Abstracted Botanicals in Mixed Media | Beth Kennedy

In Beth Kennedy's workshop, everyone will create their very own unique and creative paintings in a safe and supportive environment. You will walk away with the skills and techniques to create your very own creative artworks!

What will I learn?

In this workshop Beth will show you warm up drawing exercises to help get the creative process flowing, then will follow botanical drawing studies, basic colour theory and finally how to work these up on to a large mixed media painting on canvas. Large brushes will be used for washes, tiny brushes for detail and opaque areas of colour will be laid in too. The element of play and surprise results is an integral part of Beth’s art practice and working with mixed media and playing with these will be a part of this workshop, fun will be had with liquid watercolour, ink, gouache, watercolour and acrylic paint and paint markers.

Beth will show you how to create washes using mediums and how to manipulate these and work into them. Using pattern and how to incorporate this into the paintings will be taught also. This workshop is for all experience levels; Beth is a firm believer that drawing, and painting are skills that can be learnt by anyone. The creative process should be fun and enjoyable, this will mean a better end result too, and as such this will be a relaxed and friendly workshop where questions will be welcome and hopefully new friends made over plenty of cups of tea!

The focus will be to encourage and support everyone's unique individuality in mark making to produce beautiful paintings to take away with them.  Students can work onto whatever size canvases they are comfortable with - the second day of the workshop is devoted to painting onto canvas. For those not feeling confident to work onto canvas, working onto heavy watercolour paper is fine too! 

Who is this workshop suitable for?

This is suitable for all levels of experience including absolute beginners.

Ask our friendly team for advice if you are not sure if this workshop is for you.

What do I need to bring?

Materials you must bring:

• One large (30”/ 76cm square) or two medium (16"/ 40.5cm square) canvases.  Both available for purchase at Bienarté (by pre-order)
• Selection of your favourite acrylic paints
• Paint brushes including a small one for details
• Pencils for drawing
• Sketch book

Materials provided by Bienarté:

• Mediums
• Watercolour paints
• Liquitex paint markers
• Gouache colours
• Plates
• Palette knives
• Paper towel
• Fresh flowers
• Watercolour paper
• Black ink

Bring your lunch and snacks or you can purchase from cafes close by. We do have a fridge and microwave at the studio for your convenience.

What is provided

• tea and coffee (please bring your own cup)
• a friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment
• connection to the Bienarté art community

About Beth Kennedy

Beth Kennedy lives and works in Brisbane and has a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Australian National University. She has held seven solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions. Beth is represented by Anthea Polson Art GC, The Artling (Singapore) and Adaro Art (Florida).  Beth's work has appeared in Australian House & Garden, Belle magazine and The Age’s Melbourne Magazine and she has collaborated with Endota Spa for their Mothers' Day 2023 range.
The essence of Beth’s paintings is the dynamics of patterning. Even at their most colourful, there is a quiet and enigmatic beauty to her work.
Pattern, colour and composition all work together to present a snippet of an emotional narrative in the floating worlds she creates. She works intuitively with colour, at times allowing it to flow across the canvas in washes, and at others using it in bold opaque area. Amongst this, wavering patterns move in and out of focus, eventually finding their place and adding depth and beauty to the paintings.
Each of Beth's paintings is the result of a sustained process of transcription: from sketches, to watercolour, to paint on canvas.

Useful Information

For Visitors FAQs