The next workshop will be June 19 & 20 with Willo Balfrey.
Willo has been involved with pastels for several years as well as teaching. She received Eminent Pastelist status in the International Association of Pastel Societies as well as Master Circle in the Pastel Society of America. Willo also has had paintings accepted into the Pastel 100, Pastel Journal Magazine and as well as the Pastel Society of America’s shows held in New York City. She was actively involved in the International Association of Pastel Societies by being a Juror of Selection and had paintings accepted into their shows to earn the Master Circle award as well as earning Distinguished Pastelist in the Pastel Society of the West Coast. She is included in a book entitle “Pure Pastel” Contemporary Works by Today’s Top Artists; featured in the Pastel Journal’s issue of “Pastel Landscapes Coast to Coast”; and included in the International Artists publication, “100 Ways to paint Seascapes, Rivers & Lakes. Willo is now working in oils and during the summer months she will be found working “en plein air” in oil and pastel – when the weather allows, bringing those field sketches back to the studio for interpretation and future paintings. New locations create inspiration and an appreciation of what surrounds he
Supply List for Willo’s Pastel workshop
Learn to apply pastel ground to a surface before applying pastel to create an intuitive response.
Learn to drag soft pastels over the surface to create the feeling of texture.
You will be working from our own photos and thumbnails.
Hint: The best use of this techniques is in a photo with grass, trees, weeds. Please bring as many of your own photos I will review them to determine which will work best. If possible choose a photo and work out a thumbnail sketch prior to the workshop.
You may be able to finish two paintings.
We will be using Art Spectrum Colorfix CLEAR Pastel & Multimedia Primer. I will bring a few extra for purchase and one for our class usage (no charge)
Paper: White UART 400 (or any paper that will accept water). 9 x 12, 11 x 14, 12 x 16
Pastels: As many as you want – large selection of hard and soft. Girault, Terry Ludwig, Great American, Rembrandt, etc. Soft pastels work best as the final layer in this application.
Water colors with strong pigment, Cretacolor and brushes for w/c
Paper Towels – Viva or Blue Shop Towels
Stiff Bristle brush (2“) for applying medium
Hard core board for attaching paper to. About 1” larger on all sides than your paper.
Black & White artists masking tape for Securing paper to board. (if it isn’t already mounted)
Photo references
Drawing book for doing thumbnails.
Camera
Easel and a cloth for under your easel to protect floors
Hair Dryer to dry the applied medium
Lunch
Class will begin at 9am until 5pm. I will continue a demo and discussion during the lunch hour each day.
There are many methods for doing underpaintings – this is just one as 2 days is a short time to Demo all products.
Book – If possible purchase and bring Richard McKinley’s book: PASTEL POINTERS. It is my pastel bible and answers many questions you might have.
I’m looking forward to meeting all of you. If you have questions on supplies contact me at willobalfrey@gmail.com
Visit the artist’s website: willobalfrey.com
At this time Willo’s Pastel Workshop is closed.
Gita Lloyd, March 21 & 28, 2026
Gita’s successful workshop demonstrated her technique for sculptural papier-mâché. which was held for two Saturdays, March 21st & March 28th at Lake Shastina Community Center, 10am to 4pm.
Gita Lloyd is a practicing visual artist now living in California’s far northern rural Siskiyou County. She is a poet, Teacher and speaker whose works hang in private, civic & corporate collections. She was honored with United States Congressional Special Recognition an California State Assemble and Senate Award for her public works. Gita was named a Legacy Tier Fellow in 2021, California’s highest honor, for lifetime achievement.
Bypassing a traditional art education she apprenticed in the Hollywood animation industry and has written Centered Drawing for those who want to learn how to draw and how artists from the past and present work and think. In Centered Drawing she clearly defines the famous artistic Process, step by step, for the very first time.
To learn more about Gita’s books, including Centered Drawing, visit Gita’s website
Past Workshops:
Jasmine Crutchfield, April 2022
In April, Jasmine Crutchfield held a workshop with interested SAA members. With our best reading glasses, we followed along Jasmine’s instructions to produce sparkling delicate flowers reminiscent of daffodils. Jasmine demonstrated using yarn and large pony beads, while we attempted to reproduce her design using small seed beads. She showed the utmost patience teaching her class of complete novices. We each walked away with a beautiful necklace of our own making, but I can confidently say, none of us will ever go into business to compete with Jasmine’s gorgeous unique bead work and designs. The highlight of the workshop was perusing cases of Jasmine’s extensive collection of bead work art!
Willo Balfrey, July 2021
Back in July of 2021, Wilo Balfrey, accomplished artist, long time friend and member of SAA, gave a very informative workshop on tips and guidance when showing work.
Suzanne Mamedalin, May 2017
SAA member Suzanne Mamedalin led a workshop on alcohol ink painting at the Lake Shastina Community Center on May 20, 2017. An example of Suzanne’s work is shown above. Alcohol ink is a relatively new medium. The inks are acid-free, fast-drying transparent dyes used to create colorful, polished stone effects. They can be used on glossy paper, metal, shrink plastic, glass, and other slick surfaces.
Twenty local artists participated in the workshop. Photos from this impressively well-organized and highly successful workshop are shown below. All participants produced multiple pieces of art on a step-by-step progression of surfaces. Most supplies were provided, including 4-inch x 4-inch boards, which will be used for paintings donated for the silent auction at SAA’s 60th Annual Art Show. Proceeds from the auction are used for SAA’s annual scholarship for local art students.
