Workshops

Online Workshops

Skill Building Challenges for Observational Painting (Online) with Winslow Art Center
Dates: Wednesdays, February 5-26, 2025
Times: 9:00-11:00 AM Pacific Time, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Central Time, 12:00-2:00 PM Eastern Time, 5:00-7:00 PM London Time
Price: $295
Description: Both seeing and manipulating paint are skills that can be strengthened like muscles. During this class, we will engage in various painting challenges meant to strengthen your painting and perceptual skills. Quick in-class exercises will be followed by small-format homework prompts to review the following week. Exercises will focus on skillsets such as color mixing, color and value relationships, paint application, observational sensitivity, and more. Some exercises may be practice at what you are already familiar with, others may push you out of your comfort zone. There will be demos, examples from throughout art history, and plenty of time for discussion and questions. This class will remain flexible and may be adjusted based on the needs and interests of students in the course. This class is open to folks of all painting abilities interested in pushing their painting abilities forward. Some painting experience and an understanding of fundamentals is recommended. Acrylic and/or oil painters welcome. I will be demonstrating with both.

Online Technique Takeaway Recordings

Plein Air Strategies at Night- Online Class Recording with Winslow Art Center
Price: $40.00 for up to 60 days
Description: During this 1.5 hour presentation and demo, Ben Hamburger will discuss the challenging but exciting practice of painting on-site, en plein air at night time. He will go over his set up and equipment, provide some practical tips for painting nocturnally, and share a demonstration of his plein air nocturne painting process. There will be ample time for questions.

The Power of Neutrals Online Class Recording with Winslow Art Center
Price: $40.00 for up to 60 days
Description: Lots of people are worried about mixing mud, but when used well, a range of “muddy colors” not only make your saturated colors sing, but can enhance and enliven a painting. Also, most of the things we see are relatively neutral, so as a representational painter, the more you understand about mixing them, the better you will get at painting what you see with sensitivity. During this 1.5 hour Technique Takeaway, artist Ben Hamburger will demonstrate and discuss how he mixes and uses neutral colors in his work to add depth, variety, and mood. Though no feedback on student work will be provided, suggested exercises will be provided to help you mix rich neutral colors.

In Person Workshops and Classes:

Painting Workout: Skill Building For Intermediate Painters at New Orleans Academy of Fine Art
Dates: Tuesdays, 2/4/2024 - 3/25/2024 (No classes 2/25 or 3/4)
Time: 6-9pm
Price: $330
Description: Strengthen your painting and perceptual skills through targeted exercises and challenges in this advanced painting course. Each week, students will be assigned "painting challenges" designed to develop their abilities in areas such as: color, composition, and paint application. Exercises can be tailored to individual needs, offering opportunities to practice familiar skills and explore new techniques outside of your comfort zone. We will have frequent group critiques to identify and enhance the unique qualities of your work.
Suitable for painters with prior experience and a grasp of fundamentals seeking to advance their skills. Acrylic and oil painters are welcome. Demonstrations will be provided in both mediums.

Plein Air Painting: Distilling the Landscape with New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts
Dates: 3/27/2025 - 5/1/2025
Time: 10am - 1pm
Price: $276
Description: Painting outside, also known as plein air painting, has a rich history and remains a way for artists to directly respond to their surroundings. But artists face unique challenges when immersed in their subject matter. While painting outside, we must condense endless amounts of complex information, deal with changing light and weather conditions, and find ways to use our tools and media efficiently. In this class, students will learn how to simplify what they see to create paintings that capture the essence of a place. Short demos will be followed by guidance and feedback by the instructor as well as group critiques.
Each week, we will meet at natural and urban locations around New Orleans to paint. In cases of extreme weather, we will meet indoors at NOAFA to practice concepts and/or work from reference photos or previous paintings. Students should monitor email weekly for specific painting locations and updates. This class is an intermediate class for people with some general painting experience. Both beginner and experienced plein air painters are welcome. While demos will be provided in oil paint, both oils and acrylic painters are welcome.

Working Out: Exercises for Observational Painters at The Bascom in Highlands, NC
Dates: 7/30 - 8/1/2025, 10am - 4pm
Price: $276
Description: Both seeing and manipulating paint are skills that can be strengthened like muscles. This class focuses on developing perceptual and tactile painting abilities through a series of exercises or “painting challenges” based on direct observation and still-life setups. Specific exercises target skillsets such as color, composition/design, and paint application. Some exercises reinforce familiar techniques, while others challenge participants to step out of their comfort zones. Group critiques help identify and enhance the unique qualities that make each artist’s work authentic. This class is designed for individuals with previous painting experience and an understanding of fundamentals who are looking to advance their skills. Both acrylic and oil painters are welcome, with demonstrations provided in both mediums.