Online Mentorship Program with Ann Willsie, SFCA

The FCA’s mentorship program with Ann Willsie welcomes artists looking to expand their network, learn new skills, develop their career, and obtain professional guidance. Join Ann and your peers every Friday morning at 10am (PST) on Zoom for six weeks!

Mentorship Overview:

6 weekly Live Zoom Sessions

We start this mentorship program with an evaluation of your current status, as well as an introduction to everyone in the group. Ann will discuss short and long term goals with you, which will define next steps on your artistic journey.

Each consecutive week will be built out based on where everyone is in their work and what their personal ambitions are for attending this mentorship program. Over this 6 week program you will takeaway practical ways to improve and develop your paintings.

About the Instructor – Ann Willsie

Ann is known for her large-scale panoramic landscapes, florals and rural scenes of Canada. Bold, visible brushstrokes and thick, luscious oil paint are characteristic of her paintings, which have been described as contemporary impressionism. Gnarly old trees with their own linear personalities, grasses shifting in the wind, hidden marshes, – these are some of the subject matters which have inspired Ann’s landscapes. Her florals portray the exquisite rhythm and flow which are at the root of nature surrounding us. They are larger-than-life, close up and personal, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in the painting. They are an open invitation into the heart and soul of the natural world, a reminder of the peace and tranquility that exists if we but look for it. For the past few years Ann has found new passion in painting outdoors, en plein air. This method of painting stems back to the mid 19th century. She has been involved in major Plein air events in B.C., Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario. She has won major awards for her plein air work, including first place at the Elora Plein Air Festival, 2018 in Ontario, third place in the 2017 Bragg Creek, Alberta Plein Air Festival and an Honourable Mention at the Parrsboro, Nova Scotia International Plein Air Festival 2018 . She continues to promote Plein Air painting events and workshops throughout Canada. Her work is shown in galleries across Canada and held in collections around the world. She is an Associate member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and an Associate Member of the Oil Painters of America.

Student Testimonials:

• “This mentorship is a very personal sharing of a lifetime of experience and chance to learn from a great instructor. I thought it was interesting to hear the other students responses which Ann responded to really well. Nice exchange of information”.

• “ I thought that Ann’s mentorship was terrific, very inspiring. I wanted to go out and start painting”.

• “It was good to see other participants and their work and to hear their opinions and experience. I would love to do another such course thanks”.