workshops
The creative workshop idea was born out of the idea of bringing like-minded creatives together under one roof for a focused period of time. Creatives often work in isolation, but enjoy and benefit from the exchange of ideas and real-time dialogue with people in similar fields. We host workshops across multiple disciplines, including: fiber arts to plein air painting, life drawing to abstraction, writing workshops with published authors to mixed media photography; yoga to mindfulness and personal development; and beyond. These workshops will be made up of tutorials, creative exercises, critiques, and one-on-ones with the instructors. Ideas will be shared, friends will be made, and your support network will expand.
Delight in our tranquil, country setting, perfect for focusing on work led by inspiring instructors and experts, while enjoying farm-to-table culinary delights catered by a local chef.
The dining experience at Willow Pond is elevated due to the extraordinary level of farm fresh, local foods and their accessibility. We have a wealth of talented chefs in this area who work with us and are as passionate about food as we are. Eggs are collected daily from our resident chickens and honey is provided by our resident bees on the property. Meals are curated from seasonal fresh produce with a local influence, and dining will be outside on the patio with views that linger long after the meal ends...
Willow Pond House can accommodate up to 9 people on-site sharing, or 5 people in individual rooms. If we are unable to accommodate you or you prefer to stay elsewhere, see the list at the bottom of the Guest Rooms page.
UNVEILING COMPOSITION: DISCOVER THE MASTERPIECE WITHIN YOUR ART
4-Day workshop with Gordon Studer
June 21 - June 24, 2025
$1,423 includes lunch daily
Applications close on May 15, 2025 or when maximum number of 14 attendees is reached.
Join us for a transformative four-day workshop that will elevate your artistic vision. Learn to craft dynamic compositions using multiple pieces, explore mixed media techniques, master the use of color and value, and break free creatively. This workshop will help you sharpen your artistic eye, embrace expressive mark-making, and gain the confidence to finish your work with satisfaction. Perfect for artists at any level, you'll discover the hidden gems in your art and unlock new creative possibilities.
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL!
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Workshop Highlights:
1. Crafting Dynamic Compositions: Learn to arrange, juxtapose, and harmonize elements across multiple pieces, creating visually captivating compositions that resonate with depth and power.
2. Building a Strong Foundation: Establish a solid base for your art by experimenting with techniques that integrate mixed media and build texture and depth.
3. Mastering Value and Color: Delve into the nuances of color and value to enhance your compositions, using shades and tones to bring your artwork to life.
4. Embracing Creative Flow: Break through creative barriers and allow your artistic expression to flow freely, enabling you to craft cohesive and fluid multi-piece compositions.
5. Making Your Mark: Explore expressive brushwork and mark-making techniques that add personality and dimension to your creations, ensuring each piece stands out.
6. Developing an Editor's Eye: Sharpen your ability to assess your work critically, recognizing the strengths and refining your compositions to highlight what works best.
7. Achieving Artistic Satisfaction: Gain confidence in your creative process by mastering finishing techniques that leave you with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment.
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, this workshop is designed to elevate your artistic vision and open up new creative possibilities through the exploration of compositions with multiple elements.
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Gordon Studer’s earthy, confident abstracts are rooted in his discipline as an award-winning commercial illustrator, lending his work a strong, graphic cadence. The result speaks to liminal experience, interstitial time, and dreamscapes in deliberate forms in black atop a palette of ochre, sky blue, and crushed clays.
Having studied fine art at Penn State, he went on to teach at the California College of the Arts, and enjoyed a 25 year career telling visual stories for Fortune 500 corporate clients and major media outlets. His background is evident as he applies an intentionality to his paintings, delivering on a specific narrative, inviting the viewer to a purposeful encounter. Based in Sausalito, California, he once experienced a bout of complete amnesia, allowing him to refresh his perception of the natural world and question concepts such as imagination, dream, and recollection.
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There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive.
JAPANESE PAPER-MAKING & BOOKBINDING INTENSIVE
4-day workshop with Anne Covell
Thursday, July 24 - Sunday, July 27, 2025
$980 includes lunch daily
Applications close on May 30, 2025 or when maximum number of 12 attendees is reached.
