Gillian Sargeant-Mastering the art of the still life Workshop
Note: Refunds minus the credit card transaction fee are available up to four weeks before the beginning of the workshop. After that, the student must find a replacement and negotiate payment with the replacement. If you need to cancel, contact us. The team may be able to help find a replacement. Please see the LAA Cancellation and Refund Policy.
LAA Members: Use your member code during check-out for a discounted price. The member code can be found in your membership confirmation email and any LAA newsletter.
Mastering the Art of the Still Life
August 16-17, 2025 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Instructor: Gillian Sargeant
LOUISVILLE ART CENTER
801 Grant Ave, Louisville, CO 80027
Member $110
āNon-member $140
In this class you will learn how to paint a still life from a place of confidence.
Knowledge is power and for art students to understand how professional artists go about creating a successful still life has the potential to positively change the experience of painting.
I want to help eliminate the unnecessary mystery of the āStill Lifeā.
Professional painters usually plan a painting project thoroughly to achieve a more predictable outcome and eliminate any unnecessary constant chasing of and fixing mistakes. From set up to completion weāll go through the whole process step by step. I want to help students eliminate the mysterious unknowns, and bring an element of control to the experience so that whatever comes after will be more a more satisfying outcome and painting the objects will become a more enjoyable experience.
Weāll study:
- The importance of the āvisionā or the idea.Ā
- Light and shadow
- Creating a good drawing
- Composition
- Colors/ huesĀ
- Values and edges
- How to light a still life.Ā
- How to set it up.
- What objects to use.Ā
- MaterialsĀ
- supplies.Ā
- How to lay in the image.Ā
- How to approach the paintingĀ
Youāll also learn to paint an object in such a way that the viewer is forced to look at the object differently, the way you want them to see it. The viewer has to confront the forms, thereās no looking away.
About Gillian Sargeant
I was born in Scotland and studied Art and Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, England in him the UK.
I studied fine art, painting, at Coventry University, England, then continued training in illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, England under the painter Thomas Newbolt. I was awarded and Masters degree position in Brighton School of Art.
This gave me a love of the narrative interpretation, but not being fully convinced I was an illustrator, went on to pursued fine art once again, always being drawn to life drawing and Atelier classical approach. After having taken a long hiatus to raise children, recently continued my training in Eastern Orthodox iconography, and it gave me an interest in the ancient technique of layering translucent color and also depth of meaning and complexity of message they convey.
My studies then took me to Italy where I studied under Vincent Deciderio, the modern master of the Velatura technique (scumbling and glazing). Iām evolving continually as I pursue mastery in representational figurative work seeing where these decades of learning take me. I find studying these ancient techniques, classical and Byzantine open inexhaustible inspiration for my art. My biggest influences are Singer Sargent, Sorolla, Edgar Maxence. Edwin Austin Abby, Velasquez, Pre-raphaelites for the mythical ethereal, Titian, and Reubens.
Recent study:
- 2019, training under Vincent Deciderio in Italy
- 2020: Oil painter of Americaās signature artist Robin Cole
- Boulder Atelier 2018 –
Studied with
- Jeremy Lipking
- Mark Boedges
- Apprenticeship under Daniel Sprick
Exhibitions:
- Artshows: London, Covent Garden 1992.
- Solo Exhibition : CORE Gallery 2014
- Our Neighbors Ourselves, Denver CO, 2012
- Project Worthmore Denver ONO 2014, second place
- Project Worthmore ONO 2015, first place peoples choice
- Our Neighbors ourselves 2016,
- Zeel: awareness through art Denver:2016
- Zeel: awareness through art Denver: 2017
- Zeel: awareness through art Denver: 2018
- Zeel and Denver artists: indivisible Expressions of Union and Divide 2018
- Denver artist: the Space Between summer 2020
- 29 Artists: Denver 2020
- Royal Society of British Artists 2021 Annual exhibition, London
- Zhou B Art Center Chicago 2022
- Salmagundi club New York 2024
Some of Gillian’s work:
MATERIALS
Most supplies can be found either on Amazon or either of these stores below. Make sure you order in plenty of time before class
- BLICK, Jerry’s Artarama
- Locally, Guiry’s is a good option for good quality paints, etc. The Boulder store has a great selection of art supplies
Panels:
- Oil primed Belgian linen is the best surface. Centurion panels are the most reasonably pricedĀ
- Iād recommend bringing 2 panels size: 10×12ā or 11×14ā Jerry’s, Blick, or the centurion store on Amazon
Paints: Buy a set or bring your good quality oils in these colors.
- Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Viridian, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, and Titanium White
Brushes:
- Utrech oil brush set ( will be all you need for class), round size 4, Flat size 8, Filberts sizes 12 & 18.
- Rosemary brushes are the professionalās brush, they are a bit more expensive and from the UK so order in plenty time. Rosemary & Co oil brushes Any of the following would work in a range of sizes: Ivory line, Masters Choice, Evergreen line, Shiraz Synthetics
- If you want to get to know these professional brushes order the āEvergreenā series in several shapes and sizes for a good medium use brush. Rosemary and Co Evergreen set
- Mineral Spirits
- gamsol brush cleaner/ solvent
- A brush washer/pot or any jar with a tight sealing lid
- Shop towels blue disposable or white kitchen paper towels
- Glass Palette for mixing paints
Mastering the art of the still life
Member $110
āNon-member $140
LAA Members: To get the discounted price, use your member code during check-out. The Member Code can be found in your membership confirmation email and any LAA Newsletter.
Questions? Go to the Contact Us form and be sure to specify this workshop with your question.