The Garden Studio
Welcome to the Garden, where you are invited into a studio home nestled in the heart of Indianapolis. Our private space encourages inspiration for your creations, from our various gardens, to the interiors that have been specifically curated as a nod to midwest life.
Your workshop experience is enhanced by gifted visiting artists, many who are Indiana-grown who are making their mark on the national and international art scene.
Upcoming Workshop:
November 5th-7th 2026
Stephanie Spay Still Life Color Workshop
Join us for a still life color workshop with, Stephanie Spay
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Students should have some experience with oil painting, basic color mixing, painting from observation, and basic drawing skills. Students do not need to be advanced painters, but comfortable enough with the fundamentals to be able to experiment and try new things.
Snacks and drinks will be provided throughout the workshop. Lunches are on your own. An option to purchase locally will be available. Dinner Thursday night is provided.
Materials List
OIL PAINT — CORE PALETTE
Please bring the following professional grade colors (or your preferred equivalent):
Titanium White
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Indian Yellow (or other transparent pigment in a similar hue)
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarine Crimson
Ivory Black
Phthalo Blue
Ultramarine Blue
COLOR INVESTIGATION
This workshop is about experimentation! Bring 2–4 colors you don't normally use. These can be colors you already own, colors you've been curious about, or those mysterious tubes that have been sitting untouched in your paint box.
Some possibilities:
Cobalt Turquoise
Cerulean Blue
King's Blue
Indian Yellow
Transparent Orange
Permanent Rose
Quinacridone Magenta
Viridian
Cadmium Chartreuse
Green Gold
Dioxazine Purple
Cobalt Violet
Naples Yellow
Venetian Red or Terra Rosa
Any unusual color that catches your eye!
You do NOT need to purchase all of these colors. This is a list of ideas only. We'll be sharing and experimenting with unfamiliar colors throughout the workshop.
BRUSHES
Bring a variety of brushes you are comfortable using. I recommend a selection of small, medium, and larger brushes in a combination of flats, filberts, and/or rounds.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Glass Palette
Legion Stonehenge or Arches Oil Paper, 5-10 sheets of the size that you’d like to work with. I ordered 22” x 30” sheets and cut them down to various sizes
Palette knife
Gamsol
Galkyd gel lite
Container for gamsol
Viva or Blue Shop Paper towels
Composite Grid Value Finder link to amazon
16x20 or larger board to tape oil paper to
Painters tape
Straight edge
What you’ll learn
In this three day workshop you will explore color as both an observational and expressive tool. You will learn to see beyond local color, grasping its relational, personal, and expressive possibilities. The opportunity to experiment with new ways of building and using your palette to push color will bring fresh confidence to your painting experience. The ultimate goal of this workshop is to equip you to become more sensitive to color, confident in color choices, and willing to take risks.
