25 September – 2 October 2026
Beyond the Photo
Making it your own.
Stop copying. Explore the possibilities!
$7, count me in →Registration closes Friday 25 September.
The reference
The paintingA hands-on week of pastel experiments. One familiar photo, three fresh ways of seeing it, and a room full of artists playing alongside you. Show up, give your art-making a boost, and meet some wonderful people.
Sound familiar?
Do you find yourself copying the reference?
The tree is green, so you paint it green. The path goes there, so that's where it goes. You put the bin in because, well, the bin was there.
And then it's finished. It might even be good! But step back and… there's the photo. Again.
I've done it. We've all done it. (Some of us for years!)
The question
So… what can you do with your reference?
- What happens if you stop trying to match the photograph?
- What happens if you let the painting have an opinion?
- What happens if you make a choice you would never normally make?
Here's the thing: your reference is information, not instructions. You get to decide what happens next.
Lovely to say. Surprisingly hard to do on your own!
So this week, we do it together. Three experiments, one at a time. Bring one photo you've already painted, one you know well, and let's explore what else it could become.
What you get for seven dollars
One week to give your art-making a proper boost.
Two live sessions with me.
Three experiments, each with a little teaching from me.
Resources to go deeper on each experiment, if you want to.
A room full of artists posting, commenting and cheering, with me in there too.
Show up. Say hello on day one.
Commit to your art for one week. Three small things to make.
Share what happens. Bonkers or brilliant. Both count.
The week
One week. Three experiments.
Three small things to make in a week. If Sunday gets away from you, Monday is there. If Tuesday disappears, Wednesday is waiting. There is no such thing as behind. (I checked.)
What you'll need
Nothing you don't already have.
- One reference photo you've painted beforesomething you know well, and are curious enough about to visit again
- The painting you already made from itnot as a "before" picture. Simply: here's where I went with this. Let's see where else it could go
- Your pastels and paperwhatever you already have. No shopping list, no new materials
- A willingness to playthe process might get a little wild. The results? That's the exciting part.
Ready?
Go beyond the photo.
You've made the painting that looks like the photo. This is the week you find out what else it could have been. One familiar reference, three experiments, a room full of artists, and a whole lot of fun along the way.
$7. Come play.
Save my spot →Registration closes Friday 25 September, the day the week begins.
Questions
Quick questions.
Do I have to be there live?
No. There will be two live sessions, likely Monday and the Friday finale, and the replays are there until Sunday 4 October. Everything else happens at whatever hour suits you.
Why is this only $7?
Because I want to help as many pastel artists as I can with this one. "My paintings look like copies of my photos" is one of the biggest frustrations I hear from my students, year after year, and I'd rather price the week so that nobody has to think twice.
How long do I have access?
Everything stays open until Sunday 4 October: the experiment pages, the resources, and the replays. One week of doing, then a weekend to catch up.
How much time will it take?
Three small paintings across the week, studies rather than finished pieces, with breathing days built in. There is no such thing as behind.
I'm new to pastels. Is this too advanced for me?
If you've made at least one pastel painting from a photo, you're ready. That's the only thing the week rests on: coming back to something you've already painted. You don't need to be advanced, and the experiments are small.
Do I need particular pastels?
No. Use what you have.
Is this the same as joining the IGNITE! Art-Making Membership?
No. The Beyond the Photo Experience is a one-week event for $7, complete in itself, and it's open to everyone. You don't need to be an IGNITE! member, and buying it doesn't make you one. IGNITE! is my ongoing membership: a library of lessons, monthly challenges, live sessions and a community of pastel artists learning together all year round. Beyond the Photo is a taste of how we work in there.
The reference is the beginning of the conversation, not the answer.
Stop copying. Explore the possibilities!
Count me in →25 September – 2 October · registration closes 25 September