Painting & Drawing
Code: D1224-22
-
IV
Level IV
Students have advanced skill and knowledge of painting and drawing. Students are highly motivated and self-directed, have a minimum of five years experience in their field and have multiple portfolios of their artwork. Portfolio review is required for admittance to some Level IV classes.
The Center: Topics in Painting: Studio Practice and Critique
Aug 22 - 26, 2022
Concept
This three-year advanced mentorship program encourages each student to push their studio practice. Working at a rigorous pace, engaging in critical dialog with the group and with the instructors in individual critique, artists refine and expand their investigations. Wide-ranging topics include concept and approach to contemporary art practice as well as technical and material explorations. Students are expected to work independently with the support of their class peers and instructors, raising the ambition of their own studio goals. Although primarily a painting workshop, participation by installation artists and other artists working across media is encouraged. The goal of the series is for students to gain community, develop insight into their work and, through discussion, challenge themselves to reflect on their artistic intentions.
This is the first year of a 3-year program; please note that tuition is per week, per year.
To attend a workshop with The Center, a portfolio review is due by Friday, February 11th, 2022.
Submissions that do not follow the requested directions will not be reviewed. To be considered, we must receive portfolios by 5 PM MST Friday, Feb. 11th, 2022. If we receive your materials after Feb. 11th, you will be considered on a space-available basis.
We will email you regarding your status on or before Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. If you are accepted, a deposit of $500 will be required within one week of notification of acceptance to hold your place. Housing will be assigned on a space-available basis upon enrollment.
Media & Techniques
Students work in the materials of their choosing. Critiques occur in-person at the Ranch as well as virtually during fall and spring each year. The final year’s critiques end in fall of 2024.
Supply ListFaculty

Shahzia Sikander
Shahzia Sikander is widely celebrated for subverting pre-modern and classical Central and South-Asian miniature painting traditions into dialogue with contemporary international art practices and launching the form known today as neo-miniature. Recipient of the MacArthur grant, Sikander’s early work toured the Morgan Library, the RISD museum, and MFA Houston in 2021-2022.

Holly Hughes
Holly Hughes is a frequent Ranch faculty member and professor emeritus of painting at Rhode Island School of Design. Having exhibited nationally and internationally, Hughes’ painting has been greatly influenced by both ceramic and printmaking practice and research. She loves “Salon Style” installations—the mixing of these genres on the wall—such as BLAZON created for the Dorsky Museum. Her most recent exhibit was “Salad Days” at Pamela Salisbury Gallery in 2024.

Shahzia Sikander, Pleasure Pillars
Painting & Drawing
Make, reflect, consider, engage—these are all critical elements of the Painting and Drawing workshops at Anderson Ranch. Our exceptional workshops combine focused, hands-on art making with critical feedback for artists of all levels. Painting and Drawing guest faculty are phenomenal artists and educators with experience supporting students by offering technical knowledge and encouragement.
The bright, natural light of the Wyly Painting and Drawing Building provides an inspiring environment where students can explore and expand their artistic practice. Our facilities are equipped with individual worktables, wall space, easels, rolling palettes, odorless solvents, a wide range of hand tools, computer access with Adobe software, wifi, printing, scanning, and projection capabilities. Spend a week here— or several—and engage in a variety of activities that will fuel your practice throughout the year.
Workshop Details>
Workshop Supplies
For general information about studio access, shipping, and more, please visit our info page.
If you have any questions regarding your supplies for your workshop, please contact Lindsey Yeager, [email protected].
Lodging & Meals
Housing is limited and includes shared and private lodging options. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you reserve housing, the better your chance of receiving your preferred option. Please note: Workshop costs do not include accommodations.
NEW: Tuition includes a welcome dinner and lunches. In our effort to foster a stronger sense of community and accessibility at Anderson Ranch, we include the welcome dinner and all lunches as part of the tuition for summer workshop students. Our hope is that this adjustment will encourage all students to come together to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations. The Ranch Café Meal Plan, which is included with Room and Board fees, strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. Learn more.
We have established a Business Safety Plan with added layers of precaution that prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, faculty and guests while continuing to provide you with the Anderson Ranch experience that you know and enjoy.

Scholarships, College Credit & Discounts
Making Art Accessible
Applications for scholarship support are encouraged. Specific scholarships are funded by Ranch supporters, either through endowed funds or special gifts.
Many colleges and universities offer college credit for workshops taken at Anderson Ranch. Discounts are available for students and teachers.
You Might Also Be Interested In>

-
III
Level III
Students have formal training in critical issues of 2-D art making, experience with public critiques and a solid portfolio of their artwork.
Sep 1 - 5, 2025
9AM-5PM
Mixed Media: Painting and Collage
Roberto Juarez
Tuition $1,415
Code D1431-25
Small-scale collage is an exciting process for creating ideas and color relationships that can develop into large paintings and collages. Beginning by working in a smaller format facilitates fluid decision making regarding composition, color choices, and surface. Using collage and painting in combination, students learn the process of making a series of dynamic studies for larger works that resonate. Emphasis is on experimentation, creating depth, making a body of cohesive work, and discovering ways to enhance surface texture.

-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Sep 1 - 5, 2025
9AM-5PM
Paint and Photography: the Perfect Marriage
Holly Roberts
Tuition $1,480
Code P1436-25
This workshop introduces students to expressive painting techniques, using abstraction as a foundation for collage. Emphasizing spontaneity, students will learn to relinquish preconceptions about paint application, allowing the medium to guide the creative process and reveal unexpected surfaces and textures. Once their abstract paintings are complete, students will explore various collage techniques, incorporating personal photographs, found materials, prints, drawings, and other adherable elements. The abstract paintings will serve as the foundation, influencing the composition and direction of the collages. Techniques covered in this workshop include polymer transfers, water-based paint applications, proper adhesion methods, contact paper transfers, the integration of joint compound, and strategies for composing and constructing layered images. SPECIAL OFFER: Consider also attending Holly's From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Experimental Collage workshop the week after this one and save 20% off that second tuition. (This offer cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions or scholarships.)

-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Sep 8 - 12, 2025
9AM-5PM
Expanding Image to Form with Digital Fabrication
Letha Wilson
Tuition $1,415
Code D1532-25
In this workshop, students experiment with methods of representation and abstraction using an interdisciplinary approach that embraces painted and/or photographic images, physical layers, repurposed materials, and sculptural forms. Analog methods of image manipulation such as cutting, folding, and photo transfer are taught in combination with digital techniques. Primarily working in the painting studios, students also learn to use the laser cutter and UV printer in the digital fabrication lab. Participants explore the role of texture and layers in their work through shadow, color, and surface. This course encourages playful and innovative ways to integrate two- and three-dimensional elements.