Painting Trees with Confidence with Ann Willsie, SFCA

Fridays, February 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th, 2025 (4 sessions)    

10.00 AM - 1.00 PM (PST)

Online via Zoom

Level: Open to All Levels

Medium: Acrylic & Oil

Workshop Overview:

Trees can be very intimidating and difficult to capture in our landscapes, however, they are one of the most important elements. Trees give your landscapes character and interest, whether as the main subject or in a supporting role. 

This workshop is all about how to tackle those trees in your painting. We will be starting off with discussions of how to simplify the trees, looking for their individual shape and contour. What makes them unique? 

We will also be dealing with how to handle the foliage, sky holes, the trunks of the trees, sources of light, and finishing touches. We will be touching on gestures – what to look for in trees, either distant or in the foreground, that makes them interesting; How to deal with distant trees, and the interaction between the sky and the trees. 

Values and color mixing will also form a part of this workshop as it applies to trees. We will be talking about how to mix different greens, touching on the dark and light values, warm and cool colours, and using neutrals to emphasize saturated colors. 

You will be given assignments to do each class, to help solidify the different aspects that we cover. (Ann will be providing the photographs for these assignments.)

By the end of this workshop, you will have much better understanding of how to tackle trees with confidence, starting with simplifying and merging big shapes, understanding the value changes and dealing with the outer limbs and sky holes. 

About the Instructor - Ann Willsie, SFCA 

Ann is known for her large-scale panoramic landscapes, florals and rural scenes of Canada. Bold, visible brushstrokes and thick, luscious oil paint are characteristic of her paintings, which have been described as contemporary impressionism. Gnarly old trees with their own linear personalities, grasses shifting in the wind, hidden marshes, – these are some of the subject matters which have inspired Ann’s landscapes.

Her florals portray the exquisite rhythm and flow which are at the root of nature surrounding us. They are larger-than-life, close up and personal , inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in the painting. They are an open invitation into the heart and soul of the natural world, a reminder of the peace and tranquility that exists if we but look for it. 

For the past few years Ann has found new passion in painting outdoors, en plein air. This method of painting stems back to the mid 19th century. She has been involved in major Plein air events in B.C., Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario. She has won major awards for her plein air work, including first place at the Elora Plein Air Festival, 2018 in Ontario, third place in the 2017 Bragg Creek, Alberta Plein Air Festival and an Honourable Mention at the Parrsboro, Nova Scotia International Plein Air Festival 2018 . She continues to promote Plein Air painting events and workshops throughout Canada. 

Her work is shown in galleries across Canada and held in collections around the world. She is a Senior member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and an Associate Member of the Oil Painters of America.

Website:  Ann Willsie, SFCA – Contemporary Painter 

Student Testimonials :
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- "I felt I learned a lot. Ann used the time we had together well. Reviewed work, constructive and kind feedback/critique, demonstrations and homework were very helpful. I really appreciated that she also did the prep to find out what was important to those enrolled and adapted to fit the needs of the group. I feel I learned a lot from this session. It was just what I needed to help me move forward with painting." ⁠
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- "I thought that Ann's mentorship was terrific, very inspiring. I wanted to go out and start painting."⁠
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- "It was good to see other participants and their work and to hear their opinions and experience. I would love to do another such course thanks."⁠
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- "Thank you Ann. I really enjoyed this session. Well run, fun, learned a lot, inspired to take what I learned and apply it." ⁠