Ken Auster Workshop

On the way home from Key West I was able to attend a Ken Auster workshop in Fort Lauderdale. The Brush Strokes is a working artist studio for local artist's which hosted the workshop.
Ken Auster is a great teacher who who works with a  limited pallet and is one who practices tonal methods of painting rather than impressionist painting.
Working outside my comfort zone, was interesting and helpful.

Ken started the workshop giving us a summery of his personal philosophy on painting. Intellect and passion, was key, to Auster's painting.
There was a demonstration on perspective and organizing the masses in a logical way and some of the pitfalls painters fall into when designing landscapes.

Ken's Demonstration of a California coast scene.

The first afternoon Ken Demonstrated a typical florida water scene and then we painted the same scene using Ken's method.

The Second day Ken demonstrated a San Francisco Street Scene and then we painted the same scene.

San Francisco Street Scene by Ken Auster

Close up of Auster's painting.

One of the most interesting things for me was his handling of people in the landscape and how he simplified them.

We ended the workshop watching and painting one of Auster's famous Chef paintings.

Ken's start of the chef 

It was a great opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and learn something different. Auster was at the opposite end of the painting spectrum in terms of the cape school teaching. I am a little confused, but I'm excited about all I have learned and want to apply many of these concepts. There is more freedom for me in  having the information to develop my own truth.