PALETTE KNIFE WORKSHOP
Instructor - Fernando Porras
A native Venezuelan, Porras has dedicated over twenty years to portraying the peoples of Amazonia, splitting his time between his studios in Paris and the United States and his work in the field among different tribes of Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia.
Painting with oil on canvases that average six to seven feet, Porras studies how color, light, and the creative use of negative space have a unique effect when worked on large formats.
His work is represented in some of the most prominent galleries in Paris, New York, Miami, Beirut, and Caracas, and has been exhibited extensively throughout the world, with multiple exhibits in Barcelona, Basel, Beirut, Chicago, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Miami, Mumbai, New York, Palm Beach, Paris, and Singapore, among many others.
A collection of watercolors (www.portamagicae.com) - the result of a project which has taken him around the world for many years to create an illustrated children’s book series - is under preparation at the moment. Sketches done in the Andes, the Galapagos Islands, Rome, Istanbul, and many other locations have now become beautifully detailed watercolors that serve as inspiration for the books and support their creation.
Supply List
PALETTE KNIFE WORKSHOP
Join us for this immersive two-day experience focused on exploring color relationships and expressive texture through oil painting.
Students will transform a personal photo reference into a bold abstract landscape while learning heavy impasto techniques using brushes and palette knives. The workshop covers multiple color palettes, abstract composition strategies, and practical color theory applications.
Fernando will guide participants from essential oil painting fundamentals to advanced palette knife techniques, demonstrating how to create depth, movement, and rich surface texture. Through hands-on instruction and personalized feedback, students will gain greater confidence in both their technical skills and creative expression.