Master Class in Painting

Level: Suits artists at all levels
August 14-18 2024
October 2-6 2024
5 days

A five-day Painting Course with Bjarni and Ragnheiður

A five-day Master Class painting course at Himinbjörg Art House in Hellissandur with the artist couple Bjarni Sigurbjörnsson & Ragnheiður Guðmundsdóttir

Here at Himinbjörg, we are surrounded by magnificent nature, where the infamous glacier and volcano Snæfellsjökull watches over us in all its majesty. Accommodation is offered alongside the courses at Himinbjörg in specially equipped guest rooms for students by choice. The maximum number of students is 8.

This course emphasizes living and sensing nature and working with the forces inherent in the landscape, sea, sky, and light. Field trips around the nearby areas will be undertaken to inspire the creative process.

The focus of the course is on color theory, material handling, composition, and the relationship between concept and execution in painting. The teaching is personalized and thus suitable for both beginners and those more advanced. The course concludes with a review where students collectively discuss their thoughts and ideas about each other’s work in an engaging discussion.

Material choice is flexible, i.e., oil, acrylic, or watercolor. If using oil paints, it should be noted that artworks can be stored for up to two weeks and picked up later or sent to the city via a carrier. Note that materials are not included in the course fee, except for cleaning brushes and tools. Students can continue working in the studio into the evening if they wish – free time.

Course Outline:

Day 1 – Wednesday (1/2 day):

14:00 –16:00 Students arrive at Himinbjörg’s accommodations (optional)

16:00-17:00 Coffee and snacks – introduction

17:00-18:00 Field trip around the area

18:00-19:00 Students settle in the studio 19:00 onwards Free time.

Days 2, 3, and 4, Thursday – Saturday:

09:00-10:00 Coffee and art talk

10:00-12:00 Painting in the studio

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00 -16:00 Painting in the studio

16:00 Coffee and snacks

17:00-18:00 Walking tour around the area

19:00 onwards Free time

Day 5 – Sunday:

09:00-12:00 Painting in the studio

12:00–13:00 Lunch

13:00–16:00 Review of students’ works

16:00 Departure

The Teacher

Bjarni Sigurbjörnsson has been involved in visual arts for decades. He graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute with an MFA in 1996. During his master’s studies, he was an assistant teacher in painting and drawing. Over the past 20 years, he has taught widely in Iceland, including at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavik School of Visual Arts, Kópavogur School of Visual Arts, and short courses for various amateur art associations, in addition to hosting MasterClass courses in his studio for many years. Bjarni also ran a ‘Málstofa’ (seminar) for several years, focusing on art philosophy and criticism.

Course Location:

The course is held in the studio of Himinbjörg Art House in the small village of Hellissandur at the tip of Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. Himinbjörg is also the home of the artists Bjarni Sigurbjörnsson and Ragnheiður Guðmundsdóttir. There, you can see and experience artworks by various artists and browse through many interesting art books.