Starts on: May 26, 2026 @ 10:00am
Forest Studies in Watercolor
Register Now:Tuesday & Wednesday, May 26 & 27, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Capture the beauty, complexity, and atmosphere of trees and forested landscapes in this immersive, two-day watercolor workshop with artist Erica Qualey. Weather permitting, we’ll take full advantage of the Gardens’ wooded areas and paint outdoors, observing our subjects directly from nature.
Throughout the workshop, we’ll explore how to simplify and organize the abundance of visual information found in a forest: learning to create strong compositions, balance shapes and values, and establish a convincing sense of light and depth. We’ll also dive into techniques for building natural-looking textures and using your brushes in expressive ways to form branches, trunks, twigs, and foliage that feel wild, organic, and alive.
Whether you’re new to watercolor or a seasoned painter looking to deepen your connection with the landscape, this workshop offers a supportive, hands-on environment to grow your skills and strengthen your forest paintings. All experience levels are welcome.
Instructor Bio(s)
Erica Qualey brings to her workshops 20 years of knowledge gained from experience as a professional watercolor artist. She is a sought-after teacher known by her students to be gentle and encouraging yet thorough. Erica is an award-winning watercolor artist. She received a BFA in design from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY, and is a Signature Member of The New England Watercolor Society. She has exhibited internationally and has been published in Splash 19: The Illusion of Light. She has worked as a teaching artist for many years, including ten years at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, ME, and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.