Mel Williamson – Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026

Mediums: Oil or acrylic – Mel will work in oil
Level: All levels welcome
Class Dates: Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026
Class Times:
• 10:00 am-12:30 pm Pacific Time
• 1:00 pm-3:30 pm Eastern Time
• 6:00 pm-8:30 pm UK Time

“With their parallel lives, animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange.”
– John BergerAnimals are such a fun subject to paint! They are full of personality, movement, and unguarded postures. We tend to anthropomorphize them, imbuing them with perceived emotions. In this workshop we’ll lean into that tendency, painting animals that genuinely resonate with viewers.

Beginning with gesture and form, we will learn to capture the essential weight and movement of an animal before committing to detail. From there, we’ll explore how selective edges and restrained mark-making can suggest a sense of life more powerfully than a detailed and precise rendering ever could. The goal isn’t to capture a perfect likeness, but to convey an appealing quality of aliveness.

Mel will guide you through live demos and exercises, using provided reference images (or you may use your own). She will cover colour mixing and harmony, and her very favourite principle: working from general to specific. By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a new toolkit for having more fun and confidence painting creatures of all sorts.

In stock

$225.00

Mel Williamson lives and paints on Salt Spring Island, BC, where she creates work in a variety of genres, including the human figure, landscape and still life. Her work has been described as “impressionistic, fresh and honest” and has a unique expressive quality, through bravura brushwork.

Known as a kind, generous and open teacher, Mel shares her knowledge and practices with others in an encouraging manner. She teaches online and in-person in Vancouver and Italy. She loves oil paint in all of its materiality and possibility, and believes there are no mistakes, only progress.

Mel is represented by three galleries in Canada: on Salt Spring Island and Sidney, BC and in Toronto, ON.

Mel Williamson - Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026

Mel Williamson - Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026 - Image 2

Mel Williamson - Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026 - Image 3

Mel Williamson - Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026 - Image 4

About This Online Class:

This class is taught live via Zoom. To take this class, you need a microphone and camera enabled computer OR an iPad /smart tablet OR a smart phone (android or IOS) and a strong internet connection.
You will have access to a private class message board on our website where you can share work, comment and ask questions. (Exact use of the message board, critique of student work and general class format is at the discretion of the instructor, please check course description for details.)
Class will be recorded and recordings expire one year after the final day of the course.
Participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and class details 5-7 days before the class starts (don’t forget to check your junk folder). Zoom link will also be posted in the class message board. Check your confirmation email for a message board link or visit your Online Classrooms to find all your active classes.

Winslow Art Center will close intermittently for security updates between 2pm-5pm Pacific Time (UTC -7), 5-8pm Eastern, 10pm-1am BST). Class recordings can be watched while the site is closed, please click here for more information.

Mel Williamson – Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026

This Class is Full - Join the Wait List

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Mel Williamson – Loose and Lively: Animals with Gesture and Heart (Online); Tuesdays, September 15-29, 2026

This Class is Full - Join the Wait List

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