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Observational Painting: From Life or from Reference - Friday Mornings


Fine Art / Orange Art Center / Painting -
Fall 2025

This all-levels course invites students to explore painting both from direct observation and reference images, using acrylic or oil paints. We will build skills in color mixing, composition, adjusting value, paint application, and brushwork, starting with achromatic studies and moving into monochromatic and full-color work. Weekly sessions feature still-life setups with directed light, along with short exercises in color or composition to warm up before focusing on a longer painting. Students work independently at their easels with personalized guidance from the instructor in a relaxed studio environment. Art history is an integral part of this course; students will reference artists such as Morandi, Manet, and Thiebaud to inform their practice and guide discussion. All skill levels are welcome! Already taken this class? Enroll in additional sessions to further develop your skills. A supply list will be emailed at the time of registration. Approximate supply cost, depending on materials already owned: $130. No class November 28.

Instructor

Lorri Ott

OAC Faculty


Lorri Ott holds an MFA in Painting from Kent State University and a BFA from University of North Carolina. She has taught painting, drawing and color theory at KSU and the CIA (beginning 2005). Her work has been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. Ott has had solo exhibitions at MOCA Cleveland, the William Busta Gallery and Kingston Gallery, Boston MA. 

Selected group exhibitions include The Edge and a Little Beyond. (Soil. Seattle WA), Therely Bare Redux. (IS-Projects. Leiden. The Netherlands), and CONstruct/conSTRUCT. (Clark University. Worchester, MA). 

Lorri Ott’s work has been published in three editions of New American Paintings and she has been an artist-in-residence at Ox-Bow, Soft Box and the Vermont Studio Center. She currently lives and works just south of Cleveland with her beloved cat, Sahara.

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  Lorri Ott


Orange Art Center : Studio 2
Fridays, Sep 12 - Oct 17
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

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Min Age   18 yr.

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  Lorri Ott


Orange Art Center : Studio 2
Fridays, Oct 31 - Dec 12
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

  No Class Nov 28


Su
M
Tu
W
Th
F
Sa

Min Age   18 yr.