham, opened their own art studio in Monterey’s historic Doud House in 2008.
Tom Birmingham is an artist, photographer, and teacher also based in Big Sur. As a founding director of the Big Sur Arts Initiative, Tom has provided instruction and enrichment in various creative arts mediums. He has taught art in the summer children’s theater program StageKids and has led photography and drawing classes at Rancho la Puerta in Mexico. Tom is also the founder of 26Letter Press, a small publishing company dedicated to celebrating and inspiring creative expression.
For more information and to register for the workshop, visit GualalArts.org.