2024
Painting Workshops in Cape May
Painting Workshops in Cape May
This video is from the last Cape May Point workshop - July 2024
To register for this class, please read the following information carefully.
Enjoy this opportunity to paint in the unique location of Cape May Point, at the very southern tip of New Jersey, a small beach village attracting naturalists, birdwatchers and those who prefer the quiet of serene beaches and historic sites nestled in their natural surroundings of dunes and grasses.
We will meet daily at the Cape May Point Science Center, formally Saint Mary’s By the Sea, now dedicated to providing unique opportunities and funding for environmental advocacy, education, and research. Phil Courtney, a local artist, will provide demonstrations in watercolor and Joe Sweeney, will offer the same with acrylics and oils. Following demonstrations, you are free to move on to a nearby location to suit your own choice of subject. The instructors will be available to assist and offer guidance as you progress. You have the option to use one medium or all 3 during these 3 days of painting.
Students are responsible for their own materials, refreshments, and any items necessary for comfort. An umbrella, sunscreen, and something to sit on are a few suggestions. You need to be capable of transporting your own gear and to your chosen location to work. Polite consideration in sharing the area must be given to those not involved in the workshop. In the event of bad weather, we will have access to the porches of the Science Center and an indoor space.
To register, please send an email to [email protected]
Please include the following:
Payment of $300.00 is accepted with check, Venmo, or Zelle. Once you have registered, a confirmation will be sent with account details for payment and/or a mailing address. One third of your payment is given to the Cape May Point Science Center.
This class is limited to 12 adults, 18 years and older.
Phil Courtney has suggested a Supply List for those who will use watercolors:
Phil Courtney’s Watercolor Supply List
It's important to buy professional grade supplies with watercolor.
Please buy what you can afford but remember, you get what you pay for.
Online resources will offer the best prices:
● DickBlick.com
● CheapJoes.com
● jerrysartarama.com
● Amazon
PAPER:
● Arches bright white cold press, 140 lb, 22”x 30”
● Arches 140 lb, Cold Press Pads are good if you want a smaller size
● Less expensive: Swarthmore Watercolor pad, Cold Press, 9” x 12”, 24 Sheets
BRUSHES:
● Starter Set: Princeton Pro Series 4000 Heritage Synthetic Sable Brushes,
Princeton Round Size 16,
● Yasutomo Hake Brush; Flat, Wood Handle, 1 ¾”
● Rosemary & Co makes great brushes
* ENTER PHILCOURTNEY24 AT CHECKOUT
If you decide to continue with watercolor painting, you may want to purchase
● Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brushes; Sizes 0, 1 & 2
● Robert Simmons Sky Flow 2 inch Flat for large washes
PALETTE:
● Masterson Aqua-Pro Watercolor Palette
● Kingart Airtight Plastic Storage Palette
PAINT: I'm currently using Winsor & Newton, Holbein & Daniel Smith
in 14ml to 15ml tubes.
Another option is to buy a set of paints:
● Daniel Smith Watercolor Half Pan Sets, Metal Box, Set of 12 Colors
● Prang Semi-Moist Watercolor, 16-colors, Oval Pan Set
BASIC COLORS:
Optional colors that are available and are useful:
● OPERA, a vivid pink made by Holbein
● PHTHALO GREEN, made by Daniel Smith
● HORIZON BLUE, made by Holbein
● WHITE GOUACHE, made by Winsor Newton
Please note that I prefer not to use white gouache but it is used often by watercolor painters. Some of these paints are toxic and you should do your own research about this issue.
OTHER SUPPLIES:
PAINTING OUTSIDE: The “Traveler Series Watercolor Package” by En Plein Air Pro:
Package includes easel, palette, water cup, work surfaces for paper and palette. The
backpack gives you plenty of room for whatever you need and is very compact; small
enough to be a carry-on bag. You may consider including an umbrella for sun protection and bug spray.
