Cottonwood Guest Instructors
All Cottonwood classes are taught by professional artists including Chuck Mardosz, Gwen Fox, Dan Schultz, and Tom Owen.
For more advanced students, Cottonwood offers a variety of three- and five-day workshops taught by nationally recognized artists from across the U.S., including Skip Whitcomb, Kim English, and Ned Jacob.
Carolyn Anderson
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Painting Reality: September 14-17, 2010
Instructor's Website:
www.carolynanderson.comInstructor's Biography
Carolyn Anderson, a nationally recognized artist, is an accomplished pastelist and oil painter. Born and raised in the Chicago area, Anderson attended school at Illinois State University. She joined the Vista program (Volunteers in Service to America) in the early 70's and was assigned to work on an Indian reservation in Montana, She eventually returned to Montana and now lives in Havre, a small community in north central Montana near the Canadian border.
She is a member of the Northwest Rendezvous (NWR), participates in many of the nation's largest shows, and has had her work featured in numerous publications, including Southwest Art, Art of the West, and most recently, The Big Sky Journal, Awards include the C.M. Russell Artists' Choice in 1999. She is also the recipient of several NWR Award of Excellence, most recently in 2005.
Anderson teaches numerous painting workshops across the country. She has taught for the Frye Museum in Seattle, Walt Disney Imagineering, The Scottsdale Artists School, and the Fechin Artists School. Her work is in the collection of many well-known artists, and also in the collection of the Montana Historical Society.
Sample Art Work
"Mother and Child I"
Oil painting
Oil painting
Dan Beck
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Painting the Clothed Figure: April 12 - 16, 2010
Instructor's Website:
www.danbeckart.comInstructor's Biography
Dan Beck is an award winning artist with six consecutive Oil Painters of America awards of excellence (three National & three Regional). He has also won two consecutive Raymar Art Competition Awards of Excellence. The Southwest Art November 2008 issue had a feature article "A Painter's Playlist" and his painting "Waiting" was selected for the cover of that issue. He has also been featured in "Art of the West" magazines and "Art Talk". Dan has been invited to nationally prominent shows such as the annual American Miniature Show at Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, Arizona, the annual "Fall Classic" in Hamilton, Montana and the annual Great American Figurative Artists Show at Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, California. His paintings have found collectors in both the private and corporate world on a national level as well as from such diverse places as Canada, Japan and the Middle East. He is in the permanent collection of the Littleton Historical Museum and has exhibited with the Phippen Museum, Prescott, Arizona.
Sample Art Work
"Spring"
Oil painting
"Spring"
Oil painting
John Budicin
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Simply Seeing (Plein Air Painting in Oils):
May 24-28, 2010, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Instructor's Website:
www.johnbudicin.comInstructor's Biography
John was born in Rovigno, Italy. He was 12 years old when his family settled in Southern California. After working as a commercial artist for 19 years, John finally decided to make his true passion, art, his lifetime profession. Working primarily on location, he finds his inspirations directly from life. With many awards and honors, John's work has been in museum exhibitions and featured in many art magazines, such as, Cowboys and Indians, Art of the West, Southwest Art, Pasadena Magazine, California Art Club Newsletter, and Art Business News. Several of his paintings were selected and published in 200 Great Painting Ideas for Artist, and have been reproduced in several other art books.
Sample Art Work
"Strawberry Fields"
Oil painting
"Emerald Bay"
Oil painting
"Roots"
Oil painting
Dick Dahlquist
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- To be announced
Past Classes and Workshops
- Expanding Your Creativity:
October - December, 2009 - Enhance Your Paintings with Light, Shadow, and Temperature:
August - October, 2009
Instructor's Biography
Dick attended the University of Washington and the San Francisco Academy of Art. He has also worked with Ned Jacob, Mark Daily, Len Chmiel, and Kang Cho. He is a member of the Oil Painters of America, and a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters. He has won numerous awards for his work and is represented by The Big Horn Gallery, Cody Wyoming; Bishop Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Rich Designs of Colorado Springs.
