First, we (myself and my teaching partner, Cindy Griffith) recently had another successful beginner’s class! These classes are so enjoyable. I love seeing the remarkable variety of styles and subjects. And I particularly appreciate the courage it takes to be a beginner at something. Here are our students with their paintings:
If they look pleased, they have every reason to be!
In addition, we have just planned the outline for an five-session intermediate class in pastel painting, which will also be held at the Wood Art Gallery in Montpelier. I am very happy with how we have structured this class. We are going to focus on artistic decisions and how to make them, helping students to see how a painting might come out differently depending upon your choices for an underpainting, composition, and color. I wish I’d had this class when I was starting! I’m looking forward to it. We are looking for students who have at least a little familiarity with soft pastels, but other than that, beginners are fine. If you’re interested, contact the Wood: http://www.twwoodgallery.org, or (802) 262-6035.
And second, I just finished a new fall painting, “Layers of Fall.”
The photo for this painting was taken on a hazy day, and you can see that in the almost-vanishing quality of the farthest hills. Next are the somewhat muted colors of the nearer background hills. Then the greens of a field and the birches that are just starting to get touches of gold. Finally, right in front of you, is the brilliant intensity of the near maples. It would seem that I must have exaggerated those colors, but in fact, they are very close to those in the photo. Fall: the season of visual fire and heat before we go into the limited and soft color palette of the winter.
marciahillart 
Your fall picture is just gorgeous Mimi. Glad teaching is so much fun and rewarding as well. I’m going to recommend my former husband Eric to sign up for a class, although he lives in B’ton and may feel it’s too far…he is taking up painting though. Do students only use pastels in class?
Yes, just pastels. Hard enough for beginners without the confusion of more than one medium. And pastels are excellent for beginners; they are very forgiving.
In some ways our environments, VT and MN are very similar in color and texture. Your painting seems perfect to me, so I may be a little biased. The classes sound so helpful and they are lucky to have two of you to put words and pictures to the process.. That kind of articulation plus likeability of teachers would be so favorable for the students. Do they get to drink wine in class?
Alas, no liquor license and no wine. Of course, the teachers can drink it after class!