Adult Workshops

All workshops take place at Miranda Fine Arts unless otherwise noted. For more information on classes Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts. Check back for updates and added classes.

Classes sponsored by The Society of Gilders are registered through the Society. For more information about The Society of Gilders, including extensive class listings and registration info, please go to www.societyofgilders.org

Workshops 2008

Artist Critique Group
Led by artist Michael Torlen
Ongoing, 5 Session Groups including one musueum visit
Dates: Fridays, 10am- 4pm: February 1 , March 7, April 4, May 2 ,and May 9 Field Trip
Cost: $500
Location: Miranda Fine Arts

*In order to give ample time for each artist, enrollment is limited to 10 students. Due to the popularity of previous sessions, early registration is suggested!

This class is a studio critique for the working artist. Class meets once per month, on the first Friday of the month. The first four studio critique sessions meet at Miranda Fine Arts. The 5th meeting will be a field trip, to the Neuberger Museum of Art or another museum or exhibition location to be announced.

The critique begins with a brief discussion on a topic of interest. Each artist then presents work for comment and discussion. Torlen leads the discussion and invites the entire class to critique form, structure, process and content. Suggested readings, procedures, and exercises, strategies or approaches that may assist each participant to expand and realize their project are presented. Torlen discusses visual form and the artistic and creative process as well as professional practices and the critique process; the latter are based upon a variety of readings and different approaches. Each participant is encouraged to develop a body of work and to formulate and articulate artistic goals and strategies to achieve those goals.

Michael Torlen is a founding member of the Visual Arts program at Purchase College. He earned his BFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art and his MFA at Ohio State University. Torlen has exhibited at Luise Ross Gallery and Alexander Milliken, Inc, New York and at Nan Mulford Gallery and Lupine Gallery in Maine, among others. His work is in the collections of the Neuberger Museum of Art, The Newark Museum, and Housatonic Museum and in many corporate collections including IBM, Chase Manhattan Bank, J.P.Morgan & Co., and Deloitte & Touche. He is a member of Watercolor USA Honor Society. His work appears in Carl Little's book, Paintings of Maine, a 2006 Down East Books publication.

His recent work, Sanger Fra Mor (Songs From Mother) is an ongoing visual essay using commercial fishing, oral history and autobiographic images. He draws upon his experiences both as a young boy aboard ship with his father and as a crewmember on a commercial tuna boat. Further inspiration for his work is gained from trips to Monhegan Island, Maine where he paints in the open air and researches the historical maritime resources of the Monhegan Museum.

In order to give ample time for each artist, enrollment is limited to 10 students. Due to the popularity of previous sessions, early registration is suggested! For more information and registration
Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts
^top

Toning on Gilded Surfaces
Taught by: Michael Gilbert
Date: October 23-25, 2008
Fee: Society of Gilders Member: $525, Non Members: $550
Materials Fee: $75
Gilded samples for each student to work on, with all wet and dry materials involved in creating patinas.
Location: Miranda Fine Arts

Toning is one of the most interesting and challenging things that
gilders do to create an authentic antique finish. Toning techniques
can create a patina of age on repairs or new work. The best toning
looks completely natural, like no human hand was involved.
Toning may also be done to make a frame harmonize with a work of art,
or to make gilding have a special look for a work of art. Different
karats of leaf, bole color, glue, shellac, pigments, acids, and wax
are some of the materials used in toning work. We will work on a
variety of karats of leaf including silver, to make an antique vermeil
finish.

Registration, instructor bio and info at www.societyofgilders.org

^top

Manuscript Illumination Retreat

Taught by: Patricia Miranda
Dates: Wednesday October 15, 2008 6:00pm through Friday October 17 4:00pm
Fee: $250 (Full Board), Day only $200 (meals included), $50 deposit
All materials provided
Location: The Community of St. John Baptist
82 West Main Street
Mendham, NJ 07945
http://www.csjb.org/RetCalendar.html

Manuscript Illumination is the art of the handmade illustrated book, which reached its height in the medieval period before the advent of the printing press. Books are “illuminated” with gold leaf and hand-made paints to create works of gilded splendor. Written on animal skin parchment, books were significant objects of devotion, their creation a high calling. The
lamb sacrificed his life to bring the word of God to the people—the scribe was a channel between God and humanity. The 6th century Christian scholar and Roman statesman
Cassiodorus said that each word written was a wound on Satan’s body.

We are called by God to be co-creators. This retreat offers an opportunity to explore a meditative form of prayer through the making of sacred art. Using spiritual deepening as our guiding force, retreat participants will create a small illuminated painting on animal skin parchment, using 22k gold leaf, handmade watercolor paints, and traditional manuscript techniques.

This work is about the process, the journey, not the end result, which is in God’s hands. Artistic “talent” or background is not necessary. Everyone is welcome! Come with an open heart.