Sample Art Work
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Unknown medium
Gettin' An Early Start
Oil Painting
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Unknown medium
Tim Deibler
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
Instructor's Biography
Tim is a three-time OPA National Juried Show Award of Excellence winner and was awarded The Silver Brush Limited Award in 2005 at the OPA National show, as well as other national and regional awards. He has also written several books and produced videos on painting. Tim’s work can be found from coast to coast in many private and corporate collections, including former President Bill Clinton. You can see more of Tim’s work at www.TimDeibler.com.
Sample Art Work
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Plein Air
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Plein Air
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Plein Air
Kim English
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Quick Sketch in Oil: November 2010
Instructor's Biography
Kim was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was raised in rural America in a small community near Colorado Springs. In 1978, he moved to Denver and attended the Rocky Mountain School of Art. After graduation, he went on to become a faculty member and to give demonstrations and workshops throughout the region. Combining his love of travel with his enjoyment of observing human nature, Kim paints on location. Immediacy is apparent in his work because, according to Kim, it is the nature of his subjects and the most instinctive way to paint. "The process is like a performance. It combines the magic of spontaneity with candid observation of people." Form and light are critical elements in his compositions of street and market scenes, fishing boats and interiors. He has participated in numerous exhibitions including the New York Allied Artists of America, the National Academy of Design, and the National Academy of Western Arts.
Unknown title
Oil Painting
Gwen Fox
Instructor's Website:
www.gwenfox.comInstructor's Biography
Gwen has conducted workshops in both oil and watercolor in England and in the United Sates. Her paintings have been selected for exhibit in the Femoy Art Gallery, Kings Lynn, England to hang along with the works by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip. She is published in Best of Watercolor-Painting Color and Flowers in Watercolor. She has exhibited nationally with various watercolor societies. Gwen currently conducts workshops on experimental painting and developing the creative spirit within the inner self.
Sample Art Work
Whispers Of A Dream
Oil
Unknown Title
East To West
Mixed Media
Ron Hicks
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Seeing the Big Idea: May 17 - 21, 2010
Instructor's Website:
www.ronhicks.comInstructor's Biography
Ron Hick' works have been characterized as a blend of representational art and impressionism. Some critics have compared them to paintings by Rembrandt and Daumier. The 41-year old artist translates his own moody visions with a muted palette and rarely uses pure color. He particularly favors the variety he finds in gray. "Gray allows me to capture atmosphere, mood, and layers of emotion," he says. "Gray sets the tone for the rest of the painting."
Sample Art Work
Susan Hinton
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Watercolor on Canvas: April - May, 2009
Past Classes and Workshops
- Watercolor on Canvas: July, 2009
Instructor's Biography
Susan has been painting with watercolors since 1997. She has been exhibiting work and receiving awards nationally since 2002. In the past five years she has taught at both Pikes Peak Community College and Cottonwood. Currently she exhibits at Gallery 210 here in Colorado Springs.
Sample Art Work
Desert Flora
Watercolor
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Watercolor
Dianne Hover
Past Classes and Workshops
- Light Work Meditation:
October - December, 2009
Instructor's Biography
Diane's educational background includes training at the Margie Bradley Studios in La Veta, Colorado; watercolor at Trinidad State Jr College; and she is a Landmark graduate. She has extensive background in a wide variety of energy work and healing modalities, including Light Work Meditation certification, Reiki certification, nutrition, herbal consulting and horticulture.
Chuck Mardosz
Past Classes and Workshops
- Advanced Figure Drawing:
October - December, 2009
Instructor's Website:
www.mardoszfineart.com/Instructor's Biography
Chuck was born in Poland and immigrated to the United States in 1964. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from the American Academy of Art. He has been painting professionally for the past 20 years and has exhibited with Allied Artists. Chuck is currently represented by El Presidio in Tuscon, Rich Designs in Colorado Springs, McMahon Gallery in Riodoso, New Mexico, and www.mardoszfineart.com/. He is co-founder of Cottonwood Artists' School.
Sample Art Work
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Drawing
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Painting
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Drawing
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Drawing
Eric Michaels
An impromptu interview with Eric Michaels during Cottonwood's "Spirit of the West" exhibit, opening night, May of 2009
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
Instructor's Web Site:
www.ericmichaelsfineart.comInstructor's Biography
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Eric Michaels' work is its international flavor. The subject matter spans four continents and both hemispheres. Painting in these various locations enables him to achieve an understanding of local light conditions and to participate in the native experience.
