Rendering the Invisible Visible
Online Art Class - Virtual Painting Course
Live Online Painting Class with Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Winter 2021 (12 weeks)
United States & Canada > Tuesdays (1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., New York, Eastern Time) from January 19 to April 6, 2021
United States & Canada > Wednesdays (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., New York, Eastern Time) from January 20 to April 7, 2021
Australia > Thursdays (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Melbourne, Australian Eastern Time) from January 21 to April 8, 2021
CA$350 (US$260 AU$370)
Description
Our live online art classes offered via zoom are a unique mix of art history/theory, painting, and discussions that will help you take your art to the next level. Undoubtedly, we are living currently incredible times, a time which will pass to History. Willing or not, we are part of its great unfolding. Each of us is living in a powerful reflective sphere willing to contribute to the victory and wisdom of humankind. Eros and Thanatos, life and death, normalcy, and uncommonness are now part of our active daily life. We are reshaping our perceptions, rethinking our behavior to give birth to a new personal narrative. Stories are being lived and waiting to be told.
Knowing that creativity comes from everywhere and everything, the purpose of this live online art class is to help you fully express these new stories, through the painting medium of your choice or any medium.
This 12-week virtual painting course offered via zoom is specifically designed and delivered around this pandemic, confinement, physical distancing, and of course, the stories arising from this life-mind-altering situation. Are we going to agree that art is much more than the mere representation of the surroundings to finally accept to render the invisible visible? In other words, why hesitating in showing who we truly are?
While being confined at home with limited social interactions, can our creative process evolve? What should I finally paint? Why was I repeating all that time? Where lies my creativity? In brief, how can I become authentic as an emerging artist in the time of COVID-19?
These are questions that we will try to answer as a cohesive group during our online virtual live painting classes. Stories link us all, and together let’s beat the drawbacks of confinement. No more time to lose.
What you will acquire in this class
Painting techniques | Culture | Reasoning | Abstract Thinking | Critical Thinking
APPROACH
- A live virtual art class (synchronous) with in-depth human interaction.
- Done with Zoom v. 5
- There are thousands of art instruction videos on the Web and they are very useful for learning techniques. These videos show the artists’ step by step procedure. However, they do not involve the underlying philosophical thinking behind the creative process. This is our unique niche.
- It is a blend of art history, art theory, group discussions, and of course the action of painting itself.
- The medium of your choice.
- Each class is 3 hours — by previous on-line instruction, we found that it was the appropriate amount of time for such a class.
- We strongly recommend that you start painting 30 to 60 minutes before the official beginning of the class; the virtual classroom will be opened.
- Once a week, you will have the chance to send by email your current work in production to be commented on by the instructor.
YOUR FACILITATOR: Prof. YVES M. LAROCQUE
Yves M. Larocque holds a B.F.A. from the University of Ottawa, and a Doctorate in Art History from La Sorbonne (Paris) and has been teaching painting and art history in Ottawa (Canada) for more than 30 years. He has exhibited widely and today, his art teaching takes most of his time. He was a guest professor for Canadian and American colleges and various radio interviews such as the CBC and Radio-Canada. He gave many conferences mostly in France and the United States. He has published in peer review art periodicals in France and Canada; he is fluently bilingual (English and French). His strength is listening, making him one of the most sought-painting instructors in the Canadian national capital. Many of his students have become accomplished artists and show in reputable galleries.
Syllabus
You arrive to your own makeshift classroom as if you were arriving in the real college or art school classroom. Your instructor (facilitator or moderator) is always beside you via Zoom for any questions, any comments. See him as a kind of “consultant” for your art/creative/painting approach. He knows how to advise so you may escape all the great traps of art such as muddy colors, bad composition, the repetition of history, bland subject, etc. Consider this full course the unique weekly opportunity to bestow yourself to art-making; to dedicate all your creative potential energy to what we truly mean by “art”.