The Japanese Paper-making & Bookbinding Intensive is designed to give students the unique opportunity to learn four distinct Japanese crafts: Nagashizuki hand paper-making, natural dyeing and cover decoration, hand bookbinding, and portfolio box-making. Each day we will build upon skills learned in previous sessions to create a body of work that is considerate of the resources, materials, and aesthetics that define Japanese bookmaking. Students can expect to leave this workshop with a collection of hand-bound books housed in a custom-built Japanese portfolio and a stack of luscious hand-dyed decorative papers to use for further exploration.
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On the first day of the workshop, we will begin by making our own paper using traditional Nagashizuki methods. Our focus will be on fiber preparation and sheet formation as well as traditional pressing and drying techniques. On the second day, we will learn several traditional methods for decorating the paper we made including brush and dip dyeing with natural dyes common to Japan such as kakishibu (persimmon tannin), clove, and indigo, as well as burnishing and embossing techniques using carved stone and wood blocks. We will also cover shibori, a manual resist dyeing technique for creating patterns in cloth and paper that dates to the 8th century, as well as momigami, a folding and crumpling technique (also known as kneaded paper) that strengthens the paper and gives it the appearance of leather.
We will then use our handmade decorative papers to create laminated cover papers for our bindings. Students will have the opportunity to work from blocks carved with traditional Japanese patterns to emboss their papers for historical effect. On the third day, we will use these materials to bind three traditional Japanese books: the ledger, multi-section, and stab binding. On the final day, we will create a two-flap Japanese portfolio with bone clasp closures to house our books and to tie together the work we produced into an elegant, finished product.
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DAY 1
Presentation on Historic Edo Period hand paper-making and cover-making
Nagashizuki hand paper-making
Hangami recycled paper-making with ink removal method
Pressing and drying techniquesDAY 2
Natural dyeing (methods for brush and vat dyeing with Indigo, clove, and kakishibu)
Shibori and momigami techniques
Cover lamination
Burnishing and embossing techniquesDAY 3
Cover preparation
Japanese ledger binding
Japanese multi-section binding
Traditional Japanese stab binding with inner bindingDAY 4
Japanese 2-flap portfolio box-making with bone clasp closures -
Anne Covell is a book artist, edition bookbinder, and hand papermaker. She holds an MFA in Book Arts from the University of Iowa Center for the Book where she was the recipient of an Iowa Arts Fellowship. She studied Asian and Western paper-making techniques with Timothy Barrett, and has taught for numerous educational institutions including the Morgan Art of Paper-making Conservatory, Penland School of Craft, and the University of Georgia study abroad program in Cortona, Italy, among others. Her work is held in over 80 collections internationally including Yale University and The British Library. Covell lives and works out of her home studio in La Mesa, California.
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There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive. Recommendations with link can be found at the end of the GUEST ROOM page.
EXPLORING ABSTRACTION: BUILD RICH SURFACES AND A SIGNATURE VISUAL VOICE
5-day workshop with Andrea Wedell
August 4 - August 8, 2025
$1,423 includes lunch daily
Applications close on July 23, 2025 or when maximum number of 14 attendees is reached.
Join us for a 5-day workshop focused on developing a unique and expressive approach to abstraction. Using acrylics and R&F pigment sticks, you’ll learn techniques for creating compositions with dynamic movement and rich color depth through layering and texturing. This immersive experience will guide you in building a personal visual language through mark-making, shape exploration, and richly layered surfaces that convey a vibrant sense of aliveness.
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL!
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This workshop invites artists to engage with abstraction as a dynamic, exploratory process. We’ll work with a variety of paint application tools, especially the versatility of R&F pigment sticks, to create a sense of movement and spontaneity in each composition. Starting with small studies and progressing to larger canvases, we’ll focus on translating your unique style across different formats, fostering confidence with each step.
For artists aiming to develop a professional body of work, one of the greatest challenges is discovering a distinctive visual language and style that you can consistently recreate. This workshop is designed to help you kickstart that journey, providing techniques and insights that support your artistic growth.