Michaels has exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society in London, nine years in the Artists of America Show in Denver, and is a regular exhibitor in the Great American Artists Exhibition in Cincinnati and the "Quest for the West Exhibition" at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis. His paintings hang in private, corporate, museum and state collections; including the Albuquerque Museum of Fine Art, The Booth Western Art Museum, Pearce Museum of Western Art, Phillips Petroleum, IBM, Honeywell-Sperry Inc., and the State Collection of the Governor's Gallery, Santa Fe, NM. Michaels is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, National Watercolor Society and the Pastel Society of America.
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Watercolor
Tom Owen
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Fundamentals of Landscape Watercolor - Nov. 9–Dec. 9, 2010
Past Classes and Workshops
- Watercolor: Springboard to Creativity - February - March, 2010
- Foundations of Watercolor & the Photograph — a Springboard to Success:
October - December, 2009 - Foundations in Watercolor Painting:
April - May, 2009
Instructor's Website:
www.thomasjowen.comInstructor's Biography
An artist and a teacher for over thirty years, Thomas J. Owen is a nationally recognized painter whose work ranges from landscapes to figurative. He enjoys developing designs from subjects such as steam locomotives, fishing boats, rustic architecture and intimate scenes from nature. Mr. Owen recently completed a series of DVDs on watercolor impasto, a technique that will be featured in his upcoming workshops.
Mr. Owen has been elected to signature status in the American Watercolor Society (AWS) and the National Watercolor Society (NWS) and has received many major awards including Best of Show from the Colorado Watercolor Society, the Mario Cooper and Dale Myers Medal (AWS), the Gold Medallion from the Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolor, the Silver Medal from the California Watercolor Association, the Harriet Wexler Bartsch Award (NWS) and the National Watercolor Society Award from Watercolor West. His work has been featured in International Artist Magazine and Watercolor Magic.
A graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, Mr. Owen currently teaches painting to all levels of students at the Pikes Peak Community College and the Cottonwood Artists School in Colorado Springs, and conducts workshops across the United States.
Sample Art Work
Escalation 2
Watercolor
Gerbera Still
Watercolor
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Unknown medium
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Watercolor
Michael Pach
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Digital Photography: Sept. 16 - Nov. 4, 2010
Past Classes and Workshops
- Digital Photography: June – July, 2010
- Digital Photography: February - March 2010
- Digital Photography: August - October, 2009
Instructor's Biography
Michael is an award-winning photographer with more than 25 years of photography experience, including two years as a photojournalist on Fort Carson. He is a Chicago native with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and an MBA. His teaching experience includes outdoor photography workshops, digital photography classes on Fort Carson and six years of substitute teaching in school districts 11, 12 and 20. He currently operates two photography-related businesses, AdventureCam Photo and 3 Peaks Photography &Design. Mike enjoys nature, portrait and event photography and uses his sense of humor to make his classes fun and relaxing.
Sample Art Work
Unknown title
digital photograph
Unknown title
digital photograph
Dan Schultz
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Drawing and Painting Portraits - November 12–14, 2010
Past Classes and Workshops
- Plein Air Painting in Oil
August, 2010 - Advanced Oil Painting
April - May, 2010 - Drawing and Painting Portraits
February - March, 2010 - Drawing and Painting Portraits
October - December, 2009 - Basic Oil Painting
August - October, 2009 - Drawing and Painting Portraits
July - August, 2009
Instructor's Website:
www.danschultzfineart.comInstructor's Biography
Dan was born in New Mexico and has spent the majority of his life in the southwest. Painting figurative images in his studio and landscapes on location, Dan has gained national recognition for his work-in 2004, Southwest Art magazine featured him in its "21 Under 31" article. He has participated in numerous gallery and museum exhibitions and has also received various awards for his plein air and studio paintings including recent awards from the Art Renewal Center and the Portrait Society of America. Find more information about Dan and his gallery representation at DanSchultzFineArt.com.