Community of St. John Baptist
At St. Marguerite’s Retreat House
For Registration Contact:
Sr. Pamela, CSJB
973-543-4641 ext. 9

Community of St. John Baptist
P.O.Box 240
82, West Main Street
Mendham
NJ 07945

For more information
Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts
^top

Sgraffito
Taught by: Jill London-
Dates: October 13, 2007(10am-5pm)
Fee: $200.00 Society of Gilders members, $225.00 non-members
Materials and Tools Fee: $175.00 or students must come to the class with a completed water gilded frame, 8"x 10" inner dimension.

Sgraffito is the technique of scratching through a layer of paint to the gilded surface below. The water gilded surface is painted with a hand-made egg tempera paint and once it dries, patterns are scraped and drawn into the surface allowing the gilded surface to show through. Fabulous effects are created which give another dimension and detail to a gilded surface. Often this technique was used in Renaissance panel painting. This is a great technique to use on reproduction frames and furniture.

For more information and registration:
Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts
Enrollment is limited. Early registration is suggested
^top

Egg Tempera
Taught by: Patricia Miranda
Dates: October 19 - 21, 2007 10am - 5pm
Cost: $475; $450 for members of the Society of Gilders , $475.00 non-members
Materials fee: $45 includes all materials used in workshop

Egg Tempera is a luminous paint, emphasizing pure color and fine drawing. Made with simple egg yolk as a binder and pure mineral pigments as color, Tempera, an ancient medium, has many of the glazing qualities of oil paint, yet is water-based, fast drying and optically brilliant. If you love color and are tired of using solvents, yet want more depth than most water-based paints, egg tempera may be for you.

This intensive workshop will cover preparation of wood panels, including traditional gesso preparation; creating tempera paint from dry pigments and egg yolk; and a diverse repertoire of techniques for applying the paint.

Workshop is open to beginners as well as professional painters. Participants will work on an original image on a 12 x 12 painting. Returning and advanced students can work on panels in different sizes prepared especially for their own work. Contact Patricia Miranda about custom panels.
For more information and registration:
Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts
^top

Icon Writing Retreat
Taught by: Patricia Miranda
Dates: Wednesday March 12, 2008 6:00pm through Friday March 14, 2008 4:00pm
Fee: $250 (Full Board), Day only $200 (meals included), $50 deposit
All materials provided
Location: The Community of St. John Baptist
82 West Main Street
Mendham, NJ 07945
http://www.csjb.org/RetCalendar.html

We are called by God to be co-creators. The sacred art of Icon Writing offers a tangible, meditative entry into a deep spiritual practice, the delving of the spirit into action. Each step taken in the process of creating a work of sacred art- materials, preparation and technique-offers a deep and meaningful reflection of spiritual growth. Through copying an image passed down through the centuries, we stand on the shoulders of all who came before. Our ego is removed from the process and the Holy Spirit moves through our hands. This work is about the process, the journey, not the end result, which is in God's hands. Artistic "talent" or background is not necessary. Everyone is welcome! Come with an open heart.

This retreat offers an opportunity to explore a meditative form of prayer through the making of sacred art. Using the language and tradition of the Christian art of Icons, participants will create a small icon on a wood panel. Panels will be created using ancient techniques, using spiritual deepening as the guiding force. We will gild with 22k gold leaf, and paint with pigments in egg tempera paint, all handmade in the workshop. Returning participants are welcome. They will begin their own icons, with instruction, during intro lecture for newcomers.

Community of St. John Baptist
At St. Marguerite’s Retreat House
For Registration Contact:
Sr. Pamela, CSJB
973-543-4641 ext. 9

Community of St. John Baptist
P.O.Box 240
82, West Main Street
Mendham
NJ 07945

For more information
Call 914.318.7178 or email Miranda Fine Arts

Workshops 2006

Manuscript Gilding and Illumination
Taught by: Patricia Miranda
Dates: September 14-15, 2006 (10am-5pm)
April 11-13, 2007 (10am-4pm)

NOTE: This class takes place at Sepp Leaf Products
381 Park Ave. South at 27th St., New York, NY

Manuscript illumination is the art of the handmade illustrated book, which reached its height in the medieval period before the advent of the printing press. Books were "illuminated" with gold leaf and hand-made paints to create works of gilded splendor. This workshop will cover raised and flat water gilding techniques, including tooling and burnishing, with a focus on the unique gilding techniques especially for paper and parchment. Also covered will be the basics of creating water-based paints from pigments and various binders. Students will work on genuine sheepskin parchment as well as paper using 22k gold leaf, handmade gouache paint, and traditional manuscript techniques.

