Upcoming events


Two Day Workshop - Lori Deeley
Oct
18

Two Day Workshop - Lori Deeley

Sunday, October 19, 2025

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Thanks to a community arts grant from ArtsNL, we are happy to offer this free two day workshop to our members!

WATERCOLOUR AND THE FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITH IT

Artist Lori Deeley BFA, BAEd, DTATI, Med

Lori, an artist from the west coast of NL, will host the workshop that will take place Saturday, October 18, and Sunday, October 19, at the St. John’s Farmers’ Market Community Room, 245 Freshwater Road, St John's, NL, A1B 1B3

Registration:

Registration is on a first come basis and will commence promptly at 11:00 a.m., October 11, by email at aanl.info@gmail.com. The maximum is 20 seats so register early.

A wait list will be kept in the event of cancellations.

Send Reply email with the information below:

I WISH TO REGISTER FOR THE AANL / ArtsNL WATERCOLOUR AND THE FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITH IT WORKSHOP. 

Name________________________

 Phone#_709___________________

Shortly after you register you will receive confirmation from AANL.

If you do not receive confirmation within three hours, contact us at aanl.info@gmail.com and the board will address the difficulty.

 

Here is a breakdown of the two days and a list of materials you will need

Materials List:

Watercolour Paints

Watercolour brushes: flat, large round (#7 or larger), small round (#2 or smaller)

Watercolour paper (pad or sheets)

White plate for colour mixing (Dollarama has cheap ones) paper towel or rag

This workshop will provide information on materials, techniques and skills combined with demonstrations and activities. Depending on the group's interests, we will cover all or most of these topics. 

Saturday, October 18, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

10:00 am: Intro to Lori Deeley, her work, career, and art practice

10:30 am: Surfaces:

Looking at various papers and prepping canvas and cradled board for water media.

Demo: prepping boards, canvas, and paper for wc

11:00 am: Paints:

Explanation of various types of paints, their uses, qualities, watercolour pencils, and crayons, and how watercolour paint can be made.

Demo: making watercolour from stone

12 noon Lunch Break

1:00 pm colour Mixing:

Basics of colour theory and a basic watercolour palette

Activities: Make a colour chart

Complementary coloured bananas

Monochromatic Teacups

Monochromatic still life or landscape tonal studies 

Sunday, October 19, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

10:00 am: Loosening Up

Activity: Blind Contours and adding colour (pen and wc)

Gesture (brush & wc or ink)

11:00 am: Textures

Activity: Create a variety of textures in watercolour

12 noon Lunch Break

1:00 pm: Depth

Ways to create depth in your watercolour landscapes

Activity: Atmospheric Perspective

2:00-3:00 pm: Mixed Media

Incorporating conte, charcoal, collage, crayon, and acrylic paint into your watercolours

Activity: Mixed media landscape 

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Plein Air Session - Todd Chafe
Sep
25

Plein Air Session - Todd Chafe

On Thursday, September 25, 2025, AANL will be hosting our final artist/mentor plein air session of the season with Todd Chafe on Butter Pot Road in Holyrood. This event is proudly funded by a Year of the Arts grant from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

This session is open to both members and non-members — bring a friend!

What to Expect

Todd will be painting onsite, and artists are encouraged to paint along. He will take breaks to offer suggestions and feedback for those who would like it. You don’t have to paint to participate — if you’d rather watch, ask questions, and enjoy the process, that’s perfectly fine too!

Time & Meeting Point

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

  • We will meet at the Holyrood Heritage Centre between 9:30 – 10:00 AM, then depart together for the painting site.

  • For anyone arriving later, there will be a sign posted on Butter Pot Road to help you find the group.

  • The painting site is easy to locate and has parking available.

Washrooms

Public washrooms are available at the Heritage Centre, Irving and North Atlantic.

Lunch

Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinks. Always a good idea to have water and something light on hand. If you prefer to grab something nearby, Subway, Mary Brown’s, and Tim Hortons are close to the site.

Directions

Tips for Plein Air

  • Travel light — paints and tools can get heavy quickly.

  • Bring water.

  • Weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.

  • A folding stool or camp chair can make things more comfortable.

  • An easel is optional — some artists paint/sketch on their lap.

  • Most important: relax and have fun painting outdoors with fellow artists!

We’re looking forward to a wonderful day of painting in the fresh air, guided by Todd’s experience and insight. Don’t miss this inspiring close to our plein air season!