Sample Art Work
Iris Garden
Unknown title
Low Clouds
Mary Serafin
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Yoga With Mary - Sept. 15–Nov. 3, 2010
- Yoga With Mary - Nov. 9–Dec. 9, 2010
Instructor's Biography
A few words about Mary’s yogic journey. Yoga changed my life—the joy I received surpassed any inconvenience this ancient practice presented. In 2002 I was asked to help organize Silent Retreats and Kriyas at the Relational Yoga Mandiran, under the direction of John McAfee—he learned that the viruses within were more difficult to cure than on a PC. I have been teaching Yoga for eight years and often wonder how I survived without this noble practice. I have had the pleasure of practicing with Amrit Desi, Bikram, Rodney Yee and great students.
Kathy Sullivan
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- To be announced
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Relief Printmaking with Linoleum:
October - November 18, 2009
Instructor's Biography
Kathy Sullivan has a B.A. in French from The University of Nevada, Reno and a B.F.A. in Art Education from Utah State University. She spent a year in France studying Art and French and bicycled throughout Europe for several summers. She has been a professional calligrapher and a calligraphy teacher for more than 25 years. She has taught French and Art to all ages of students. She even had her own puppet theater for several years. Her interest in printmaking began in college and she has continued to love the graphic quality of linoleum prints.
Lorraine Watry
Past Classes and Workshops
- Foundations in Watercolor:
August - October, 2009
Instructor's Website:
www.LWatryStudio.comInstructor's Biography
A Colorado native, Lorraine is now in her 15th year as a watercolor artist. Her watercolors are award winning and have been juried into national and international shows across the United States, including The National Watercolor Society and Rocky Mountain National. Her work ranges from florals and landscapes to figures. Lorraine has taught at UCCS. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is represented by Arati Artists Gallery in Old Colorado City and at www.LWatryStudio.com.
Sample Art Work
Rock Island Reflections
Watercolor
Waterlilly Chorus
Watercolor
Michael Mentler
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
- Figure & Form, July 7 - 11, 2010
Instructor's Website:
MichaelMentler.comMichael Mentler began drawing at an early age and had his first solo show of drawings at the age of 14 followed by a second show at 16. The artist went on to take evening figure-drawing classes at the American Academy of Art, in Chicago, before enrolling in The Layton School of Art, in Milwaukee. After a semester, he transferred to Washington University, in Saint Louis, where he was exposed to a solid foundational program and excellent instructors, notably Werner Drewes and Barry Schachtman. After graduation, Mentler began his career in advertising working decades as a creative director before deciding to pursue drawing and painting full time. Today he teaches Faces & Features, Figure & Form, and the P.L.A.N. method in Dallas at The Society of Figurative Arts which he founded, as well through his own classes and workshops taught around the country. For more information on Mentler or The Society of Figurative Arts, visit www.michaelmentler.com or www.tsofa.com.
Sample Art Work
Chris Alvarez
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
Past Classes and Workshops
- Expressive Figure Drawing, August - October 7, 2009
- Expressive Figure Drawing, February - March, 2010
- Figure Painting: Quick Sketch in Oil, April - May, 2010
Artist's Biography
Chris Alvarez has been interested in art since he was a young boy growing up in his home town of Silver City, NM. He learned to draw by watching an older cousin copy pictures out of a magazine. When he grew older he took some bad advice given with good intention and tried to find something "to fall back on", in case art didn't work out. He spent a lot of energy looking for that safety net with some success. He experimented, trying his hand at different endeavors such as bartending, working with at risk youth, and working as an ophthalmic assistant. In 1988 he even enlisted in the US Army. Although Chris found all of these experiences valuable and rewarding, art was always there calling.
In 1997 Alvarez decided to commit to becoming a professional artist. He signed up for classes at what was the Cottonwood Art Academy and studied with Sparky LeBold and Chuck Mardosz. He also enrolled in work shops taught by such established artists as Skip Whitcomb, Matt Smith, Mary Dolph Wood, Eric Michaels and Kim English.
Chris became one of the first students of the current Cottonwood Artists' School to become an instructor, where he currently teaches drawing and painting. He also earned a BA in fine art with distinction at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where he taught drawing for five years.
He's won several awards for his plein air work, such as Plein Air Magazine's grand prize at the Paint Historic Manitou Springs paint out in 2005 and the grand prize at the Victor Celebrates the Arts paint out in 2002. Alvarez is currently represented by Elemental Arts in Silver City, NM, The Gallery at Rich Design, Colorado Springs, CO and www.chrisalvarezpaintings.com.
Sample Art Work
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