Mediums: Oil or water-mixable oil or acrylic (Alex will work in oil)
Level: All levels welcome
Class Dates: Mondays, July 27 & August 3, 2026
Class Times:
• 9:00 am-noon Pacific time
• noon-3:00 pm Eastern time
• 5:00 pm-8:00 pm UK time
Join Alex Kelly for an immersive two-day online workshop exploring the exhilarating world of alla prima (one-session) painting. Rather than a rigid rulebook, we will treat alla prima as a mindset—a way to cultivate fierce focus, hone your perceptive abilities, and respond directly to the magic of the present moment.
Together, we will bridge the gap between what we see and how we paint, exploring the dynamic interplay between two core concepts:
Naturalism: Our intuitive, lifelong understanding of how we experience the visual world.
Abstraction: The raw language of paint—the shapes, values, colours, and marks that exist before our mind names the object we are looking at.
By intentionally balancing naturalism and abstraction, you will discover new ways to synthesise your visual experiences and express what is truly essential in your work.
Homework assignments will be set for those who want it and feedback will be given before the next session.
In stock
$250.00
Based in Birmingham, UK, Alex is a dedicated painter and educator who has been teaching—and continuously learning—both in-person and online for many years. His practice is deeply rooted in the alla prima technique, primarily painting directly from life in the studio and en plein air. However, Alex also enjoys working from photographic reference to develop more conceptual pieces, balancing a spontaneous, immediate response to his subject with a more considered, deliberate approach.
For Alex, painting is fundamentally about “learning to see.” It is a process that requires heightened sensitivity, discernment, and an appreciation for the beauty found in direct visual experiences. To Alex, beauty is anything that evokes emotion, sparks curiosity, or invites deeper exploration. By navigating both the literal and the conceptual, he constantly challenges himself to refine his perception and discover new visual languages in paint—a passion he brings directly to his students.
About This Online Class:
Search Winslow classes by instructor, day, month, medium or keyword.
