Set Your Artistic Mission: Begin by crafting a mission statement to guide your journey, focusing on overcoming obstacles and unlocking new creative pathways.

Experiment & Innovate: Dive into experimental techniques and conceptual prompts that disrupt conventional practices. Develop your unique abstract visual language, learning to use color and shape in ways that create dynamic tension, movement, and depth. Discover how embracing compositional limitations can amplify the impact of your work. This workshop centers on innovative methods for crafting abstract compositions that captivate and engage. Master the use of color for emotional resonance, create compelling focal points, and strike the perfect balance between intention and spontaneity. You'll draw inspiration from boundary- pushing contemporary artists, fueling your creative process.

Daily Rhythm

9-11 am: Morning Meditation, Handouts/Discussion, Instructor Demo of Daily Challenge [First day includes a brief review of composition+color mixing with warm-up exercises]

11-12:30: Begin Daily Challenge

12:30-1:30 pm: Lunch


1:30-4: Continue 2 Paintings

4-4:30: Discussion + Critique

4:30-5 pm: Clean-up

• Canvas-

You will be working on 2 canvases a day and maybe more, depending on how quickly you paint. I recommend bringing half medium sized (36”x36”, 40”x50”, 40”x40”, 36”x48”, 48”x48”) as well as half larger-sized canvases (40”x60” or larger). It all depends on what you’re accustomed to. It’s fine if you prefer smaller sizes. Preparing canvas in advance by measuring and cutting the sizes will save time – add 7” for stretching. For example, for a finished size of 40”x40”, the unstretched canvas size is 47”x47”). Most artists bring or ship a roll of unstretched canvas directly from an art supply store.

• Brands I like: Spectrum 10 oz or 12 oz (from Jerry’s) and Fredrix Universal canvas 10 oz or heavier.

https://www.bigduckcanvas.com/

https://www.dickblick.com/

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/

• Paper-

Exercises on Paper: This will be supplied by Cat.

• Acrylic Paints –

Liquitex Basics, Nova Paints, Golden or Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics are all good choices. Fluids or tube paint, whatever you prefer. House paint is also a good option for

learning. Less is more – no need to bring every color you own.

• White – titanium white

• Black – your choice

• Red – one warm, one cool

• Yellow – one warm, one cool

• Blue – one warm, one cool

  Any other colors you like to work with

• Brushes – Bring a variety that you like to work with; here are some suggestions:

• 3 inch silicone shaper palette knife (STRONGLY ENCOURAGED –

PLEASE BRING IF POSSIBLE::

• Barvotti Silicone Color Shaper Brush (Mottler), A Flat, Sharp-Edged Flexible Tool to Apply, Move and Remove Acrylic Paints and Water-Based Mediums with Precision, A

  Studio Essential - 3 Inch Wide

• Skinny brushes

  1 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch brushes – can be chip brushes from Home Depot or whatever you like to work with

• Plastic palette knives or other stainless steel palette knives for mixing paint

• Also useful are long handled brushes which you can make by taping a brush onto- think long dowel which you can buy at Home Depot.

Mediums:

• Golden (or any brand) Soft Gel Gloss 8 oz. for fixing marks

  Glazing medium, Golden or Liquitex 8 oz.

• Gray Scale: you can find this on on Amazon

• Drawing: bring a variety of drawing mediums of your choice (whatever you like to use) such as Stabilio woody pencils, graphite crayons, watercolor crayons, Marabu crayons, solid

  markers, Posca pens, Caran d’Ache aquarelle pastels, etc.

• Also, be sure to bring at least 2 WHITE mark making tools.

• Palette (paper plates, wax paper, freezer paper, whatever you use)

Unconventional tools:

• Bring at least 3 to experiment with such as a kitchen spatula, whisk, broom, feather duster,

  large sponges, corrugated cardboard, cake decorating plastic tools, squeegee, construction trowel, toilet paper roll, etc., essentially anything that would make an unusual type of mark

Miscellaneous:

• Packing tape to tape up your boxes for shipping

• Preprinted Shipping Labels for return shipping

• Plastic containers for mixing and storing paint

• Press and Seal or plastic wrap or masking tape for sealing paint-in-transit

DO NOT BRING

• Oil or solvent-based paints

• Chalk,willow charcoal or other friable material (which becomes air-borne or crumbles)

International artist Cat Tesla is a contemporary nature-based abstract painter. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Cat grew up with a love for both art and science and obtained degrees in Biology and Graphic Design, along with a Master’s Degree in Human Genetics. She worked as a genetic counselor on faculty at Emory University for 20 years, then eventually traded genetics clinic for art studio. Cat’s work is represented by galleries across the U.S. and U.K., and has been exhibited at the Knoxville Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art in Atlanta, and the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art north of Atlanta. After 30 years as a professional artist, Tesla’s paintings are in more than 300 corporate collections and nearly 1000 hospitals and medical centers in the U.S. and in thousands of private collections worldwide. Her nature-based abstract works were recently placed in Capital One, Inspire Brands, Royal Caribbean and the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab’s permanent collections. Cat teaches both painting and business courses to help artists improve their work and sell more art. Tesla lives and works in the Sarasota, FL area.

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.