Hi Neighbour,

I’m thrilled to speak about a new addition to Denizen Eiswerk. For the next few weeks we will have art work from one of Berlin Drawing Rooms instructors Mira O'Brien.

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About Berlin Drawing Room's Workshop

Nature Watercolor Workshop

In this workshop with artist Mira O’Brien, you will learn botanical watercolor and sketching techniques while exploring seasonal plant specimens, such as fruits, flowers, and foliage. Each class introduces a new specimen, providing opportunities to develop technical skills while gaining a deeper appreciation for the plants found in your immediate surroundings – even during the Berlin winter!

Mira’s teaching goes beyond technique, encouraging participants to develop an increased awareness of the natural world around them. You will be amazed by the myriad of nature that can be experienced even in the city center.
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This series is beginner-friendly, with plenty of foundational guidance for those new to watercolor, while also offering advanced botanical techniques for experienced students.
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Mira will demonstrate each technique step by step, offering hands-on assistance and personalized feedback within a small class setting.
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Techniques:

•Getting Started with Watercolors: Understand the basics of watercolor painting and learn how to approach this versatile yet challenging medium with confidence.

•Line and Wash: Begin with delicate outlines and bring them to life with colorful washes.

•Layering and Texture: Build depth and dimension in your work using layering methods.

•Color Mixing: Master the art of creating vibrant, harmonious color palettes.

•Special Effects: Add unique details and texture using advanced watercolor techniques.

This workshop offers an engaging, supportive environment for artists of all levels to explore watercolor, develop their skills, and connect with nature through creative expression.

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About Mira O'Brien

Mira O’Brien is an American visual-artist based in Berlin since 2008. Her practice includes painting, installation and pedagogy, with a focus on the human relationship with nature. She received her BA from UCLA (2004) and her MFA from Yale (2008). She is the recipient of many awards and residencies; recently her exhibition, publication and workshop series “A Curious Herbal” was awarded the Draussen Stadt grant by the Berlin Senate. Her work has been included in institutional exhibitions at venues such as Documenta (13), Torrance Art Museum, Kunsthalle CCA Andratx, New Mexico Museum of Art and others; as well as galleries such as David Zwirner in NY and ChertLüdde’s project space in Berlin. She has had solo exhibitions in Berlin, Zürich, Venice, San Francisco and Cologne; and group shows all over the world. She is the founder of the Berlin Drawing Room, an independent art school.

About the exhibition

"Combining my teaching and my studio practice has been such a journey. Years of research, interactions with students and countless hours in the studio trenches have brought me to this place where I can integrate these two aspects of my practice. Now this might seem like a no brainer. Why wouldn't my studio practice and my teaching practice align? When I started Berlin Drawing Room back in 2011, I was deep in the world of installation and performance art and I missed painting and drawing so much that it was one of the motivating factors that led me to teaching these mediums. My origins as an artist were rooted in painting and a fascination with natural world, but for some years it was actually teaching botanical watercolor that gave me the best outlet for this passion."

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"I decided, at one point, that I wanted the botanical imagery from my watercolors to take center stage in my conceptual art practice. I began to question the meaning behind my relationship with plants and what the broader implications could be. What happens when you take inspiration from 17th century flower painters and 18th century Naturalists, and yet strive to create something that is a true reflections of our current times? How has our relationship with nature changed and how might it develop? These are some of the questions that led me to create this current body of work, a series of oil paintings that conjure a re-enchanted world of landscapes in flux. "

Exhibition details here: Emergent Gardens

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Come and check out the exhibition and join our watercolor workshop!]

Cheers!

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The Denizen Team