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 Plein Air Session - Gary Smith
Jul
10

Plein Air Session - Gary Smith

(weather permitting)

On Thursday, July 10th, AANL will be hosting an artist/mentor Plein Air session with Gary Smith in Hopeall (near Dildo), funded by a Year of the Arts grant from the government of NL.

Bring a friend! This session is open to members and non-members. To get an idea of numbers, please email Jill at ejillmoores@gmail.com if you are joining or hoping to join us. The day of the session, a notice about the session going ahead or not, will be posted on Facebook and an email sent out by 8:30 am. If you cannot make this one, there are more sessions coming up. Stay tuned!

Remember for interested members only, there will be an online exhibition mid August to the end of summer, based on work inspired by Newfoundland landscapes such as the one we will be painting on this day. 

What to expect: Gary will be painting onsite and artists are encouraged to paint along. Gary will take breaks and offer suggestions to anyone who wants it. You do not have to paint. If you want to watch Gary and ask questions, he is very open to that. Whatever suits you, is exactly what you should do! 

Time: The session will last from about 10:30 to 3ish, with a break for lunch. Not to worry if you are late! Call Jill @ 709-690-7887 and she will let you know where Gary is. Stay as little or as long as you'd like. 

Where to Meet: At the Community Center around 10:30 am. Gary will lead us to a nearby painting location. 

Washrooms: Public washrooms are in the Community Center 

Lunch: Bring your own, however, there are places to eat in Dildo and Jill will have a light lunch available at her Hopeall cabin. Always a good idea to have a snack on hand and don’t forget a drink or two.

Directions: Hopeall is a community about 1 hour 10 minutes from St. John’s. Travelling the TCH, stay in the right hand lane.  Take the right turn only exit at the Whibourne turnoff going towards Dildo. Take that exit, turn right and travel about 20 minutes until you see the Hopeall exit on the left hand side. Travel down the main road and continue to the left at the fork. Go to the bottom of the hill and the community center is on the left. Any trouble, call Jill (709-690-7887). 

Tips for Plein Air (painting outside): Travel light with preferred medium - paints & tools get heavy very quickly; sunscreen, hat and water are a must! Consider bug spray & dress for weather.  Perhaps a camp chair or stool and a garbage bag for any waste. Some bring an easel, others prefer to paint/sketch on their lap. As you paint outside more often, you will get a feel for what works for you. Most important is to have fun painting outside with fellow artists! 

Any questions? Contact Jill at ejillmoores@gmail.com

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*POSTPONED* Plein Air Session - Clifford George
Jun
28

*POSTPONED* Plein Air Session - Clifford George

*This session has been postponed.*

(weather permitting)

This Saturday, June 28th,  AANL will be hosting an artist/mentor Plein Air session with Clifford George in Cupids, funded by a Year of the Arts grant  from the government of NL

Bring a friend!  This session is open to members and non-members. To get an idea of numbers, please email Jill at ejillmoores@gmail.com if you are joining or hoping to join us.  The day of the session, a notice about the session going ahead or not, will be posted on Facebook and an email sent out by 8:30 am.  If you cannot make this one, there are more sessions coming up. Stay tuned!

Remember for interested members only, there will be an online exhibition at the end of summer, based on work inspired by Newfoundland landscapes such as the one we will be painting on this day. 

What to expect:  Cliff will be painting onsite and artists are encouraged to paint along.   Cliff will take breaks and offer suggestions to anyone who wants it.  You do not have to paint. If you want to watch Cliff and ask questions, he is very open to that.  Whatever suits you, is exactly what you should do!

Time:  The session will last from about 10:30 to 3ish, with a break for lunch.  Not to worry if you are late!  Drive around Cupids and you will be sure to find us. Stay as little or as long as you'd like.

Where to Meet:  On the road in front of the Cupids Legacy Interpretation Center around 10:30 am.  Cliff will lead us to a nearby painting location.  

Washrooms: Public washrooms are in the Interpretation Center

Lunch:  Bring your own however there are many places to eat in Brigus and Cupids.  Always a good idea to have a snack on hand.

Tips for Plein Air (painting outside):    Travel light with preferred medium - paints & tools get heavy very quickly; sun screen, hat and water are a must!  Consider bug spray & dress for weather. Perhaps a camp chair or stool and a garbage bag for any waste.  Some bring an easel, others prefer to paint/sketch on their lap.   As you paint outside more often, you will get a feel for what works for you. Most important is to have fun painting outside with fellow artists!

