Winter’s Quiet Light: A Two-day Watercolor Workshop

November 17th and 18th

Upstairs Classroom

$160

10am-4:00pm both days

There’s a particular stillness that only winter can offer—a hush that settles over the land when the world turns white and every sound feels softened by snow. On November 17th and 18th, from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., we’ll gather under that same quiet spell for a two-day watercolor workshop led by Dale L. Popovich, presented by LOLA Arts. This isn’t just about painting; it’s about seeing—learning how light bends and breaks across snow, how cold shadows carry warmth, and how subtle color gives life to a landscape that at first seems only white. Over the course of two days, we’ll dive deep into the language of winter: values, intensities, hues, and temperatures, all merging to capture the soul of the season.

You’ll paint along with Dale in his step-by-step process, discovering the distinct personalities of hot-press Arches and handmade Shizen papers—each with its own story to tell: Hot-press watercolor paper offers a smooth surface ideal for detailed work, crisp lines, and vibrant color. Its less absorbent, high-light-reflecting quality makes it perfect for creating seamless color gradients with precision and control. Handmade Shizen watercolor paper, on the other hand, brings a rustic, expressive energy. Its unique, rough texture adds natural character, its superior absorbency produces luminous color, and its 100% cotton rag construction provides impressive durability. Handmade in India from recycled materials, it connects each artist to a lineage of time-honored craftsmanship—a reminder that art, like nature, is shaped by human hands and patience.

Watercolor papers will be purchased from the instructor (6$ per sheet), but what you’ll truly take home is more than paper or pigment—it’s the stillness of the Northwoods, the whisper of wind across drifts, and the quiet beauty of a winter afternoon captured forever in watercolor.

Two small studies will guide your hand, preparing you for two quarter-sheet paintings that bring the lessons to full expression. Dale’s personal library of reference photos will spark your imagination as you translate the hush of the woods into something alive on paper.

We’re also including our exclusively created Workshop Workbook—a beautifully designed companion to enrich your experience. Inside, you’ll discover reference photos, value studies, detailed paint lists for each project, and the key techniques you’ll master throughout the workshop. All drawings will completed in class, guided step by step as the lessons unfold. Think of this workbook as both a map and a keepsake—a place where instruction meets inspiration, and one you’ll return to long after the final brushstroke has dried.

This is where the stillness begins. This is where you learn to see.

Instructor BIO:

Dale L. Popovich IWS, an award-winning watercolorist and teacher, is renowned for his ability to capture the essence of the American landscape with the fluid stroke of a brush. More than 49 years ago, Dale lost 80% of his vision. He learned to rely on his mind’s eye to sustain himself. He underwent a nine-hour major brain surgery to remove a cyst on his optic nerve. Afterwards, he had to relearn how to walk, climb stairs, and write again. Despite the challenges, Dale persevered, and with his vision finally restored, he discovered that he could see more clearly than before efficiently filtering out the visual “noise” around him to focus on a subject’s essentials. Dale’s paintings began to reflect a certain purity of perception, and this “way of seeing” became the hallmark of his work. Spending his childhood summers in the Northwoods of Wisconsin,  Dale learned to love its colors, textures, denizens, and moods – and developed his holistic approach to watercolor. Today, his paintings celebrate these American landscapes and man’s humble efforts to tame them.