Wildlife Pastel Study Workshop with Chris Macleod

March 16, 2024

2-5pm

Similkameen Recreation Centre, Keremeos, BC

Workshop Description:

This single-session program will provide a simple, rewarding way for beginner and experienced artists alike to create artwork based on Okanagan’s signature wildlife. Through his workshop, instructor Chris Macleod aims to increase the appreciation of the public towards these beautiful creatures and to encourage the public to work collaboratively to preserve the natural world. 

The class will collectively decide on which species to use as a reference for the session, choosing between three different options: 1) Big-Horned Sheep, 2) Bald Eagle, or 3) Burrowing Owl. The pieces will be completed using only a black and white chalk pastel on grey paper (materials provided), and each participant will walk away with a completed “pastel study”. These studies highlight three important characteristics of the species— shape, form, and texture—to give an impression of the subject.

The session will be broken down into four half-hour sections, each one building on the previous. First, attendees will develop an outline. Second participants will investigate the use of form, determining where shadows and highlights fall. The third section involves applying details. This will entail making the eyes shine, and seeing how feathers/fur change direction as they move across the body. Lastly, students will be given the time to complete their pieces and ask the instructor questions. 

Artist Bio:

Chris Macleod (Guelph, ON) is an emerging artist who merges his formal education in Biological Sciences and a passion for wildlife conservation with visual art. A specialist in the genre of realism, Chris works to increase public appreciation for Canadian wildlife through his work and teaching.

This program is a collaboration between the Similkameen Recreation Centre and the Similkameen Artist Residency (SAR); located just outside of Keremeos, SAR provides a remote, affordable, and focused environment for the artistic development of visiting artists.