Note: Bring your own water if required for your medium. The Interpretation Center’s washrooms should not be a place to get or dispose of your painting wastewater.

Any questions? Contact Jill at ejillmoores@gmail.com

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Workshop Five - Elijah Martel
Jun
22

Workshop Five - Elijah Martel

Link to Registration: www.aanl.ca/event-registration-1/zine (Goes Live 8pm Wednesday, June 18th)

Bio: Elijah Martel is a multidisciplinary artist and comics illustrator based in St. John’s, NL/Ktaqmkuk. Elijah has taught zine-making in conjunction with organizations such as Eastern Edge, St. Michael's Printshop, Thrive CYN, Quadrangle NL, the Association for New Canadians, and the AC Hunter Public Library. His work has recently been featured at the Labrador Creative Arts Festival, Queering the Arts, Lawnya Vawnya, the Nickel Festival, and The Rooms' summer artist spotlight series.

Workshop description: What’s a zine, and who makes them? Zine (pronounced “zeen,” as in “magazine”) is a broad, inclusive label for any kind of self-published booklet, and zine-making is often considered to fall under the umbrella of book arts. Zines are a great way to share information and stories, comics, poetry, recipes, and more. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn some easy-to-recreate zine structures, along with tips and tricks to inspire your creative zine-making practice.

Materials: Most participants will be using pretty standard supplies! Printer paper, pencils/pens, markers, glue sticks, scissors, magazines for collage, and embroidery floss. Elijah will bring most of that, but folks are also welcome to bring their own materials, particularly if they have things they’d like to collage with, old artwork they’d like to repurpose, or content (poems, recipes, stories) they’d like to translate into a simple book form!

AAC Restrictions: No open food or beverages is allowed in rooms during bookings, beverages in closed tumblers only. At the end of every session all the chairs need to be stacked up and tables against the wall when finishing using the rehearsal spaces. Please wear protective clothes and bring protective material for the tables.

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Workshop Four - Darrin Martin
May
25

Workshop Four - Darrin Martin

Arts & Culture Centre, North Entrance, Level 4 West Studio A, 95 Allandale Road, St. John's, NL, A1B 3A3. (map)

Overview:

Painting intuitively, allowing Abstract to meld with Representation.

How often, as artists have, we struggled to let go and simply let the paint flow? How often have we had our entire painting planned out long before brushes hit the canvas? I think for many of us, we can say we have done both, many times.

I invite you to attend this workshop with me in the hopes of allowing a more intuitive, free painting method to emerge.

Allow the brushes to tell the story, the movement of the pallet, knife and textures created tell the narrative of the piece and, of course, colour choice! Don’t be afraid to use unconventional colour choices and allow the peace to sing!

 For further questions, call Darrin at 709-690-8708 or melodicmedia@gmail.com. Darrin Thanks

Supplies

A canvas anywhere from 8” to 10” and up. I recommend at least a 16” x 20” but if you’d like to work smaller, it is fine as well. If you work quickly, I recommend bringing a couple of canvases to start another project.

A selection of pallet knives. A handful of earth tone paints a handful of bright brighter, colour paints. A selection of brushes from flats to round, chisel, to liner brushes. A flat Palette is better if you are mixing with pallet aknife.

BIO

“As an artist, and as a human being, I endeavour to brighten the world with colour and light. Through my own expressive style and a variety of mediums, I strive to breathe new life and vision into the world we view everyday.”

Darrin Martin, award-winning graduate of Visual Arts from College of The North Atlantic, is a full-time visual artist located in the scenic town of Torbay in Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. He and his wife, Georgina, operate the studio and gallery known as NorthSide Studios NL. Together they homeschool their three daughters, Grace, Faith, and Hope. Add in a zoo of pets, and you have the formula for a very colourful life!

Darrin is also a well-known performer and musician throughout Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. These days he can be seen (and heard!) performing with Spirit of Newfoundland Productions, Our Divas Do Christmas, Sheila Williams Productions and at a variety of events through Newfoundland and Labrador.

Arts & Culture Centre Restrictions

An AANL Board member has to complete the ACC Access Form located on the table across from the North Entrance upon arriving.

No open food or beverages allowed in rooms during bookings, beverages in closed tumblers only. Please! at the end of every session all the chairs need to be stacked up and tables against the walls when finishing using the rehearsal spaces.

