Ben Hamburger – Alla Prima Approaches in Acrylic and Oil – Part II: Portraits (Online); Mondays, September 19 & 26, 2022

Date: Mondays, September 19 & 26, 2022
Time:  10:30 AM-1:00 PM Pacific Time (1:30-4:00 PM Eastern Time/6:30-9:00 PM London Time)
Level: All
Medium: Oil or acrylic

Alla prima, meaning “all at once” is a direct way of painting, traditionally done with oil paint. In this class, we will look at how the technique can be applied to acrylics as well as oils to create work that is filled with energy and strong brushwork. When I think of Alla Prima, I think, “just go for it!” But it takes some planning before we can just dive in. Amongst other things, we will study brushwork economy, paint handling, and breaking an image down into more simple forms. Demos will be given and short exercises will be done during class sessions, but the majority of student work will be done in between classes. This course will include feedback on student work and is open to painters of all abilities.

Ben Hamburger is a painter, socially engaged artist, and educator based in New Orleans, LA. His work is driven by art’s potential to connect and enrich our understanding of the world. Hamburger holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts from Eckerd College and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Community Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Hamburger has led workshops and taught courses in schools, universities, art centers, museums, correctional facilities, and nonprofit organizations around the United States, as well as Bolivia, Thailand, and India. Hamburger has been the recipient of numerous grants, awards, and fellowships including the Orange County Arts Council Artist Grant, The Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Eckerd College, and First Place Prize in Orange County’s annual Plein Air Painting Event. Hamburger has attended artist residencies at The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, LA, Sustainable Bolivia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Joshua Tree Highlands Residency in Joshua Tree, CA. His work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions at locations including the Maryhill Museum of Art, Montpelier Arts Center, Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh, and the Western Carolina University Art Museum. Hamburger’s work has been covered by Indy Week, The News and Observer, Voice of America,Tampa Bay Times, The Baltimore Sun,WYPR, and Baltimore Style Magazine. Hamburger is currently an Adjunct Instructor in the School of Art and Design at Western Carolina University and teaches painting at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art. benhamburgerart.com