Cherry Blossom Oil Pastels

As the cherry blossoms bloom and the air warms, let’s celebrate the beauty of spring together! Join me for a cozy workshop where we’ll create stunning artworks inspired by the delicate, colorful petals of cherry blossoms. Imagine the soft pinks and whites of these beautiful blooms, capturing their essence with the vibrant richness of oil pastels.

What You'll Experience:
Explore Oil Pastels: Discover why oil pastels are the perfect medium for artists of all skill levels. They’re fun, easy to learn, and incredibly versatile, making them ideal for a short, focused workshop.
Learn the Basics: Start with the essentials—I'll guide you through different types of oil pastels, materials, and foundational techniques such as heavy and light pressure blending, layering, color mixing, gradient, and stippling.
Refresh Color Theory: Brush up on simple color theory to enhance your understanding and application of color in your artwork.
Create Your Own Cherry Blossom Artwork: After learning the techniques, you’ll dive into creating your own cherry blossom masterpiece, using easy-to-intermediate reference pictures available in the classroom to guide you.
Collaborative Environment: Participants will sit in small, cozy groups of 2-4, sharing sets of oil pastels for a collaborative and enriching experience.

No previous experience is required—just bring your enthusiasm and a love for creative discovery. Whether you’re new to oil pastels or looking to refine your skills, this workshop offers a warm, supportive environment to explore your artistic side.

Come celebrate the beauty of cherry blossoms and create a masterpiece that captures the essence of spring. I can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

Ilgi Toprak is a native of Istanbul living in Washington, DC. She is trained as an architect, with intensive art and sketching coursework. She views being creative as more than a pursuit but a way of life. That is why, in 2020, she created a piece of art every day and started the Instagram account Meadows & Skies. She finds joy in translating the everyday beauty of nature using oil pastels. Through her artwork on Meadows & Skies, she focuses on capturing fleeting moments like sunsets and sunrises. One of her sunrise drawings is featured in SHE:DC in 2024.
Ilgi is a design educator with ten years of university-level design teaching experience in Turkey and the Netherlands. She specializes in teaching architectural design studio and basic design courses that involve practical demonstrations of design techniques and concepts, hands-on experience and guidance in studio setting. She holds a Ph.D. in architecture and is currently a researcher in urban studies.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

1121 King St, 1121 King Street, Alexandria, United States