About this Event
Spend an afternoon painting, drawing, or sketching amid the Historic Preservation Gardens during a special outdoor art workshop led by professional nature artist and Providence Art Club instructor Ava Varszegi.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or someone who simply wants to spend a few hours making art outdoors, you’re welcome. Ava will provide instruction, guidance, and feedback while participants work independently from the plants, landscapes, architecture, and other subjects found around the historic Varnum House grounds.
Ava works primarily in watercolor and colored pencil and specializes in highly detailed natural science illustration depicting plants and animals from direct observation.
=== SCHEDULE
11 AM — Grounds Open to Artists. Arrive, explore the gardens, choose a location, set up your materials, and begin working.
Noon — Instruction and Guidance Begin. Ava will work with participating artists, offering instruction, observations, and individual guidance.
2:30 PM — Art Sharing and Champagne Toast. We’ll gather to share our work, receive feedback, and raise a glass to an afternoon of art and creativity.
3 PM — Workshop Concludes
=== WHAT TO BRING
Participants should bring their own preferred drawing or painting materials. Watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic, graphite, pen and ink, sketching materials, and other portable media are welcome.
You may also bring a picnic lunch or snacks to enjoy on the grounds. Coffee and soft drinks will be provided to enrolled workshop participants.
=== REGISTRATION
Workshop admission is $35 per person. Advance registration through Eventbrite is recommended. Cash registration will also be accepted on site, space permitting. The workshop is open to artists of all experience levels.
=== FREE VARNUM HOUSE OPEN HOUSE
“Art and Nature” is being held in conjunction with a FREE community open house at the Varnum House Museum. Members of the public are welcome to tour the historic Varnum House and its gardens at no charge. Donations to support the museum are always appreciated.
Please note that participation in the art workshop, instruction, refreshments, and art sharing session is reserved for enrolled artists. Open house visitors are encouraged to explore the grounds and watch the artists at work.
=== ABOUT AVA VARSZEGI
Ava Varszegi is a New England-based illustrator, designer, teacher, and professional nature artist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design’s Illustration program, Class of 2017, she works primarily in traditional media, particularly watercolor and colored pencil. Her interest in the natural world informs her work in natural science illustration, where she creates detailed studies of plants and animals through direct observation.
In Ava’s words:
“I learned to draw before I could talk and have been a quiet observer ever since. My fondness of the natural world has eased its way into my art, which now focuses on natural science illustration.”
Learn more about Ava and her work through her website, Instagram, and Etsy shop:
WEBSITE: avavarszegi.com
INSTAGRAM: @avavarszegi
ETSY: AvaVIllustration
Event venue & nearby stays
Varnum House Museum, Peirce Street, East Greenwich, RI, USA, United States
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