Charles Murphy classes continue through February

Charles Murphy’s acrylic painting classes have been extended. He’s offering three more classes, through the month of February.

Murphy, so well-known for his watercolors, is also a talented acrylic painter — will be teaching Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon, in our Cottage Gallery. The new classes are Feb. 11, 18 and 25 and cost $40 each. Sign up for as many as you want. Call 264-0123 to register — and do it soon, because Murphy’s classes fill up quickly!

“This is a chance to have some real fun with textures and glazes in acrylics,” Murphy said. “You can learn to create some new dimensions in a medium that can appear ‘flat.'”

Twisted Fish Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 264-0123 to register.  The classes are appropriate for beginning and experienced painters.

Murphy was named “Art Educator of the Year” by the Traverse Area Arts Council in 2003. Classes at Twisted Fish will be limited to 16 students, so register now; call 264-0123.

Here’s a supply list:

• Paper towels and water bucket
• Plastic or metal palette with large mixing area
• Spray bottle(s)
• PRIMED canvas, canvas panels or birch or lauan panels
• Small container of gesso
• Clear plastic wrap
• Acrylic paint in tubes or bottles (liquid paint is best)
• Masking tape
• Synthetic brushes designed for acrylic paint
• 1 1/2″ or 2″ utility brush
• Plastic mixing tubs (like margarine, butter or yogurt containers)

When Murphy was teaching watercolor classes at Twisted Fish last spring, he suggested his students approach their paintings as either a reporter, a commentator or a creator. As a reporter, he said. you re-create the scene almost exactly. As a commentator, you change the scene. As a creator, you paint the whole scene from your imagination. All approaches are fine, just something to think about while painting. It’s information like this that make the classes at Twisted Fish so popular and Murphy is a master at explaining, tweaking, suggesting and, well, teaching. Watch the video to hear about his approach to art and arts education. And call Twisted Fish Gallery Wednesday through Saturday, 264-0123, to register for these wonderful classes. https://youtu.be/S9ab2inCzow