The Painting Club: The Narrative Canvas (Evening Class)
Join our 12-week Contemporary Painting Club this September. This term, we shift our focus to three figurative painters: Kerry James Marshall, Salman Toor, and Doron Langberg.
Our overarching theme is Remaking History. We will explore how these artists reference, remix, and subvert classical art history, Baroque lighting, and Impressionist interior traditions to tell modern, diverse, and personal stories.
By scaling down to three artists, you get three full weeks to immerse yourself in each painter's world, technical process, and paint application. Each block follows a clear, cumulative journey: mapping the layout, mastering the under layers, and applying finishing techniques.
A New Approach to Feedback: The Silent Crit
To support your growth as an independent painter, weeks 4, 8, and 12 feature structured peer feedback sessions utilising the professional "silent critique" model. The group views the artwork and shares thoughts/ideas/perception before the artist themselves get an opportunity to talk. This process has been noted by many artists as a very helpful tool in seeing if your intentions align with others perception. The artist is encouraged to take notes to support them in developing work or labelling it as finished and then can ask questions/comment afterwards. An activity that sounds daunting, but I assure you is very positive and encouraging!
Course Structure & Weekly Breakdown
Weeks 1–3: Kerry James Marshall – Scale, Canon, and Composition
Week 1 (15th Sept) – Constructing the Grand Layout: Group discussion on how Marshall remixes the Western art canon. Practice: Using historical compositions to map out the "bones" and structural layout of your own composition drawing from history.
Week 2 (22nd Sept) – Underpainting & Nuanced Skin Tones: Technical demo on mixing deep, complex, and rich skin tones using unconventional colour theory. Practice: Laying down block shapes and establishing the primary light source on canvas.
Week 3 (29th Sept) – Finalising the Narrative: Adding fine details and crisp focus to your historical reimagining. Goal: A completed, narrative-driven figurative painting built on a classical composition framework.
Week 4 (6th October): Peer Feedback Session 1 - The Silent Critique. Reflecting on our first block of work or a work from the studio.
Weeks 5–7: Salman Toor – Atmosphere, Narrative, and Loose Mark-Making
Week 5 (13th Oct) – The Cinematic Sketch: Exploring Toor's nocturnal, atmospheric lighting. Practice: Rapidly mapping out a loose, fluid, and intimate domestic scene using wet-on-wet alla prima drawing with paint.
Week 6 (20th Oct) – Glazing & The Glow: Technical demo on translucent glazing to create dramatic, glowing night lights and deep shadows. Practice: Submerging tight lines into soft, fluid, atmospheric edges.
27th October – Half-term break (No class)
Week 7 (3rd Nov) – Expressive Emotion: Using loose, quick brushwork to inject movement and vulnerability into the scene. Goal: A completed, highly atmospheric painting that successfully captures modern intimacy.
Week 8 (10th Nov): Peer Feedback Session 2 – The Silent Critique. Reviewing mid-term progress and style transitions.
Weeks 9–11: Doron Langberg - Luminous Interior and Expressive Touch
Week 9 (17th Nov) – The Vibrant Underlayer: Looking at how Langberg updates 19th-century domestic interiors. Practice: Flooding the canvas with sweeping, transparent, high-saturation color washes to set a psychological mood.
Week 10 (24th Nov) – Heavy Textures & Bold Brushes: Technical demo on manipulating paint thickness and using large, intuitive brushes. Practice: Layering heavy impasto strokes over your dry washes to build tactile physical forms.
Week 11 (1st December) – The Dissolving Edge: Balancing raw, unfinished spaces with areas of high figurative detail. Goal: An expressive, textured interior painting that beautifully bridges realism and raw emotion.
Week 12 (8th Dec): Final Exhibition & Peer Feedback – The Grand Silent Critique. A comprehensive review of your completed term portfolio.
Concessions & Community
Up to 25% concession rates are available for people experiencing financial hardship, including low- or no-income households and students who are genuinely in need. If this applies to you, please email us. We operate entirely on trust.
With only 12 places available, the group stays intimate and interactive, ensuring personal guidance and support. You are welcome to attend the class together at someone’s house, but both participants must be enrolled to ensure the 12-place limit is respected and everyone receives feedback time.
Ensure you set up a dedicated space beforehand where you can paint freely and get a bit messy if needed.
Term Dates Summary
15th September, 22nd September, 29th September, 6th October, 13th October, 20th October
27th October – Half-term break (No class)
3rd November, 10th November, 17th November, 24th November, 1st December, 8th December
Cancellation Policy
Our classes are limited to 12 participants to keep them personal and engaging. If you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible:
Full refund if cancelled 21 days or more before the course starts.
50% refund if cancelled 14+ days before.
No refunds for cancellations less than 7 days before or after the course has begun.
You are welcome to transfer your place to a friend if you cannot attend. If we ever need to cancel, you will receive a full refund or the option to transfer to another course.