Fee: $325.00 Society of Gilders members, $350.00 non-members
Materials Fee: $25.00

Egg Tempera
Taught by: Patricia Miranda
Dates: October 13-15, 2006(10am-4pm)
March 8-10, 2007(10am-4pm)

Traditional panel paintings still, today, maintain their wonderful luminosity and strength. Contemporary artists are rediscovering these techniques and adapting them to their own vision. This workshop will cover: basic techniques for preparing your own wood panels from start to finish; traditional gesso preparation; creating egg tempera paint from dry pigments and egg yolk; both Eastern and Western techniques of applying egg tempera as well as a wealth of historical information surrounding the tradition.

Fee: $475.00 Society of Gilders members, $500.00 non-members
Materials Fee: $40.00

Workshops 2005

Color Sources: Paint-Making, a Workshop for Artists
at Miranda Fine Arts
Instructor: Patricia Miranda
Dates: April 1-2, 2005, 10 am -4pm
Fee: $350.00 Members- Society of Gilders, non-members $375.00
Materials and Tools Fee: $25.00

Discover the wide application for the contemporary artist of creating paint from dry pigments and colors ground from original sources. This workshop will cover the basics of creating your own colors from stones, bugs, and flowers as well as ground pigments, and transforming these into a variety of different paints, such as watercolor, egg tempera, distemper and oil.

Sgraffito
at Miranda Fine Arts
Instructor: Jill London
Dates: April 9, 2005, 10 am- 5pm
Fee: $175.00 Members- Society of Gilders, non-members $200.00
Materials and Tools Fee: $175.00 or students must bring completed water gilded frame, 8"x 10"
Description: Sgraffito is an intricate design or line drawing, which is made on the paint surface, which has been applied to a gilded surface. The gilded surface is painted with a hand made egg tempera paint and once it dries, patterns are scraped and drawn into the surface allowing the gilded surface to show through. Fabulous effects are created which give another dimension and detail to a gilded surface. Often this technique was used in Renaissance panel painting. This is a great technique to use on reproduction frames and furniture.

www.londongild.com, jill@londongild.com

Manuscript Gilding and Illumination
at Miranda Fine Arts
Instructor: Patricia Miranda
Dates: April 19-20, 2005, 10 am-4 pm
Fee: $375.00 Members- Society of Gilders, $400.00 non-members.
Materials Fee: $45.00

Manuscript illumination is the art of the handmade illustrated book, famous from the medieval period, where books were "illuminated" with gold leaf and painted with handmade paints to create paintings of gilded handmade paints splendor. This workshop will cover raised and flat gilding, including several water gilding techniques, and painting with. Focus will be on unique gilding techniques designed especially for paper and parchment, and the basics of creating water-based paints from pigments and various binders. Students will work on genuine sheepskin parchment as well as paper, using traditional manuscript techniques. Emphasis is on gilding including burnishing, using 22k gold leaf and handmade gouache paint.

Patricia Miranda at Castle Hill, Truro Center for the Arts, Summer 2005
For more info and registration visit their website at www.castlehill.org

Panel Painting with Egg Tempera
at Castle Hill
Instructor: Patricia Miranda.
July 18 - 22
Mon-Fri, 9-12
5 sessions, $275

Traditional panel paintings still today maintain their wonderful luminosity and strength. Contemporary artists are rediscovering these techniques and adapting them to their own vision. This workshop will cover the basic techniques for preparing your own wood panels from start to finish, including traditional gesso preparation, creating egg tempera paint from dry pigments and egg yolk, and both Eastern and Western techniques of applying egg tempera as well as a wealth of historical information. Class limited to 10 students.

Manuscript Illumination
at Castle Hill
Instructor Patricia Miranda
July 11 - 15
Mon-Fri, 9-12
5 sessions, $275

Manuscript illumination is the art of the handmade illustrated book, famous from the medieval period, using gold leaf and handmade paints to create paintings of gilded splendor. Contemporary artists are adapting these ancient techniques for their own unique vision. This workshop will cover basic gold leaf techniques for paper and parchment, and the basics for creating your own watercolor and gouache from natural pigments. Students will complete an original gilded and painted work on sheepskin parchment using 22k gold leaf and handmade gouache paint, using traditional manuscript techniques.

Fresco on Paper
at Castle Hill
Instructor: Patricia Miranda
July 4 - 8
Mon-Fri, 9-12
5 sessions, $275

From ancient Rome and Pompeii to medieval European Cathedrals to the murals of Diego Rivera, fresco paintings have captivated us with both their beauty and strength. Fresco -or "fresh" in Italian, is the art of painting natural pigments on damp coats of plaster, the color absorbing permanently into the thin top layer. This class offers an opportunity to experiment with fresco by creating small portable paintings for indoor use. We will paint on the lime plaster in the traditional way, using an innovative paper support.