SPRING 2009
Here are descriptions of where Mel will be conducting workshops in the spring of 2009. For specific information including class availability, class descrip- tion, registration, tuition, accommodations, etc., please contact the individual workshop organizers listed on the Contact Info page.
Mel's spring schedule begins with a four-day workshop at the end of April for the Ocean County Artists' Guild in Island Heights, New Jersey. The town of Island Heights is situated in the middle of a federally registered historic district between Barnegat Bay and the Toms River. The Island Heights Historical District has more than 375 Victorian era structures. Take a relaxing stroll through the lovely streets to view the beautiful Victorian architecture or walk along the picturesque waterfront and along the banks of the Toms River with its large pavilion. The recently renovated art facility is part of a beautiful 100-year old historic Victorian house originally built in 1880. The Guild is located on a quiet street along the Toms River. This workshop will consist of three days painting indoors and one day painting outdoors, weather permitting.
Mel heads west to the beautiful seaside community of Newport Beach, California where he will be conducting a four-day workshop in mid-May. Located in Orange County, the temperate climate and relaxed atmosphere of Newport Beach makes it an ideal place for painting outdoors. Newport Beach is renowned for its quaint villages and picturesque islands as well as for its famous shopping boutiques and restaurants. There are endless places to visit in Newport Beach including Balboa Island with its many yachts and scenic harbor, historic Cannery Village with its brick sidewalks, and the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve and its nearly 1000 acres of open space located in Back Bay. There is also the village of Corona del Mar known as the "Crown of the Sea" situated between the cliffs and the magnificent San Joaquin Hills and Pacific Ocean.
Returning to Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Mel will be conducting a plein air work- shop over the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Chadds Ford, located southwest of Philadelphia and close to the Delaware border, is rich in rustic farmland, country roads, meadows with wildflowers, historic stone inns...all of which make ideal painting locales. Chadds Ford is known for being Andrew Wyeth's birthplace and home. The famous Brandywine River Museum, which is a century-old gristmill, is home to one of the largest collections of works by three generations of Wyeths. For those whose schedules don't allow time for a five-day workshop, this three-day holiday weekend workshop is ideal.
Mel heads back to the west coast in June to Springfield, Oregon to conduct an outdoor on location workshop for the Emerald Art Center. Springfield is located halfway between the coast and the magnificent Cascade Mountains. Situated between the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers in western Oregon, this area is known for its lush gardens and riverfront paths with over 100 parks and 2600 acres of open space which allows for countless outdoor activities including fly-fishing in the McKenzie River, sailing, and hiking. Right next door is the city of Eugene, which is known as an arts and cultural destination. In addition to its many miles of biking and walking paths built along the Willamette River, Eugene also has numerous art galleries and museums.
CHECK OUT OUR SUMMER AND FALL 2009 PAGES.
