Workshop. 2026. Aug 22,23. Two Unique Approaches to Composition with Halbert and Albert
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- Workshop. 2026. Aug 22,23. Two Unique Approaches to Composition with Halbert and Albert
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- Watercolor
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Aug 22, Sat. Albert Handell. Intuitive Composition
Aug 23. Sun. Karen Halbert. Dynamic Symmetry
Weekend Workshop at the Bluebird Studio in Santa Fe
This two-day weekend workshop at the Bluebird Studios in Santa Fe offers painters two unique approaches to composition through both practice and theory using adobe architecture and Southwestern landscape as the focus.
Saturday with Albert: Albert Handell leads a full-day painting session centered on intuitive decision-making through demonstration and guided studio work; he composes his paintings intuitively.
Sunday with Karen: Karen Halbert introduces Dynamic Symmetry as a framework that helps artists recognize the underlying structure that supports harmonic 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. Albert Handell’s workshop emphasizes intuitive painting in practice, while Karen Halbert’s session focuses on the structural awareness—Dynamic Symmetry—that will become intuitive over time.
You may sign up for one day or both
Registration link available soon or for more information
: https://www.bluebirdstudiosantafe.com/2026-workshops.
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Halbert’s Sunday Dynamic Symmetry Details:
The workshop day will begin with a step by step demonstration of how Karen takes a photo of a painting, resizes it and applies a dynamic symmetry grid to it using Photoshop on the Computer and the WISE Photo App on the iPhone.
Enjoy seeing how Karen has incorporated her experience with Object Oriented Computer Programming to facilitate and speed up the process of analyzing photos using Photoshop Layers. This will be eye-opening even if you do not intend to use Photoshop.
The workshop will continue with a hands-on analysis and construction of the basic components of Dynamic Symmetry and their relationships: rectangle, squares, diagonals, counter-forces, to be explored at your table using a straight edge and possibly a compass, tools used in the Classical Greek Period of Art. Students will construct a golden rectangle as well as angular spirals of various proportions.
A 1-hour Power Point Presentation will be given showing New Handell Adobe paintings and iconic, historic paintings as Dynamic Symmetry might have been used instinctively if not intentionally.
The participant will learn how to use dynamic symmetry in the field and in the studio, using tools ranging from hand-drawn “grids”, to your tools on your phone or computer:
• Computer’s Preview, Photoshop
• iPhone’s WISE Photo App and Camera app (and possibly Snapseed)
• iPhone’s and iPad’s Procreate
Time will be reserved for advanced use of Photoshop or Procreate for former students. New students will practice the basic constructions but will have the advanced instructions for later use at home. Karen will be available by email after the workshop to answer any questions.
New Workshop Feature: learn how to make a booklet of your own paintings with Dynamic Symmetry diagrams to analyze the composition.
Workshop Supply List:
1. Straight edge ruler
2. Pencil and pen
3. A few sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper for practice
4. 1-3 panels (or pastel or watercolor papers) with your favorite proportion; eg 9x12 (3 to 4)
5. Compass
6. 8 1/2 x 11 Photos of your favorite paintings that are sized to fit (instructions will be sent to registrants by email).
Highly recommended:
1. transparent dressmaker’s ruler
You will be provided with:
1. 8 1/2 x 11 Vellum Paper with dynamic symmetry
armature proportions; eg, 3 to 4 and 4 to 5. These will be used for “Your Book”. You will also be given instructions how to create additional armatures that will fit in your book.
2. 8 1/2 x 11 Simple 3-hole covers to hold your photos and vellum grids
3. 8 1/2 x 11 card stock paper
A stapler and 3-hole puncher will be available at the studio
information visit Bluebird Studios in Santa Fe:
