On April 14th, 2019, I will be in Hopkins, MN (suburb of Minneapolis) for the Dillman’s Festival of Artists event.This is a free event and includes demonstrations by several artists. I am scheduled to demonstrate at 3:30 pm. I will be there from 1:00-4:30 to meet and greet you and chat about my Beginning Drawing and Watercolor: Birds and Wildlife workshop at Dillman’s in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin on September 2-8th, 2019.

As an extension of my visit for the Festival of Artists, the Hopkins Center for the Arts has given me an opportunity to teach my popular Seeing Things Differently: the Short Course in Sketching on Monday, April 15th. Click here for more information:   https://www.hopkinsartscenter.com/262/Workshops

Both of these events are opportunities for you to begin or continue your creative journey. Consider yourself personally invited! – Barbara

Growth and Connection were keys word to sum up the experience of 16 artists, my assistant Beverly Benda, and myself who gathered daily at NDSCS  in Fargo, North Dakota, for the Beginning Drawing and Watercolor Workshop. This amazing and talented group shared their individual personalities and styles as they continued on their own creative journeys in the world of watercolor. Some of the artists were taking the workshop for a second time, which I found to be instrumental in their confidence level and exponential growth throughout the week.  After several hours learning the foundations of drawing, the artists were comfortable in making small pencil sketches to determine focal point, light source, and emphasis. The greyscale paintings came next and then the color studies. We work small to large to develop confidence with the brush and understand the properties of watercolor better. There is always the questions: How much paint? How much water? How fast can I paint? Do I paint wet on wet or wet on dry? I tell my students to give themselves a year to be comfortable with the properties of watercolor and they will answer those questions themselves with daily practice. (Yes, daily practice, even for 10 minutes!). The beauty of this workshop was the value and generosity of each artist who gave freely, shared freely, and worked hard to do many exercises, ask questions, and immerse themselves energetically into the challenge and joy of painting.  All artists who take my workshops are welcome to join my closed Facebook page: Barbara Benda Nagle Drawing and Watercolor Group, so they may share their work after the workshop and receive affirmation and suggestions for improvement from all the other artists who have gone through the same coursework. We will remain connected for a long time. I thank all of these artists for a fabulous week! Now, get out some paint and paper and practice your  pencil sketches, your color mixing, your graded washes…sketch, paint, practice daily and enjoy the journey. Remember it doesn’t matter where you are on the journey; what matters most  is that you are on the journey!- Happy painting! – Barbara

February 6th, 6:00-8:30 pm. Seeing Things Differently: the Short Course in Sketching, Moorhead Community Education, Moorhead, MN. Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online  at https://www.moorheadschools.org 

February 9, 8:45-3:30, Acrylic Mixed Media Collage Workshop, Moorhead  Community Education, Moorhead, MN. Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online  at https://www.moorheadschools.org

March 6, 6:00-8:30 pm. Seeing Things Differently Part II: Expanding your Sketching Skills, Moorhead Community Education, Moorhead, MN. Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online at https://www.moorheadschools.org

March 11 – 15th, 9:00-4:00 daily,  Fargo, ND – Beginning Drawing and Watercolor Workshop, NDSCS  Fargo campus.  Register by calling Barbara at 218-443-1126 or email at barbara@barbarabendanagle.com

• JUST ADDED! April 15^th– Seeing Things Differently Sketching Course, Hopkins Art Center, Hopkins, MN. Register by calling Barbara at 218-443-1126 or email at barbara@barbarabendanagle.com

April 29-May 1, 9:00-4:00 daily, East Grand Forks, ND- Designing Your Watercolors for Success– East Grand Forks Campbell Library. Register by calling Barbara at 218-443-1126 or email at barbara@barbarabendanagle.com

May 8th, 6:00-8:30 pm. Seeing Things Differently: the Short Course in Sketching, Moorhead Community Education, Moorhead, MN. Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online  at https://www.moorheadschools.org

May 11-12th, 12-6:00 SPRING OPEN HOUSE : Mourning Dove Studio, 809 20th Street North, Moorhead, MN. This open house focuses on meeting people, reducing inventory by selling art at affordable prices, and sharing workshop information for all people who are interested.

May 15th, 6:00-8:30 pm. Seeing Things Differently Part II: Expanding your Sketching Skills, Moorhead Community Education, Moorhead, MN. Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online at https://www.moorheadschools.org

May 29th-July 27th, Twintuition: Paintings by the Benda Twins, Red Door Art Gallery, Wahpeton, ND. This duo exhibit with my twin sister, Beverly Benda, will feature our latest creations in watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media collage. This exhibit in our hometown in Wahpeton is in conjunction with its 150th  Anniversary Celebration in 2019. Reception for Barbara and Beverly will be June 1st, 3:30-5:30. Demonstrations will take place at the Red Door Art Gallery on June 1st  following the morning Blue Goose Days Parade.  For more information on hours, please go to http://www.reddoorgallerywahpeton.com

June 7th, Dillman’s Festival of Artists, Borealis Art Guild, Hibbing, Minnesota, 4-7 pm

• Presenting Artists: David R. Becker, Louise Lundin and Barbara Benda Nagle
• Host Location: Borealis Art Guild Hibbing, 214 E Howard St, Hibbing, MN 55746

• June 8th Dillman’s Festival of Artists, Ely, Minnesota, 1-4:30 pm
  • Presenting Artists: David R. Becker, Louise Lundin and Barbara Benda Nagle
  • Host Location: Northern Lakes Arts Association, 1900 E Camp St, Ely, MN 55731

June 10-14, 9:00-4:00 daily  Moorhead, MN- Beginning Drawing and Watercolor Workshop,  Moorhead Community Education, Moorhead, MN.  Register by calling 218-284-3400 or register online  at https://www.moorheadschools.org Limited to 12 students. Sign up soon!  ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT!

September 2-6th, 9:00-4:00 daily,   Dillman’s Resort, Lac du Flambeau, WI– Beginning Drawing and Watercolor: Birds and Wildlife . Register online at http://www.dillmans.com 0r call 715-588-3143.

October 5-6th, FMVA Studio Crawl,12-6.  My studio is located at 809 20th Street North, Moorhead, MN. I am #1 on the list of about 40 local art studios that are open to the general public every first weekend of October. 

Whether you are a beginner, advanced artist, or unsure of your ability, you are invited to learn to draw and paint.  With 35  years of teaching experience, Barbara uses a step-by-step curriculum that promotes learning and success for every participant. Class sizes are limited.  For Drawing and Watercolor workshops, supplies are extra and a supply list will be sent to each participant after registration. For classes through Moorhead Community Education, supplies are listed on their website in the course description.