Salt Pond Studio in Friendship will host a four-session intensive workshop, Composition, Values and Color, with Midcoast artist Bjőrn Runquist.

The course will include daily demos of all the principles studied. Participants will work from still life studies and landscape photos and will work outside, weather permitting. There will be assignments to complete during the week and each lesson from #2 on will begin with critiques of the preceding week’s work. Bring a maximum of three pieces you would like to critique. Runquist will be working in oil, but any medium is acceptable since much of the class will focus on composition, light and values.

Class meetings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays from March 1 to 22. Course fee is $450. Class is limited to eight participants. Salt Pond Studio is located inside a one-room schoolhouse at 522 Cushing Road, Friendship. Email pam@saltpondstudio.com to register, or call or text Salt Pond Studio at 207-691-5787.

Course Description

Session #1: Exploring the fundamentals of composition. What makes a good composition? Why is composition the foundation of all good panting? Bring photos to work from. 

Session #2 : Critique of this week’s work. Values as an element of composition, seeing values, values as a way of expressing harmony, values as a way of expressing dramatic contrasts.

Session #3: Critique of this week’s work. Color: Seeing color, warm/cold colors basics, color to evoke harmony.

Session #4: Critique of this week’s work. Color: Using color to express dramatic contrasts and combining composition, color and values.