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Workshop Overview

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Karen has gradually developed a series of workshops on Dynamic Symmetry and Composition, collaborating with the internationally known artist, Albert Handell. .Handell wrote the seminal book on Intuitive Composition in 1985.

2026: Aug 22,23. Halbert and Handell will continue their collaboration on Intuitive Composition.- Focus Adobes . This workshop looks at the foundations of composition in a new light, providing the participants with a thorough grounding in the concepts of composition and the role of intution and of Dynamic Symmetry in the artist's paintings. See the 2026 workshop tab for details.

2025 Aug 24. Halbert and Handell Weekend Workshop on Composition and Armatures: Focus-Trees.

Visit: 2025 Workshop Highlights

2024 Nov 10.Halbert and Handell Workshop on Composition and Armatures Focus-Rocks and Water .

2023 Workshop on Composition and Armatures

Karen has a background teaching introductory math to liberal arts students. After leaving the academic world and a career in computers in Manhattan she moved to Santa Fe and has been a practicing artist for over 20 years. When the long-standing Canyon Road Gallery representing her closed two years ago, Karen began to devote herself to research in areas where Mathematics touches Art. She is currently represented by the Karen Wray Fine Art Gallery in Los Alamos.

In the past few years, Dynamic Symmetry has paid off for Karen; recently she won an award with this comment by the judge: Judge QIang Huang's comments:"This painting is unique. The asymmetric color shapes are on top of a symmetric geometrical pattern, showing a mathematical beauty." My fellow artists asked themselves, how did the judge know Karen was a Mathematician.?

* "Radical" is a play on words; it's the term Mathematicians use for 'root'; eg, square root. But in addition, radicals play a part in armatures.

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2026 Weekend with Halbert and Handell Aug 22, 23

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This two-day weekend workshop at the Bluebird Studios in Santa Fe offers painters a complementary approach to intuitive composition through both practice and structural understanding, using adobe architecture and Southwestern landscape as a shared visual focus. On Saturday, Albert Handell leads a full-day painting session centered on intuitive decision-making through demonstration and guided studio work. On Sunday, Karen Halbert introduces Dynamic Symmetry as a perceptual framework that helps artists recognize the underlying structure supporting intuitive choices, drawing from Handell adobe paintings and selected historic master works. Together, the sessions provide painters with hands-on experience and deeper insight into how movement, balance and structure work together to strengthen composition over time.

More Details:

Saturday with Albert:

TItle: A Unique Intuitive Approach to Composition

Albert Handell leads the first day focused on intuitive decision-making through a pastel demonstration in the morning. Participants observe Albert’s process and then apply what they see in their own painting during the afternoon.:

Sunday with Karen:

Title: Dynamic Symmetry & Intuition

Dynamic Symmetry & Intuition is the second day of the workshop that helps painters recognize how underlying structure supports intuitive composition. Dynamic Symmetry is introduced not as a rigid system, but as a way of understanding relationships painters already respond to intuitively—such as how the canvas rectangle creates movement, how diagonals generate energy and how opposing forces create balance and stability. Using adobe paintings by Albert Handell and selected historic master paintings as examples, participants explore at their tables how a small set of structural ideas can strengthen intuitive choices and provide practical tools they can apply later in the studio or in the field.

You may sign up for one day or two.

Registration link available soon or for more information visit Bluebird Studios in Santa Fe: https://www.bluebirdstudiosantafe.com .

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2025 Aug Plein Air Magazine Ad

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This ad includes information about the Aug 2025 Workshop with Albert Handell. Visit Karen's Blog to see the Highlights of this 2025 workshop.