Virtual Sketchbook Club: Melissa Wilkinson

Join us for an evening of artmaking—all from the comfort of home! Join guest instructor Melissa Wilkinson  as she leads us through a short demonstration of Photoshop as it relates to alternative collage methods, followed by a deep dive into the materials, approaches and technique to ink wash painting.

Wilkinson will walk you step-by-step into through the limitations and advantages of this traditional medium while creating an artwork alongside you. We’ll focus on key points and “rules” as a means to achieve a photorealist approach to wash painting, and you’ll have the chance to create a wash painting of your very own.

Supplies Needed

• 4 small liquid containers (baby food jars are ideal)
• hot press watercolor paper
• a water container
• three watercolor brushes (small, medium, large), round shape

Free, tickets required. Register online or call Guest Services at 479.657.2335 to reserve your spot today. Once registered, participants will receive an email with information about the event and the Zoom link for your convenience.

Melissa Wilkinson is a lesbian watercolorist focusing primarily on the body as her subject. She received her BFA in painting from Western Illinois University in 2002. She then went on to receive her MFA in painting from Southern Illinois University in 2006. Her work has been featured in wide reaching publications throughout the country including three editions of New American Paintings. She has shown in various galleries nationally and internationally, including South Korea and India, and has won numerous awards throughout her career. She has won several fellowships and grants, including the Arkansas Arts Council Fellowship in Painting in 2012 and a Middle East Travel Grant in 2016 to perform research throughout Israel. She was named a “Woman to Watch” in 2016 by the Arkansas Arts Council while touring her work throughout the region. Her work is amongst private collections both throughout the country and abroad. She served as Associate Professor of Art-Painting at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro for 11 years. In 2021, she relocated to New York to pursue her work full time. She holds a studio in Warwick, New York, and lives with her wife and two dogs.

An evening of sketching and discussion with our online creative community! Each week guests will be led through an introductory drawing exercise by a guest artist. Grab your sketchbook or some loose paper and a pencil or pen for this hour-long class that offers the chance to relax and connect digitally with friends as you explore the creative practice of sketching. Sketching offers the freedom to experiment with materials, themes, techniques, and to record the things that inspire you!