Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 1-4 pm
Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 12-4 pm
Danial Family Education Center
$80 Members | $100 Non-Members
This two-part workshop explores abstraction through the translation of collage into painting. Participants begin by creating a black-and-white collage that emphasizes contrast, pattern, and compositional structure. In the second session, the collage serves as the foundation for painting, allowing participants to explore color, layering, and material transformation. The workshop is inspired by the practices of artists like Carrie Moyer and the experimental opportunities available with collage.
Session 1 – February 28th from 1-4pm: Black-and-White Collage as Structure
- Objectives:
- Explore contrast, pattern, and compositional balance using black-and-white construction paper
- Understanding collage as a planning and generative tool
- Develop a strong visual foundation for a painting
Session 2 – March 7th from 12-4pm: Translating Collage into Paint
- Objectives:
- Translate collage composition into a painted surface
- Explore color, layering, and material interpretation
- Maintain the energy of collage while embracing painterly decisions
This class is suitable for adults, teens, or advanced young learners.
About the Instructor:
Catherine Spencer is a Central New York–based artist whose work explores the intersections of human experience, ecological resilience, and constructed environments. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes and materials of her childhood, she transforms found and human-made materials into biomorphic sculptures and imagined ecosystems that invite viewers to consider the shifting relationships between nature, memory, and transformation. Spencer holds a BFA in Painting from Alfred University (2013) and an MFA from Syracuse University (2021). Her multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, expanded painting, soft sculpture, and installation, often incorporating memory foam, embroidery, and mixed textiles to create sensory, organism-like forms. She has participated in several notable artist residencies, including the Cleveland West Art League Residency, the Turner Residency in Los Angeles, and the Chautauqua School of Art Residency in Chautauqua, New York. Her work has been exhibited nationally at venues such as the Muskegon Museum of Art in Michigan, Axis Gallery in Sacramento, Governors Island in New York City, Dama Gallery in California, Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio, and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago. In 2025, Spencer was selected for the Everson Museum of Art’s CNY Artist Initiative Cohort, which culminated in a solo exhibition showcasing her recent explorations of transformation, ecological metaphor, and material experimentation.