We’ll draw inspiration from nature, transforming elements of the natural world into gestures, motifs, and color palettes that resonate with your individual aesthetic. Emphasis will be placed on layering techniques, both transparent and opaque, to produce works with a luminous, tactile depth. By the end of this workshop, you’ll have the skills and confidence to create abstract compositions that reflect your inner vision.
Workshop Highlights:
In this workshop, you’ll explore how nuanced spatial relationships and “in-between” moments add depth and luminosity to abstract compositions. From spontaneous marks to intentional transitions, you’ll learn to create balanced yet dynamic works. Key highlights include:Creating Movement and Energy through Tool Use:
Learn to make expressive marks that bring life to your compositions. We’ll experiment with various tools to add dynamic textures, creating a sense of flow, vitality, and depth in your work.Developing Personal Motifs and Mark-Making Techniques:
Discover your unique visual vocabulary through shapes, lines, and marks that resonate with your artistic vision. Each participant will develop distinctive motifs and methods that bring cohesion and authenticity to their abstract compositions.Layering for Rich, Textured Surfaces:
Experiment with transparent and opaque layers to build surfaces with depth and dimension. We’ll create layers that reveal a tactile, engaging history, emphasizing luminosity and a sense of discovery.Drawing Inspiration from Nature:
Transform natural forms and patterns into abstract expressions, infusing your work with organic shapes and movements. Observation and abstraction of nature will inspire motifs that enrich your compositions.Building Confidence in Abstract Composition:
Master the balance of color, shape, and space to create visually captivating compositions. With guidance on design principles and creative experimentation, you’ll develop the skills to work confidently on both small and large scales.One-on-One Guidance and Group Collaboration:
Benefit from personalized support tailored to your artistic goals, along with group discussions that encourage shared learning and insights. You’ll leave with new techniques, refined instincts, and a strong foundation in expressive abstraction.Explore multiple substrates and sizes: Rigid surfaces, multimedia paper, and canvas
Materials provided for the workshop retreat: Three, 12 x 18-inch birch panels, three 12 x 12-inch birch panels, one 24 x 24-inch sheet of mixed media paper, R&F pigment sticks for use during the workshop, tools and some brushes.
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is ideal for artists with some (even a little) painting experience who are eager to expand their approach to abstract art, refine their use of color, explore new techniques to train their eye, and uncover their unique style. Whether you’re relatively new to abstraction or an experienced artist seeking a fresh perspective, this workshop offers the perfect setting to grow. It’s also designed for professional artists looking to create a signature body of work for galleries or exhibitions.Takeaways:
By the end of this workshop, you’ll have developed the skills and confidence to create abstract compositions filled with movement, life, and visual depth. Armed with a refined personal style, a toolkit of mark-making methods, color strategies, and layering techniques, you’ll be ready to bring new energy and clarity to your art.Classes begin at 9am with a lunch break from 12.30 - 1.30pm and finish at 5pm. An email with property information and further details will be sent out approximately 6 weeks before workshop commences.
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Andrea is the daughter and grand-daughter of artists and architects. Growing up, she was surrounded by strong-willed artists, and she learned to hold beauty, balance and a commitment to art as the guiding forces in her life. When her grandfather, Alexander Stoller sold half of his land in the Berkshire mountains to cast one of his largest marble sculptures in bronze, it was acquired by the American Embassy in Paris. Andrea attended the opening ceremony, and shortly after, captivated by the magnitude of European culture, she uprooted from her native California and moved to Paris. The France adventure spanned 27 years before she moved back to her beloved California in 2013.
Andrea has a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA, and while in Paris, she studied under acclaimed Beaux Art teachers Michele Massiou and Jacqueline Guillermain for over 10 years.
She began exhibiting regularly at the Grand Marche d’Art Contemporain in Paris, before becoming a permanent artist with Galerie BE Espace also in Paris for 10 years. Her work has been published by Les Editions Arcadia in France. In California, she was a featured artist at Toadfish Contemporary Gallery in Sausalito, and has shown with Desta Gallery in San Anselmo and Mill-Valley, with Gray Loft Gallery in Oakland. She was a part of SFMoma Artist’s Gallery in San Francisco.
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There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive. Recommendations with link can be found at the end of the GUEST ROOM page.