REGISTRATION OPENS SATURDAY, MAY 24, AT 11 A.M. Please register by email at aanl.info@gmail.com

You must be a member of AANL to register for this event.

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Drawing Workshop: Observations from ‘Paint and Chat’ Drawings with Glynn Bishop
Apr
8

Drawing Workshop: Observations from ‘Paint and Chat’ Drawings with Glynn Bishop

Workshop Overview

Join us for a welcoming and engaging drawing workshop focused on the importance of observation, light, and form. This session is designed for anyone looking to strengthen their drawing skills, whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist. Through step-by-step guidance, you’ll learn how to capture depth, shape, and contrast in a way that brings your subject to life.

While the instructor primarily works in botanical subjects, this workshop will focus on fundamental drawing techniques that can be applied to any subject matter. The goal is to build confidence in your drawing abilities and develop a deeper understanding of how to see and translate what you observe onto paper.

This workshop will be available both in-person and via Zoom. The in-person session can accommodate up to 15 participants, and a Zoom link will be sent to members who wish to attend virtually. Thanks to generous grant funding from ArtsNL, we are excited to offer more opportunities for our members to connect and engage in creative learning experiences together.

This workshop builds upon Glynn Bishop’s experience leading the Paint and Chat sessions for the Botanical Art Society of Newfoundland and Labrador (BASNL) over the past few years. Glynn, who is also the President of BASNL, has guided participants in both drawing and painting, helping them refine their techniques in a friendly and supportive environment. This upcoming workshop will expand on those teachings, focusing on drawing fundamentals.

To assist with the drawing exercises, Glynn will provide dried beech leaves and cherry tomatoes as reference subjects for attendees to observe and sketch.

An email will be sent to members in the next day or two with further information about the workshop and registration details.

Attendees are welcome to bring watercolor or another medium they are comfortable with, along with their sketching supplies. If time allows, the instructor will demonstrate how he adds watercolor to the finished drawing to bring it to life.

Workshop Schedule (10:00 AM - 3:30 PM)

Morning Session

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Introduction & Discussion

  • Understanding the role of light and shadow in drawing

  • How light influences perception and composition

  • Using reference images effectively

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Setting Up & Initial Sketch

  • Choosing the right lighting and composition

  • Taking black-and-white reference photos

  • Sketching basic outlines with an H pencil

  • Identifying and marking key areas of light and shadow

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM | Lunch Break

Afternoon Session

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Developing the Drawing

  • Refining values: transitioning from H to 2B and 3B pencils

  • Deepening shadows and enhancing highlights with an eraser

  • Exploring details: using a magnifying glass for precision

  • Techniques for correcting and improving your drawing

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Final Touches & Optional Color Application

  • Adjusting contrast to create depth and realism

  • Evaluating your work and making final refinements

  • If time allows, the instructor will demonstrate how to apply watercolor to the finished drawing to enhance its realism and bring it to life

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Group Discussion & Feedback

  • Reviewing completed work

  • Group discussion and instructor feedback

Materials to Bring

  • Sketchbook or drawing paper (preferably heavyweight for detailed work)

  • Pencils: H, 2B, and 3B

  • Eraser (kneaded and standard)

  • Magnifying glass (optional but recommended)

  • Camera or smartphone for reference photos

  • Light source (desk lamp if preferred for controlled lighting)

  • Solid-colored background for subject reference

  • Sharpener or mechanical pencils

  • Ruler and blending tools (tortillon or tissue)

  • Optional: Watercolor set, brushes, and a small water container if you wish to experiment with adding color

Key Takeaways

  • Learn to observe and interpret light and shadow effectively

  • Improve your ability to create realistic depth and contrast

  • Develop skills in refining and correcting your drawings

  • Gain a deeper appreciation for detailed observational drawing

  • Explore how watercolor or other media can enhance a finished drawing

Enjoy the process, take your time, and immerse yourself in the art of seeing and drawing!

A Zoom link for virtual attendees will be sent out to members before the workshop.

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Watercolour Workshop - Luanne Dominix
Feb
16

Watercolour Workshop - Luanne Dominix

  • Arts & Culture, North Entrance, Level 4 West Studio A (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Watercolour Workshop with Luanne Dominix (weather permitting) NO PEANUT PRODUCTS ALLOWED - SEVERE PEANUT ALLERGY. FOR AANL MEMBERS ONLY.

To register, click “View Event” and then complete the form at the bottom of the page

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