Casa de Anata
Home and Studio of
Leigh Gusterson

5 Day Painting
Bootcamp 2012

Weekend Creativity
Retreats

Workshop
Cancellation Policy

Art Supplies and
Where to Buy

Taos Lodging
These are the Oil Colors I recommend:

large150 ml tube of white (I prefer Permalba brand)
*cadmium yellow medium 37ml tube
cadmium orange 37 ml
cadmium red light 37ml
cadmium red medium 37ml
*quinacridone rose 37ml
quinacridone violet 37ml
*cobalt blue 37ml
ultramarine blue 37ml
pthalo blue 37ml
prussian blue 37ml
pthalo green 37ml
yellow green 37ml

I recommend these oil paints in the Utrecht brand, they can be ordered from www.utrecht.com


Brushes:

we will be using flat, white bristle brushes made from hog hair. I have found the very best to be Robert Simmons Series 40 "Signet" Bristle. You will need different sizes:

1 flat size 2
1 flat size 4
2 flat size 6
2 flat size 8
these can be ordered from www.jerrysartarama.com

You will also need:

a palette knife
a single plastic palette cup
painting palette
pint container of linseed oil, or Liquin, if you need paintings to dry fast.
8 canvas boards or stretched canvases, ranging in size from 11x14 to 18x24.

The Julian french easel is still the best one made and I recommend it over all other brands. It can be purchased from Utrecht.

That entire painting supply kit with paint, easel, brushes and canvas
board can be rented from me for $25 a day.

I can offer to lend simple tripod easels if you are not ready to purchase your own, and small tables to place your palettes on. Try to keep your supplies consolidated in a crate or knapsack so you can easily move your things a good distance from your car. If need be, you may be able to purchase from me pieces of gessoed masonite to use as a painting palette, or as painting canvases. We will not be using paint thinner or turpentine in the studio, because of the fumes. I wash my brushes out quite efficiently with a bar of Ivory soap.You will want to wear comfortable shoes since we will be standing, and an apron, or clothes you don't mind getting paint on. I use cut up pieces of rags to wipe my brushes on, of which I will have plenty on hand, but many artists use paper towels.

We will be painting outside 5 mornings, and 3 evenings. The workshop is very focused and pretty intense, yet still fun! From the experiences of students in past workshops, I would recommend that you come solely to take the workshop, and not combine the week with other events like bringing the family or friends to spend time in Taos together. Give yourself a gift, and allow the workshop to be a time when you can immerse yourself fully in your own work.

Taos can be quite cool in the mornings (40 degrees) , yet warm up considerably by mid-day (80+). Dress in layers. We will be meeting fairly early each morning (7:30 - 8am) to drive out to the morning painting site, breaking for lunch by 11:30 or 12 noon. We will gather again together by 3:30pm to drive out to a different painting location in the late after-noon, leaving time at midday to rest, eat, socialize, walk, or check out the galleries in town.

Taos is 7000 feet above sea level (Llano is at 8000 feet), and very dry. If you are not accustomed to high altitudes, and are concerned about altitude sickness, get yourself a little one ounce bottle of Chlorophyll concentrate, and take a few drops in each cup of water you drink for 2 weeks before arriving in NM. This will build up the extra red blood cells you will need to be comfortable in our thin atmosphere.

Always bring to each painting session:

a water bottle!
sunhat
sunscreen
clothing that covers arms and legs
sturdy shoes

***A word about the colors I recommend. DO NOT substitute any colors for "hues" or any other variation of the color. These cadmiums and blues I have listed are the most basic colors in their purest form. By mixing these colors together, you will be able to obtain pure, rich mixtures. If you have only a "mars yellow" to mix with a blue "hue" to get green, your green will be muddy compared to the green that can be achieved by mixing cadmium yellow with pthalo blue. So don't compromise! If you have any questions, please contact me at leegee@newmex.com or 575-587-1990.