Enjoy this opportunity to paint in the unique location of Cape May Point, at the very southern tip of New Jersey, a small beach village attracting naturalists, birdwatchers and those who prefer the quiet of serene beaches and historic sites nestled in their natural surroundings of dunes and grasses.
We will meet daily at the Cape May Point Science Center, formally Saint Mary’s By the Sea, now dedicated to providing unique opportunities and funding for environmental advocacy, education, and research. Phil Courtney, a local artist, will provide demonstrations in watercolor and Joe Sweeney, will offer the same with acrylics and oils. Following demonstrations, you are free to move on to a nearby location to suit your own choice of subject. The instructors will be available to assist and offer guidance as you progress. You have the option to use one medium or all 3 during these 3 days of painting.
Students are responsible for their own materials, refreshments, and any items necessary for comfort. An umbrella, sunscreen, and something to sit on are a few suggestions. You need to be capable of transporting your own gear and to your chosen location to work. Polite consideration in sharing the area must be given to those not involved in the workshop. In the event of bad weather, we will have access to the porches of the Science Center and an indoor space.
To register, please send an email to [email protected]
Please include the following:
- Full name
- Cell number
- Your medium of choice
Payment of $300.00 is accepted with check, Venmo, or Zelle. Once you have registered, a confirmation will be sent with account details for payment and/or a mailing address. One third of your payment is given to the Cape May Point Science Center.
This class is limited to 12 adults, 18 years and older.
Phil Courtney has suggested a Supply List for those who will use watercolors:
Phil Courtney’s Watercolor Supply List
It's important to buy professional grade supplies with watercolor.
Please buy what you can afford but remember, you get what you pay for.
Online resources will offer the best prices:
● DickBlick.com
● CheapJoes.com
● jerrysartarama.com
● Amazon
PAPER:
● Arches bright white cold press, 140 lb, 22”x 30”
● Arches 140 lb, Cold Press Pads are good if you want a smaller size
● Less expensive: Swarthmore Watercolor pad, Cold Press, 9” x 12”, 24 Sheets
BRUSHES:
● Starter Set: Princeton Pro Series 4000 Heritage Synthetic Sable Brushes,
Princeton Round Size 16,
● Yasutomo Hake Brush; Flat, Wood Handle, 1 ¾”
● Rosemary & Co makes great brushes
* ENTER PHILCOURTNEY24 AT CHECKOUT
If you decide to continue with watercolor painting, you may want to purchase
● Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brushes; Sizes 0, 1 & 2
● Robert Simmons Sky Flow 2 inch Flat for large washes
PALETTE:
● Masterson Aqua-Pro Watercolor Palette
● Kingart Airtight Plastic Storage Palette
PAINT: I'm currently using Winsor & Newton, Holbein & Daniel Smith
in 14ml to 15ml tubes.
Another option is to buy a set of paints:
● Daniel Smith Watercolor Half Pan Sets, Metal Box, Set of 12 Colors
● Prang Semi-Moist Watercolor, 16-colors, Oval Pan Set
BASIC COLORS:
- CADMIUM LEMON
- VAN DYKE BROWN
- CERULEAN BLUE
- CADMIUM ORANGE
- YELLOW OCHRE
- FRENCH ULTRAMARINE BLUE
- CADMIUM RED DEEP
- RAW SIENNA
- PHTHALO BLUE (Daniel Smith)
- ALIZARIN CRIMSON
- BURNT SIENNA
Optional colors that are available and are useful:
● OPERA, a vivid pink made by Holbein
● PHTHALO GREEN, made by Daniel Smith
● HORIZON BLUE, made by Holbein
● WHITE GOUACHE, made by Winsor Newton
Please note that I prefer not to use white gouache but it is used often by watercolor painters. Some of these paints are toxic and you should do your own research about this issue.
