Kelley Vandiver
Classes
Classes
I am currently only teaching small classes in my gallery at the Fabrica la Aurora, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Please contact me if you have specific questions. If it is your first class with me, you will need to set aside at least 5 days and each class will need to be at least 2 and a half or 3 hours long (for a total of at least 15 hours) which includes a half-hour break. Most of my students are studying photo-realism in watercolor, but I do accept oil painting students after you have taken the watercolor class and I feel you have mastered the technique. I will provide supplies for beginning students.
Class information
The entire class fee ($300 US cash or Mexican Peso equivalent) is due first thing before the class begins on the first day.
My classes are designed to teach you how to paint realistically in watercolor. I have over 25 years of teaching experience in watercolor. My classes are held in my gallery (the Kelley Vandiver Gallery) in the historic Fabrica la Aurora, www.fabricalaaurora.com, here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The Fabrica is an old-converted fabric factory that hosts many galleries and studios as well as four restaurants.
I start with the basics, so don’t worry if you haven’t painted before. I have had many students that are trying art for the very first time. The beauty of this technique is that there are rules to follow and if you follow the rules, your painting will turn out great.
I provide all the supplies you will need for the class. All you need to do is show up. The class lasts for 5 days and is 3 hours a day (example: from 9:00 to 12:00) which includes an half-hour break. The five days can be taken together or spread out over a few weeks. We can always work something out by changing the days or times if you need to. The cost for the 5-day class is $300 US Dollars (or Mexican Peso equivalent). It is the same cost for fewer days because that means I have to cram more teaching into less time! You can click on this email link, or you can call me on my cell phone, (415) 151-9062. Credit toward a future class will be given if you must miss a scheduled class for one reason or another with at least a 24-hour notice.
Once you have graduated from the beginning course, you may continue taking classes for $50 US Dollars a day (2.5 hours plus 1/2-hour break). Advanced students are responsible for purchasing their own supplies and coming up with their own ideas for paintings.
I also offer private classes (one on one) for advanced students. Advanced students are students that have completed the beginning watercolor class or that I have agreed can take the advanced class after having a meeting with me. The cost for private classes is $50 US a day (two and a half hours). I look forward to hearing from you!
supply list for advanced students
D’Arches 300 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper; round synthetic watercolor brushes sizes 2, 4, and one number 10 that come to a very tiny point; M. Graham or Gamblin or Daniel Smith watercolor paint (quinacridone rose, quinacridone red, quinacridone violet, quinacridone gold, azo yellow, transparent oxide brown, burnt umber, phthalo blue, phthalo green, chromium oxide green, hookers green, indanthrone blue, black gouache, and white gouache); gum eraser; pencils (6H or 8H as well as an Ebony or 9B); ruler; paper towels; plastic palette for mixing paint as well as one to hold your paint. These can be purchased through online retailers like www.dickblick.com (Daniel Smith paint, M. Graham and Gamblin paint).
Note: it has recently come to my attention that the brushes I prefer are no longer available (Loew Cornell series 7020). The company that bought Loew Cornell is Kingart and they are currently selling the brushes I prefer. Here is a link to the Kingart website: https://www.kingartco.com/ look for Original Gold 9020 Ultra Round.