The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) invites interested parties to join acclaimed local artist Gail Guirreri-Maslyk August 25–26 for an inspiring, hands-on oil painting workshop celebrating expression over perfection.
Registered paticipants will gather at the Middleburg, Virginia museum for this immersive two-day experience. There, Guirreri-Maslyk will guide them through the journey of painting horses with a limited palette. Along the way, she will be encouraging spontaneity, exploration and a deeper connection to one’s creative voice.
“Like a vacation, painting is about the journey, not the destination,” she says. “The twists and turns are where your unique voice emerges.”
Fast, intuitive techniques
Participants will explore fast, intuitive techniques that help them stay loose and responsive. They will learn to recognize when to consider a piece finished, when to push further or when to start fresh.
Working with a limited palette, they will uncover surprising color harmonies and new ways to capture form and movement. Simplifying materials and letting go of perfection can open new possibilities for capturing the beauty, movement and spirit of the horse.
Designed for artists who are ready to explore and grow, this workshop offers plenty of individual guidance in an intimate class size. Some experience drawing and painting is helpful.
Canvases will be provided. Participants will receive a list of all other supplies to bring for the workshop.
NOTE: The workshop is limited to 15 participants. Register now to reserve your spot, as spaces fill quickly.
10 am–4 pm (break for lunch, food not provided)
NSLM Founders’ Room
NSLM Member Fee: $220
Non-Member Fee: $260
About Gail Guirreri-Maslyk
Local equestrian artist Gail Guirreri-Maslyk is best known for her unique impressionistic brushstrokes, color choices and direct interaction with her subjects. With a lifetime of travel, her art education began at a very young age in museums and town squares around the world. Guirreri-Maslyk’s style as she sculpts her paint into form reflects the influence of large bronze sculptures. Over the last 35 years, her palette has continued to evolve using rarer and more unique pigments.
Guirreri-Maslyk studies pigments and their mixing range before selecting a handful of tubes to use in a composition. Choosing a small palette frees her to paint quickly and follow her intuition, bringing movement into any object. More often than not, the subject of her painting appears to be looking directly at you, as if you’re peeking in on a private moment.
About the NSLM
The National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, promoting and sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling and field sports. For more information, call (540) 687-6542 or email [email protected].
Landing page image from NSLM website