Join artist and instructor Deanna Strachan-Wilson for three creative days exploring expressive portraiture through watercolor, ink, mark-making, and mixed media.

BLOOM: Whimsical Portraits is about much more than learning to paint a face. Together, we’ll move through the “Begin. Build. Bloom” creative process—starting with playful experiments and watercolor foundations, building those discoveries into intentional artistic choices, and bringing everything together in a larger expressive portrait that feels uniquely yours.

There is no need to rush. We’ll take our time, let our paintings dry, step away, look again, experiment, and enjoy the process of watching a painting develop one layer at a time.

No portrait or drawing experience is required, and artists at all levels are welcome.

Day 1 – February 12 via Zoom
11:00 – 12:00 – Zoom
Your Bloom experience begins before we gather in person with a one-hour virtual studio session. The session will be offered live and recorded so you can revisit it before the workshop.

We’ll review supplies and talk about choosing, preparing, and printing reference photographs. You’ll also learn how to use a value-study app to simplify an image into lights, midtones, and darks before you paint.
Bring images that speak to you—friends, family, children, vintage photographs, or simply faces you’re drawn to. Deanna will also provide reference options during the workshop.

Different images inspire each of us di erently. Learning to notice what draws you in is one of the first steps toward developing your own artistic voice.

Day 2 – March 12
9:00 – 4:00 – Workshop
Explore. Play. Discover.

Friday is about foundations, experimentation, and getting comfortable with your materials.
Through approachable exercises, many of which can become 15-minute creative practices at home, you’ll explore watercolor, color, brushwork, water, marks, pattern, ink, and embellishment.
You’ll also begin creating personal mark-making and motif reference cards that you’ll use throughout the weekend and can continue building long after the workshop.

Days 3 – March 13
9:00 – 4:00 – Workshop
Experiment. Connect. Make Choices.

Saturday morning, we’ll continue developing our foundational skills while exploring value, color, composition, layering, edges, and how our artistic choices influence a painting.

You’ll select your reference image and learn a simple transfer method, so no drawing skills are necessary. We’ll then create an expressive watercolor underpainting focused on lights, midtones, darks, and the overall feeling of the portrait.

We’ll allow our paintings to dry overnight and return the next morning with fresh eyes.

Days 3 – March 14
9:00 – 4:00 – Workshop
Create. Trust. Become.

Sunday is our day to bring everything together. Using wet-on-dry techniques, we’ll gradually develop our portraits through additional layers, stronger values, expressive features, contrast, and selective detail.

Then we’ll return to the colors, marks, motifs, patterns, ink, and techniques we’ve collected throughout the weekend and decide what belongs in our individual paintings. This isn’t about reproducing Deanna’s portrait. It’s about learning to make—and trust—your own artistic choices.

We’ll take our time, step away when we need to, allow layers to dry, and practice looking at our paintings before deciding what they need next.