Diane Williams and Chuck Potter
Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4
11:00 am to 4:00 pm (1-2 pm lunch break)
$325 non-members | $300 members
$25 one-time materials fee payable to instructor
Location: Arts Benicia, 1 Commandant’s Lane, Benicia
Levels: All levels
Age: 18+
Minimum 4 | Maximum 10
Class Description: Cold wax medium has been used for decades to expand the expressive possibilities of oil paint. Made from beeswax, resins, and a small amount of solvent, it creates luminous, textural surfaces with a beautiful matte finish while accelerating drying time. There is no heat involved in the process. The medium invites layering, scraping, carving, and revealing hidden passages, resulting in paintings rich with depth and history. Designed for beginning and intermediate artists, this two-day workshop introduces the fundamentals of oil and cold wax while providing time to explore the medium in greater depth. We’ll begin on Arches Oil Paper, allowing you to experiment freely before moving to cradled wood panels. You’ll learn to build luminous layers while exploring color, temperature, rhythm, pattern, movement, texture, and contrast. Working on multiple paintings at once allows layers to dry while encouraging the development of a cohesive series.
Join us for two inspiring days of exploration, creativity, and community as we demystify the exciting possibilities of oil and cold wax painting.
SPECIAL NOTES: Bring a bag lunch
Materials List:
1.) Oil paint, 6-10 colors of your choice to include titanium white,napthol red, cadmium yellow medium, and ultramarine blue. Do not bring water-soluble oils.
2.) Soft brayers, available at www coldwaxacademy. Navigate to shop. There are 5 sizes to choose from. 4 inches is a good versatile size to begin with.
You can also find soft brayers on Amazon.
3.) Messermeister bowl scrapers, available at www coldwaxacademy.com or Amazon. Available in 5 sizes again; 4 inch is a versatile size.
4.) Palette knives 2-3 each, available at Blick, Amazon, and most art stores. Look for small, approx 1/2 inch width, with rounded or squared tips. Do not get sharp or pointed tips
5.) Palette to work on. I prefer a piece of plexiglass approx. 12 x 18 inches. Disposable paper palettes can be used.
6.) If you choose to work on cradled panels, bring 1-3 panels. They may be from 3/4 inch depth to 1.5 inch depth.
I will show you how to prepare the cradled panels with polymer medium then gesso ( I will supply)
Please bring objects to press into the wax to create texture, such as bubble wrap, burlap, corrugated cardboard, chains, etc.
I will also supply:
Cold wax medium
Gamsol odorless mineral solvent
Arches oil paper
Wax paper
Tissue paper
Newsprint
Objects to press into the wax to create texture.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Diane Williams and Chuck Potter are abstract painters and educators who share a passion for the expressive possibilities of oil and cold wax. Both earned MFA degrees in Arts and Consciousness from John F. Kennedy University and studied oil and cold wax with Jerry McLaughlin and Rebecca Crowell in Greece and Benicia, California. Diane continued her studies with McLaughlin and Crowell in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and with McLaughlin at Ballinglen, Ireland. Their teaching combines a strong technical foundation with experimentation, intuitive mark-making, texture, layering, and personal expression. Together, they create a supportive environment that encourages exploration and discovery.
Instructor websites: