Still Life: A Study in Egg Tempera Painting with Barbara Thomas

In this two-day intensive, students will learn the ancient process of painting with egg tempera, inspired by the iconic tempera works of Andrew Wyeth. Beginning with a short look in the galleries at a few tempera works, we’ll observe the work in detail and sketch from a work.

In the studio students will practice the technique of preparing the egg, how to mix egg and paints, and how to lay in the painting in the traditional manner on the work surface. Barbara will demonstrate this, as well as show the gesso preparation for the work surface. (In the interest of time we will use a pre-prepared surface.)

We’ll begin painting our still life model, using tempera paint technique as led by Barbara. Over the course of the second day, students will continue to work on the painting, adding more layers.

Students will procure their own materials, specified in the list provided. We’ll supply the eggs!

Barbara Thomas is a lifelong art practitioner. She currently lives and works in Eastern Long Island, painting, and working in alternative media. Barbara’s work centers on the natural world and man’s relationship to it. She teaches a variety of art making workshops all around the east coast.

During Covid, Barbara taught a tempera workshop on Zoom with The Farnsworth Museum, and has led many winter and summer workshops with The Farnsworth. Barbara studied at The Art Students League, Pratt Institute, and earned her MFA degree at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The supplies list for this class may be found here.