NEEDLE FELTING: A SCULPTURAL APPROACH
4-day workshop with Stephanie Metz
August 15 - August 18, 2025
$1,014 includes lunch daily
Applications close on July 15, 2025, or when the maximum number of 14 attendees is reached.
In this intermediate/advanced workshop you will sample multiple ways to take your three-dimensional needle felting to the next level. Stephanie Metz incorporates techniques from other sculpture traditions (working in clay, carving stone, and joining metal) to reframe your thinking about needle felting. You’ll go home with a handful of small samples and a ton of ideas.
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Topics include variations on basic form-building, smoothing, fine detailing, adding color, incorporating mixed media, and working with armatures. Class time will include daily demonstrations and one-on-one instruction and feedback with lots of hands-on work time. The goal of the class is to arm you with new techniques for creative problem-solving, so the focus is on trying things out rather than completing specific projects, although you are welcome to bring along your own in-progress work for specific help and feedback.
Prior experience in needle felting is requested but you don’t have to be an expert, only willing to play and experiment. Students are welcome to bring their own favorite needle felting tools, materials, and supplies. Class materials fee of $85 ( included in the workshop fee) gets you a kit containing 1 lb of natural white Corriedale wool roving, 1.5 oz of colorful Corriedale roving, ten felting needles, and a foam work surface. Multi-needle tool holders can be used and purchased in class. Please note that needle felting involves repetitive, physical hand and arm exercise.
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Stephanie Metz is a sculptor known for using fiber techniques to create tactile forms that investigate social connections and evoke a sense of wonder. She is recognized for creating intriguing, playful organic sculptures in wool, and as an enthusiastic and generous instructor. Metz holds a BFA in Sculpture from the University of Oregon, and she has a full-time studio practice in the California Bay Area. Her work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and internationally. Awards include grants from the Belle Foundation, the Center for Cultural Innovation, and SVCreates. Prior teaching venues include the Pacific Northwest Art School, Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and Kala Art Institute.
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There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive. Recommendations with link can be found at the end of the GUEST ROOM page.
ABSTRACT ALCHEMY - BLACK, WHITE AND WARM METALLICS
5-Day workshop with Judith Kruger
September 15 - September 19, 2025
$1,312 includes lunch daily
Applications close on August 10, 2025 or when maximum number of 14 attendees is reached.
In this course, students will reinterpret nature’s deep imagery and essence employing matter from nature itself, within a limited earthy palette. Paint, ink, and homemade gesso will be made from inorganic and organic sources including pine soot, tree resin, insect, shells, and earth minerals. Metallic leafing and alchemic oxidation techniques will be introduced for warmth and depth. These arcane processes have been employed for thousands of years on cave walls, Asian scrolls, and aboriginal works. Painting and collage techniques will be covered to cultivate individualized expression in mixed media. We will work on a variety of Eastern and Western papers as well as wood panels. Eastern paper sizing, backing, and mounting techniques will be covered. This meaningful, process-driven, ecological (non-toxic, water-based) work truly nurtures the heart and spirit. Abstractionists and realists at all skill levels are welcome.
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Students will be briefly introduced to instructor’s 20+ year’s research of inorganic and organic natural pigments, viewing historical and cultural reference and applications as evidenced in Lascaux Caves, Aboriginal bark work, Egyptian mummy cases, Indian miniatures, European Renaissance paintings, Tibetan Thangka Paintings, Qing Dynasty scrolls and Japanese Nihonga. During our time together, we will honor these ancient practices by employing several of their materials and methods, yet the main thrust of this workshop is to explore alchemical abstraction for contemporary art: the heartbeat of Judith’s work.
We will talk about “abstract” as a verb (not works of art as “abstracts”). To abstract is to extract or remove. We will walk in nature to draw and borrow from and with it, perceiving and observing its attributes. Our phones or iPad and/or sketchbooks will serve as capturing tools, while foraging elements to use in the studio: sticks, stones, leaves, dirt, bark.
Back in the studio we experiment with concoctions and processes that push the boundaries of the ordinary, towards metaphoric alchemy. Our arcane materials from local sources as well as Asia, India, Mexico and Europe, will ultimately yield visceral, contemplative, artwork. A limited earthy palette pushes form rather than color.
