Frequently Asked Questions

What are your preferred materials?

There are several different products that I have experimented with from time to time but generally I keep things very simple and  stick with three primary colours, lamp black and titanium white and maybe five “convenience” colours –  Cadmium orange, Alizarin crimson, burnt umber , yellow ochre and Indian red – usually Stevenson or Gamblin oils. 

I use a range of Rosemary brand oil brushes and a range of Opus Legato Acrylic brushes – filberts, rounds and flats for the finer work. I generally work on 10 or 12 oz cotton duck which I stretch in the studio and prime with at least 4 coats of oil grounds. I use boiled linseed or walnut oil as a medium but occasionally use Liquin in my finishing coat. 

Do you still teach and where can we take classes and workshops?

I will always teach – the dismantling of the quantifiable bits of what we do as painters, and the re-assembling of those parts for student artists, has taught me more about who I am as an artist  - and made me a better painter. Through that process, there are times that I feel that I have learned more from my student than they have learned from me. My studio is very large and is set up as an atelier – its principal function is to serve as a space to paint for the galleries but also to mentor other artists – it is in every respect, a teaching studio. I teach every day and two evenings per week. I regularly teach workshops through local art schools and organizations. Scheduled workshops are posted on my website. 

Do you teach drawing?

In one form or another, drawing is the cornerstone of what we do as artists. We offer two options with respect to drawing – an academic atelier style course with graphite artist Mark Anthony . Specializing in renaissance technique, Mark focuses on anatomy and follows the more formal  academic discipline of the renaissance masters . As a less structured option, renowned watercolour artist Kiff Holland, teaches life drawing and perspective. 

Do you teach painting in other mediums?

I have always painted in oils however I definitely teach acrylic painting too. I have the benefit of sharing my studio with one of North America's best watercolour painters so I leave teaching of watercolour to Kiff Holland. 

Do I need to submit a portfolio when applying for the mentoring program?

Not a portfolio as such, however it is very helpful to me in assessing how best to guide you creatively if I have examples of any work that you have done in the past.  

Are there any books or reference materials that you recommend? 

There are several on-line artist resources that are very helpful and a plethora of on-line artist tutorials to confuse you. There is so much information out there in-fact, that I have narrowed my recommendations down to two or three must-reads and half a dozen terrific resource based web-sites. I have posted the links on the links page