OTHER SUPPLIES:
- Kneaded eraser or a Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser
- HB #2 Pencils
- 2 Water Containers
- 16oz Magic Eraser Original
- Several Rolls of Paper Towels
- 1-½” wide masking tape,
- Ruler, 12” to 18” long
- Several ¼” boards for paper
PAINTING OUTSIDE: The “Traveler Series Watercolor Package” by En Plein Air Pro:
Package includes easel, palette, water cup, work surfaces for paper and palette. The
backpack gives you plenty of room for whatever you need and is very compact; small
enough to be a carry-on bag. You may consider including an umbrella for sun protection and bug spray.
About Phil....
Phil Courtney is a graduate of The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Phila, PA. Following his education, he was employed as a billboard artist for outdoor advertisers in the Philadelphia area for more than twenty-five years. Phil began showing his own work after moving to Cape May, NJ in 1995 with his wife and children. His work has been shown locally at the former Washington Street Gallery, the SOMA NewArt Gallery, the FAN Gallery in Phila., The Ferry Gallery at the former
Ferry Park. His work is also part of several private collections in South Jersey.
Phil has also participated in the John Peto Museum International Juried Art Exhibitions. The Nature Center of Cape May featured Phil as their artist in residence for their annual fundraiser in 2019, “Catch of Cape May”. Phil’s painting in oil, “Magnolia Seed Pod” was featured in the 2021 July/August edition of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine in the article,
“Blooms for Us All”. “Money Plant”, a watercolor by Phil, was selected for the Philadelphia Watercolor Society’s 121st Anniversary International Exhibition of Works on Paper, in 2021. His painting received the PWCS 121st Exhibition Award. Phil also participated as a Signature member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society in the PWS 122nd Anniversary International Exhibition of Works on Paper in 2022.
Phil has been teaching watercolor workshops for the past several years in the Cape May area and at the
Rehoboth Art League. He paints a variety of subjects, indoors and out, using oils or watercolors. He is proficient in both mediums. Phil has developed techniques for capturing the unique atmospheric conditions of the seashore, and the play of sunlight and shadows cast by the intricate details of Cape May Victorian architecture. His oil paintings of flowers capture the very essence of their purity with the freshness of being just picked. They are luminescent and elegant, calling attention to the intricacies, textures, and the collaborating parts of the living whole.
Phil Courtney is a graduate of The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Phila, PA. Following his education, he was employed as a billboard artist for outdoor advertisers in the Philadelphia area for more than twenty-five years. Phil began showing his own work after moving to Cape May, NJ in 1995 with his wife and children. His work has been shown locally at the former Washington Street Gallery, the SOMA NewArt Gallery, the FAN Gallery in Phila., The Ferry Gallery at the former
Ferry Park. His work is also part of several private collections in South Jersey.
Phil has also participated in the John Peto Museum International Juried Art Exhibitions. The Nature Center of Cape May featured Phil as their artist in residence for their annual fundraiser in 2019, “Catch of Cape May”. Phil’s painting in oil, “Magnolia Seed Pod” was featured in the 2021 July/August edition of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine in the article,
“Blooms for Us All”. “Money Plant”, a watercolor by Phil, was selected for the Philadelphia Watercolor Society’s 121st Anniversary International Exhibition of Works on Paper, in 2021. His painting received the PWCS 121st Exhibition Award. Phil also participated as a Signature member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society in the PWS 122nd Anniversary International Exhibition of Works on Paper in 2022.
Phil has been teaching watercolor workshops for the past several years in the Cape May area and at the
Rehoboth Art League. He paints a variety of subjects, indoors and out, using oils or watercolors. He is proficient in both mediums. Phil has developed techniques for capturing the unique atmospheric conditions of the seashore, and the play of sunlight and shadows cast by the intricate details of Cape May Victorian architecture. His oil paintings of flowers capture the very essence of their purity with the freshness of being just picked. They are luminescent and elegant, calling attention to the intricacies, textures, and the collaborating parts of the living whole.
