Adult Workshops
Beginners Watercolor
Thursday, August 13th, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Perfect for those new to watercolor, this class will introduce the fundamentals of the medium. You’ll learn essential techniques such as creating flat and graded washes, understanding paint-to-water ratios, and mixing colors with confidence.
As the day progresses, you’ll explore how to create depth and dimension, so your paintings appear three-dimensional rather than flat. We’ll also practice painting skies, clouds, water, and trees before bringing everything together in a simple seascape and landscape.
By the end of the class, you’ll have a solid foundation in watercolor techniques and plenty of skills to continue practicing on your own.
Intermediate Watercolor
Friday, August 14th, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
This class is designed for painters who are comfortable creating flat and graded washes and have a basic understanding of watercolor techniques.
We’ll build on those skills by exploring atmospheric perspective, the importance of value, and effective composition. Students will also tackle more challenging subjects such as waves, boats, and animals while continuing to develop their understanding of watercolor and refine their painting techniques.
By the end of the class, you’ll have greater confidence in your watercolor practice and new approaches for creating more dynamic and expressive paintings.
About the Teaching Artist – JoElle Gragilla
Landscapes are my passion, with waves being the subject that continues to fascinate and mesmerize me. Working from life and en plein air is my preferred process—hearing and feeling are as important as seeing; it all gets channeled into the work.
I love to work in watercolor. It’s like having a conversation: you make a statement, and the medium responds—but not always in the way you expect. That’s both the attraction and the challenge. You are never alone when painting in watercolor; it’s alive and full of surprises.
As an artist, I can’t help but get excited about different media, and I’m a lifelong learner—happily addicted to discovery. I often find myself exploring new techniques and, when I come across something that excites me, I bring it into my classes.
I run my own studio in Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand—South Coast Studio—where I teach drawing, life drawing, painting, watercolors, art history, and an ever-changing mix of crafty, clever specialties that spark my interest.
Born in Pennsylvania, I studied Fine Art and earned a Bachelor of Fine Art and a Teaching Qualification, with minors in Ceramics, Art History, and Psychology. I taught art for three years in the US and eleven years in London before emigrating to New Zealand in 2005, where I’ve also taught at The Learning Connexion, a private tertiary school.