The best of both worlds! Water-soluble colored pencils combine the precision and control of drawing with the fluid possibilities of paint. Explore the many ways these versatile pencils can be used – wet or dry, alone or for mixed media. Great for artists’ journals and plein air, for sketching or serious artwork, they even mix well with pen and ink and traditional watercolor. The class will include fun exercises, a guided painting project, and time to work on your choice of provided subjects. Various pencil sets will be available to share in class, no need to bring your own. Paper will also be included.
Artist Bio
Melissa Miller Nece is regarded as one of the foremost colored pencil artists in the country. Her enthusiasm and humor have made her a favorite speaker for arts groups around Florida, and she has inspired many others to try colored pencils through her classes and workshops. She has been teaching colored pencil, drawing, and oil and acrylic painting at the Dunedin Fine Art Center since 1990. She has taught many workshops around Florida and the country.
Since 2008, Melissa has served on the national governing board of the Colored Pencil Society of America, as ways and means director, president, and currently as corporate relations director, cultivating a strong working relationship with art materials companies. She is a 20-year merit signature member and a CPX signature member of the society. She previously served two terms as president of CPSA District Chapter113. She is also a signature member and board member of the Miniature Artists of America, a member of the Florida Artist Group, a trustee of the Professional Association of Visual Artists and a member and past board member of the Miniature Art Society of Florida.Melissa exhibits and has won numerous awards in Florida and in national and international juried exhibitions. She has nine awards just in CPSA International and “Explore This!” Exhibitions. For her artwork, Melissa finds inspiration in the Florida environment, particularly its beaches. Buts ometimes shee xplores intuitive abstract themes, things that have to be expressed in a less literal way
Joyce has won many prestigious awards for plein air painting, and is a signature member of Pastel Society ofTampa Bay (PSTB), New York Plein Air Painters (NYPAP), and International Plein AirPainters (IPAP), and Pastel Society ofAmerica (PSA). She has been featured in many national newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Plein Air Magazine, Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads, Pastel Journal Magazine, Tampa Bay Magazine. She is represented by six galleries around the country including Wallkill River School in NY, Woodfield Fine Art in St. Pete, and Lakeside Inn Gallery in Mount Dora, FL. She teaches workshops in pastel and plein air techniques across the country in Staunton, VA, Olana, NY, Tampa Bay Florida, and is included in museum collections in the Georges Pompidou Museum in France and the Museum of Modern Art in NY. She recently won the Creative Pinellas grant for established artists in 2023, Best in Show for Central Florida Pastel Society Annual Exhibit, and Best in Show for 2024 Pastel Society of Tampa Bay Annual Exhibit.
What you will need
With pencils and paper provided, the supplies to bring are minimal–a couple brushes, erasers and fine line art markers if you wish. You may want a support board for the paper and tape to secure it.