- Paint with conviction;
- Dedicate the whole semester to a series of paintings on one specific theme, one precise story;
- Under our guidance, do your best to unleash your creativity.
The class will be divided into three sections: 1) a specific topic derived form art history or art theory for a firmer grasp on your painting, 2) you! painting with the instructor always beside you, and 3) a group conclusion. The following syllabus may vary according to the class participants.









1
US & CAN January 19 | 20
AUS January 21
Introducing ourselves.
Where are you now in your art career?
What would you like to tell?
What is art? Yes! There is an answer to this notorious question!
The act of painting
2
US & CAN January 26 | 27
AUS January 28
Arthur Danto’s Artworld and your art-world.
Where am I?
What do I paint?
Where do I want to be?
The act of painting
3
US & CAN February 2 | 3
AUS February 4
A look at Marcel Duchamp’s notorious “Fontaine”.
The act of painting
4
US & CAN February 9 | 10
AUS February 11
The act of painting
The act of painting
5
US & CAN February 16 | 17
AUS February 18
It is always good to tweek on it. It is an endless process.
The act of painting
6
US & CAN February 23 | 24
AUS February 25
Completing works for the first constructive crit as a group.
7
US & CAN March 2 | 3
AUS March 4
The first crit among ourselves
Mid crit while all dining in our studio. A menu built from our book Let Go! The Artist’s Way of Cooking will be sent.
8
US & CAN March 9 | 10
AUS March 11
You have a problem to let go! Let’s learn from the Surrealists, via the main ideas written in André Breton’s two manifestoes.
The act of painting
9
US & CAN March 16 | 17
AUS March 18
The act of painting
10
US & CAN March 23 | 24
AUS March 25
The fear of any radio host is “dead air”, and for any guest, the fear is to be speechless in front of the microphone. This class is to coach you on how to be comfortable during your future radio interview when talking about your art. The secret? Know what you are talking about (ref. class Week 9, Your artistic statement)
The act of painting
11
US & CAN March 20 | 31
AUS April 1
Completing works for the final constructive crit with guest artist or gallerist.
12
US & CAN April 6 | 7
AUS April 8
The final crit
Final crit with a guest artist or gallerist. Name to be announced.
Debriefing among each others, when crit leaves the class.
Testimonials
“Thanks again for your great interest in art — and in all that your students do…..We are all fortunate to have you in our lives…” (J. Hayney, Ottawa, Canada)
“Yves has really artistically influenced me to be the conceptual visual artist that I’am today. He has taught me to always look for new imaginative avenues of the unexpected for my art.” (JD. Powell, Ottawa, Canada)
“You’ve given me so much to think about! Your philosophy was impactful and thought-provoking!” (S. Sohn, Detroit, MI, USA, 2018)
“I was encouraged throughout the art workshop to let the process of art-making lead me. This mindfulness led me to breakthroughs in my process and to a new way of seeing and expressing myself in the paint. There was also a good sense of accomplishment and a very exciting feeling of reward when my paintings were finished in Italy. Thank you!” (K. Wilkie, London, Canada, 2017)
“The universe brought me to you and for this, I am very grateful. A good teacher is a rare and special treat and should be celebrated…thank you for sharing your light with me…and thank you for all my fellow students who also enriched my soul.” (E. Léger, OSA, Ottawa, 2016)
“Thank you for your teaching, encouraging words, new insights… I look forward to a new direction in art.” (L. Hiesley, Adelaide, Australia, 2012)
“Yves is a teacher who knows how to get the potential of his students. He makes us dive in the depth of who we are.” (Le Droit, Feb. 26, 1999)
« You gave me such great guidance and critic and I have found my style and continue to paint with joy in my heart.” (S. Brough, Adelaide, Australia, 2020)
Since 1997 Walk the Arts (icscis inc.) has been offering top quality painting workshops, art classes, and art history tours in Italy, France, Colombia, Spain, and the United States.
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