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Walk back in time and enter Betsey Williams Cottage in Roger Williams Park. Take a unique opportunity to sketch inside this farmhouse built in 1773. Walk on wide plank floors, see the practical fireplaces and enjoy period furnishings and artifacts in natural daylight. This class is a first, as the cottage is only occasionally open to the public. Subjects for drawing will include furnishings from the museum archives. Your instructor, Thea Ernest, will circulate throughout the session to offer feedback. At the end of each session, the class will gather to share and discuss each other’s work. All skill levels are welcome to participate, high school age and older. Capacity is limited, so sign up early to guarantee your spot. Program meets at the Betsey Williams Cottage in Roger Williams Park.
Permitted Materials: Please bring your art supplies, sketchbooks, paper and chair. To respect the property, we ask that you limit supplies to charcoal pencils, graphite, colored pencils, pastels, or watercolor (please, no oils or acrylics). Participants should bring a chair, easel or any other equipment you need.
Program fee: $35 per adult/ $30 for museum members. Pre-registration required.
Meet your instructor: Thea Ernest
Thea arrived in Rhode Island in 1983 ready to surrender to art at Rhode Island School of Design. After receiving her BFA in Jewelry and Light Metals in 1987, she created custom cabinet hardware and decorative metalwork both for private homes and historic properties. In the past several years, Thea has gravitated toward the immediacy, color and portability of plein air watercolor. Throughout the year, no matter what the weather, you may see Thea in her AutoStudio – a 2010 Honda Fit – or outdoors capturing scenes across RI. Thea has taught and presented workshops at Blithewold, Portsmouth Arts Guild, What Cheer Flower Farm, Providence Art Club and the Seekonk, Rehoboth and Washington Park Public Libraries. Her commissioned home portraits grace walls in several states. You can see Thea’s work online on Instagram or at her website.