Materials derived from nature hold a special connection with nature in material presence. My goal is to help each of you to capture its deep essence, devoid of representation. By working with your own papers, printed photos and ephemera, you can make your work more personal as well. Hybridity is encouraged in this workshop.
Students have not only followed my instruction for making mixed media drawings and paintings, but also integrated their own practices for sculptural work, including books and 3D paper objects.
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Judith Kruger, born 1955, is an American, visual artist whose multidisciplinary work addresses Human-Environment connectivity and their shared vulnerabilities. Her current ecofeminist work examines the specific relationship between women and ecology. She is recognized internationally for her advocacy of inorganic and organic, natural pigments and historic, ecological painting processes.
Judith's solo exhibitions include Drawing Ground, Wisdom House, Litchfield, CT, Mingled Terrain, Richardson Art Museum, Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC (2018), An Alchemic View, Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Connecticut (2015), Touching Rain, Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY (2015) Outside In, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona (2014) and New Paintings at Morrison Gallery, Kent, Connecticut (2013). Select group exhibitions include Agawami Museum Hall, Tokushima, Japan, Sato Museum, Tokyo, Japan, Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT, John and Robyn Horn Gallery, Penland, NC, Perimeter Gallery, Chicago, IL, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, Gallery G, Hiroshima, Japan, Pallazo Dell'Annunziata, Matera, Italy, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL and The Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, CA.
Judith's work is held in private, public and corporate collections: some of which include Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY, Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT, Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah College of Art and Design, GA and Phipps Conservatory’s Center for Sustainable Landscapes, Pittsburgh, PA. She was commissioned to create an outdoor-site specific, sculptural work in honor of Earth Day (2023) for University of St Joseph, West Hartford, CT.
In 2008, Judith initiated the course Nihonga: Then and Now at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and was awarded a grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs to teach her course Getting the Dirt on Paint in the Chicago Public School System. Her painting workshops and studio residencies, based on these courses, currently garner an international following. Judith leads an annual Master Abstraction Workshop-in-Residence as part of Mass MoCA’s Assets for Artists Residency program since 2016. In 2011, Judith was awarded a Target Professional Development grant. She is a recipient of a Mass MoCA Assets for Artists matching grant (2016), a Connecticut Office of the Arts Fellowship grant (2019) and an Artist Fellowship Grant, NYC (2019). She served as Scholar-Artist in Residence at Anneliese School, Laguna Beach, CA (2016, 2017, 2018), supported by Seeds Arts and Education and Artist in Residence at Wofford College’s Environmental Studies Dept, Spartanburg, SC (2019).
Additionally, between 1977 and 2007, Judith collaborated with artisans in over a dozen countries on applied art and design signature licensing manufacturing projects for notable retailers including Crate & Barrel, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Gumps. Between 2003-2008, she travelled extensively throughout Japan, India and Thailand researching and sourcing her signature natural dyed and mineral pigmented stoneware, linen, metal and wood home products, funded by Carlisle Companies, Inc
She has served as a member of the Inaugural Dean’s Advisory Board of Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Syracuse University Chicago Arts Council Board, and Chicago’s Ravenswood ArtWalk Board. Her fundraising efforts, which mobilized the creativity of hundreds of artists and designers in the Chicago area, resulted in the donation of significant funds to UCLA AIDS Institute to further AIDs research.
She received her BFA in illustration from Syracuse University and her MFA in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design. Judith Kruger Studio is located in the former Erector toy factory in New Haven, CT, 75 miles Northeast of midtown Manhattan.
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There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive.
CAPTURING THE MOMENT IN WATERCOLOR
5-Day workshop with Geoffrey Allen
Friday, April 17 - Monday, April 20, 2026
$928 includes lunch daily
Applications close on March 6, 2026 or when maximum number of attendees is reached.
Learn the joys of capturing the moment, color and mood in watercolor. This workshop will cover the basic watercolor handling techniques that can speed up your process, loosen you up, and increase your success in capturing outdoor scenes. Beginning and intermediate topics will be first covered in the studio then the class will transition outdoors to paint in plein air.
There will be daily skill building exercises focusing on controlling paper moisture, mixtures, and timing. Geoff’s demonstrations will review materials, and illustrate how all these techniques flow together and show students how to “keep it fresh”.
Geoff’s daily demos will cover how to take your inspiration through a process of simplification while enhancing design dynamics, expression, and creating atmosphere. It all starts with practicing watercolor’s quartet of skills; values, shapes, color, and mark making. Geoff will be following up individually with students to reinforce concepts and skills at their easel.
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Day One: In the classroom; beginning with the basics of watercolor handling and learning how to read moisture in the paper in order to respond with a brush mixture. The class will then focus on understanding a three value approach to applying watercolor layers and how drawing a preliminary sketch can loosen up your watercolors. There will be a total of 3-4 demonstrations on this day.
Day Two: In the studio there will be two demonstrations. The class will review design concepts that will then be applied to a dramatic sky scene and then applying that technique to a farm scene to create movement and connection.
Day Three: Geoff will demonstrate in the morning outdoors at Willow Pond, followed by a student paint session. There will be a shorter demonstration in the afternoon of focusing on trees in the landscape.
Day Four: The class will meet at a Willow Pond location for a morning demo by Geoff that will focus on atmosphere and trees, followed by a student painting session. There will be a brief demo on inserting figures into the scene if time allows. The class will then meet for a sharing of students’ work at the workshop venue.
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Geoff Allen is an award-winning Plein Air watercolor artist, whose painting “Color for Nothing” was recently on the cover of Plein Air Magazine (June/July 2024 issue). He finds that watercolor is both the medium and metaphor for “going with the flow.” This is what inspires Geoff. He loves the process of inserting himself into an environment with the goal of capturing its elusive essence in a quick fresh watercolor style. The mystery of not knowing the expressive outcome and allowing for discovery along the way makes plein air painting Geoff’s preferred art making process.
Recent Awards and Exhibitions Highlights
2025
Faculty demonstrator at Plein Air Convention and ExpoReno/Tahoe
Third Place for “Best Western” 9th Annual Waterworks, LPAPA Gallery
Best of Show, Palm Desert Plein Air Festival
Ninth Annual Plein Air Exhibition Juror. San Diego Watercolor Society
2024
The Hilbert Museum Award, Laguna Plein Air Invitational
Frank Bette Award, Frank Bette Plein Air Paint Out, juror Barbra Tapp
Quick Draw Artists Choice Award, Frank Bette Plein Air paint Out
Second Place, San Diego Watercolor Society, “Plein Air Show”, juror Shuang Li
Plein Air Magazine, Cover and Contributing Writer, July 2024 Issue, Article “A Deep Dive Into a Favorite Subject”, by Kelly Kane
Third Place, Carmel Art Festival, Plein Air Event
Second Place Borrego Plein Air Invitational
First Place, Quick Draw, Borrego Plein Air Invitational
2023
First Place Artist’s Choice Award at Sonoma Plein Air Invitational 2023
First Place, Oceanside Museum of Art Plein Air Festival
First Place Artist’s Choice Quick Draw Award, Frank Bette Center of the Arts Paint out
First Place, Huntington Harbour Art Association Plein Air Competition
Best of Show, 2023 7th Annual Waterworks Exhibition, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association
First Place, 19th Annual Best of Plein Air, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geoffrey.allen.71?
Instagram: @geoffallenart
Website: https://www.geoffallenart.com/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@geoffallen7321 -
There is limited accommodation available at Willow Pond House. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Willow Pond House is a private residence and you will be hosted by Carol and Jean Paquet and an on-site chef. Select your workshop under the tab of the room of your choice and the number of nights is automatically calculated for the workshop duration. If you choose to stay on site, your reservation will include breakfast and dinner. This is a separate booking from the workshop and is accessible under the GUEST ROOMS menu tab on Willow Pond’s website. Please note - we are not licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages however you are welcome to bring your own. There is a fridge available to students in the studio.
In addition, there are numerous AirBnB’s and VRBOs within a few miles of the property. We also recommend hotels in Pismo Beach and The Agrarian Hotel in Arroyo Grande. Both of these locations are less than a 10-minute drive. Recommendations with link can be found at the end of the GUEST ROOM page.
