During the visiting artist workshop, students were given their own watercolor paints, brushes and YUPO paper under artist Brenda Ciardiello’s instruction to create their own watercolor paintings.

The workshop was quaint, allowing all seven attendees their own hands-on guidance from Ciardiello.

Ciardiello started by guiding students through certain watercolor techniques like painting wet on dry, wet on wet, creating lines and edges using watercolors and creating ‘the lost edge.’

“As an acrylic painter, learning about watercolor supplies, techniques and the thinking that goes into it really opened up my worldview of art,” said first-year computer science major Alia’amani Scroggins after Friday’s workshop. 

Students, along with Ciardiello, then painted their depiction of an image of a cactus given to them.

Given that Ciardiello’s art is typical of nature and growth, students could use her techniques, “perspective on the growth of cactus in nature, and her view of nature and life in general,” to create their own piece.

First-year graphic design pre-major Amy Lopez said it is “inspiring as she continues to have an artistic eye that is beautiful.”

Each participant was able to take home their piece from Friday’s workshop. 

This workshop is the second collaboration the TCU Fab Lab and the College of Fine Arts have facilitated to bring contemporary art practices to students who are non-art majors.

These workshops were created in order for students to be able to develop an understanding of the local art scene in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Mary Couts Burnett Library plans to hold more artist workshops in the spring, which will be announced on What2Do@TCU and TCU Engage.