Rio Grande Art Association Workshop
Rio Grande Art Association Workshop
Tom Blazier: Drawing Fundamentals for Painters
New Mexico is known for its spectacular skies, and Tom is a master at painting these. This workshop is well timed in advance of the summer monsoon season which inspires all of us. The sky, whether serving in a supportive role or as the main subject of a painting, is of utmost importance. Master landscape painter John Constable observed that, “the sky is the chief organ of sentiment in painting.” And Thomas Cole said, “the sky is the soul of all scenery.”
Whatever your expressive goal is, understanding how the sky influences the subject will be one of your first decisions. This oil or acrylic painting workshop will explore ways of creating beauty through light, drama, color and luminosity. Attention will be given to the relationship between sky and ground and ways to strengthen compositions through effective placement of cloud shapes.
We will use direct and indirect approaches and employ impressionistic techniques to create a sense of atmosphere in the landscape. The class will include explanation, demonstrations, and painting time with individual instruction.
While principles presented in the workshop apply to any medium, it is strongly advised that students use oil or acrylic in class. This workshop is for intermediate and advanced levels and for those who have experience working with oils or acrylics. Advanced students and students who have received prior cloud and sky instruction from Tom may work on independent sky-themed projects and personal expression while attending the workshop (contact Tom in advance for suggestions about this option).
March 31: The focus will be basic principles and how to create a sense of atmosphere and light
April 1: The focus will be designing clouds, and composing remarkable cloud shapes in the sky that can enforce, echo, or create the theme
April 2: The focus will be connecting the sky to the ground and making it work as a well composed and unified whole
Free demonstration, open to the public on Wednesday April 1, 2026
Tom Blazier is a New Mexico-based oil painter whose work is inspired by the dramatic light of the Southwest landscape. Skies, the source of light, figure prominently in his paintings, and an ethereal quality can be observed in many of his pieces. His studio and plein air works have garnered many awards, and recent exhibits include Oil Painters of America Annual Juried Show, Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art and ArtsThrive at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Tom conducts workshops and classes in locations throughout the Southwest. His oil paintings are represented by Legends of the West Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM and The Karen Wray Gallery in Los Alamos, NM. His work is also available by commission. Tom is a member of Oil Painters of America and Rio Grande Art Association, and he is a signature member of Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, where he served as president in 2017. Tom received a BFA in studio painting at Northern Arizona University, and he has attended workshops with Matt Smith, Irving Shapiro, Ted Goerschner, Peter Nisbet and Cody DeLong. In addition, he earned a MS in journalism at the University of Oregon, and he has worked as an illustrator, newspaper travel page editor and features page designer.
WEBSITE
Workshop Fees and Registration
RGAA Members: $285 | Non-members: $320
Registration will be available in September.
- Deposit: $160 due when registering
- Balance due: March 6, 2026
- Enrollment is limited
WORKSHOP CONTACT: workshopchair@rgaanm.org