Updated  2/22/2004 Birgit O'Connor CWA, LWS, Watercolors Open Studio & Workshops Gift Cards Instructional Videos Instructional DVD  Atmospheric Landscapes Exhibit: Within the Flower March 1-31,2004 Preview paintings Opening reception March 2, 6-8 pm  Barefoot Art Gallery 20 Sunnyside Avenue, Suite A   Mill Valley CA 94941 Open Daily 9-5pm  415-389-0617   Watercolor Workshops 2004 current schedule Succulents in Watercolor Saturday,  March 27 2004  Pt Reyes National Seashore, CA  $ 85.  ( $81. members) 415-663-1200 There are many native succulents that inhabit our coast and most gardens have some kind of succulent growing . Birgit likes to use these wonderful form to create dramatic painting. Come learn how to simplify forms, experiment with color, and practice creating greens. Birgit will teach techniques and how to apply them to create texture to add a more natural appearance to you paintings. WE will also work on depth and shadow to give the paintings volume. Bring your own photos or use sketches provided by Birgit.  Pt Reyes National Seashore 415-663-1200   online registration     Upcoming classes not yet posted on brochures or websites  call for early registration White Flowers   Saturday  May 15,   2004  Pt Reyes National Seashore, CA  $ 85.  ( $81. members) 415-663-1200 In watercolor painting the,  white elements are created by the absence of color. Join Birgit to learn how to paint a white flower by primarily using clean water and very little pigment. We will work with simple exercises to help become familiar with the techniques. After practicing. we will create paintings using simple shapes. Bring your favorite photos or use the sketches Birgit provides to help you get started. This class is open to all levels, including beginners. Pt Reyes National Seashore 415-663-1200 http://www.ptreyes.org contact info  mailto:alexis@ptreyes.org   Atmospheric Landscapes June 26-27  Saturday & Sunday  Pt . Reyes National Seashore 415-663-1200   10 AM Sat - 4 PM Sun ï $175 ($165 members)  Accommodations included at the Historic Lifeboat Station. Join us for a weekend of watercolor painting and learn how to capture the essence and feeling of a landscape by simplifying. Our location provides us with large skies and landscapes perfect for this class. Weather permitting we will go outside and paint small thumbnails, then bring them back and work on larger pieces. We will create colorful, sweeping skies, fog and atmosphere using  uncomplicated landscapes for a painting full of feeling. Birgit will walk you through some simple visual exercises and you'll learn about paper surfaces, how much water to use, brushes, and charts and washes. Practice keeping your colors clean, gain an understanding of value changes, and work on creating smooth even washes. All of these are universal techniques which Birgit applies to both her florals and landscapes. Bring your favorite landscape photographs Please try to keep them simple so you do not get caught in too many details. Birgit will also provide sketches for participants to work with. Weíll also spend time painting the beautiful scenery around Chimney Rock. All levels, beginners welcome. Pt Reyes National Seashore 415-663-1200 http://www.ptreyes.org  contact info  mailto:alexis@ptreyes.org   The Force Within Flowers & Succulents  Virginia City, Nevada July 26-29 2004  $ 425. 4 day class  Accommodations included This class will help you to capture the character of the flower  to find the unusual places we don't usually see at first glance. Explore and look for something deeper and more intriguing. We will focus on simplifying flowers by creating petals and shapes exploring illusion of depth. Weíll practice creating  volume, drama  and intensity within watercolors. Instead of a simple rendering, come practice what you feel when you look at a flower. We will work on simple exercises to help become familiar with shapes, techniques and layering then create paintings using these techniques.  This class includes working with succulents Birgit loves the simple form and dramatic shapes of succulent petals, there is so much to say within a simple shape. There are many native succulents that inhabit our coastal areas and deserts even in most gardens you can find some kind of succulents growing somewhere. Using the same techniques as in the flowers we will apply them to succulents adding dramatic depth and working on shadows to give the paintings volume and dimension. Bring your favorite photos try to keep them simple or use the sketches Birgit provides to help you get started. If you  already have a painting in progress or having problems and donít know where to go next with it, or think  the painting is failure. Birgit invites you to bring it, lets look at how to solve the problem and still  keep the integrity of your own painting style. This class is open to all levels, including beginners.  St Mary's Art center  P.O. Box 396  Virginia City, Nevada 86440  775-847-0682 775-847-7774  fax 775-847-0124    Exploring Watercolor Saturday, July 31 ï 9 AM - 4 PM  Pt . Reyes National Seashore $85 ($81 members) 415-663-1200 Let's explore watercolor, the closest medium to fluid emotion. Be free, have funóexplore and express yourself by letting go of the frustration of trying to be in control or to create the perfect painting. Learn about paper, paint & brushes. How much water to apply to build color density and to make you colors move. Birgit will provide sketches to work with and you will learn and practice watercolor basics while becoming familiar with the feel of how watercolor moves, transparency, and color. There will also be instruction on watercolor techniques. This class is designed for beginners but if you already have knowledge of watercolor this class will help you to let go and loosen up. Pt Reyes National Seashore 415-663-1200 http://www.ptreyes.org  contact info  mailto:alexis@ptreyes.org   Within the Flower  August 23-26  707 937-5818 4 day class Mendocino Art Center This class will help you to capture the character of the flower and to find the unusual places we donít usually see at first glance. Explore and find something deeper and more intriguing. We will focus on simplifying flowers by creating petals, exploring illusion of depth, and weíll practice creating volume, depth and intensity within watercolors. Instead of rendering, come practice what you feel when you look at a flower. Bring your favorite photos or use the sketches Birgit provides to help you get started. This class is open to all levels, including beginners. Mendocino Art Center 45200 Little Lake Street P.O. Box 765 Mendocino, CA 95460 (please check with MAC for accommodation list) mailto:host@mendocinoartcenter.org  2005   Fall    LWS- Louisiana Watercolor Society, New Orleans     Instructional  Watercolor Video Store  What people have said about the videos  To purchase videos visit my videos store or call 415.868.0105 Current Publications  2004 Artist magazine             March 2004 (Rydel brushes) 2003 Watercolor Magic Magazine        May 2003  (Watercolor Handbook)           Artist Sketchbook                        April 2003  ( Starting points)           Watercolor Magic Magazine       February 2003 (10 Tales of Passage:)           Watercolor Basics                       March 2003  (Cover and article: ) For information on the articles visit your local bookstore or contact 513-531-2222 or online  Watercolor Magic Magazine San Francisco Chronicle August 31, 2002 Marin IJ July 21, 2002 Pt. Reyes Light July 3, 2002, New York Times June 19, 2002   Lodging  Video Store     Home  Retail outlet:  Creative Merchandise,  530 Francisco Blvd. West, Suite C, San Rafael, CA. 94901 (415) 453-7346 May - October 31 2002. During this time 120 of my floral images were  being featured by Britney Spears at her new restaurant  NYLA, at the Dylan Hotel in Manhattan. These images are shown as a on a continuos loop video display on a 12' screen in the main dinning room. This was an interesting venue to expose watercolor to a larger audience.