Artists participating in the Public Works of Art Project in 1933 and 1934 were charged with painting subjects which ranged from portraits to cityscapes as well as landscapes and rural life. This project yielded an amazing body of work that provides inspiration for artists beginning to learn the techniques of oil painting.
View the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s online collection of Public Works of Art Project paintings to see how other artists employed the painting techniques you learn through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experimentation. Working from still-life arrangements, explore basic painting techniques, including color-mixing, scumbling, and glazing to gain the technical background and experience you need to get started as a painter.
Experience in drawing is helpful but not necessary. Guidelines for handling toxic chemicals and their waste products are stressed.
Download the supply list for this class
Instructor: Shahin Shikhaliyev
6 sessions, 3 hours each
Smithsonian Connections
1934: A New Deal for Artists celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Public Works of Art Program by drawing on the Smithsonian American Art Museum's unparalleled collection of vibrant artworks created for the program.
