So Surreal!
Art Movements | Contemporary Explorations of Surrealism
Tap into the unconscious.
Painterly’s two-hour class provides a playful dive into the methods of Surrealism, the art movement dedicated to unlocking the power of the unconscious mind and dreams.
In this class, we’ll briefly review the concepts of psychological exploration, focusing not on technical realism but on visual metaphor. Students will learn simple Surrealist techniques like juxtaposition (placing unrelated objects together), metamorphosis (transforming one object into another), and automatism (creating without conscious planning) to assemble bizarre, dreamlike compositions. The goal is to bypass rational thought, resulting in a unique, psychologically resonant, and highly imaginative piece of finished artwork. Example works will be provided to fuel the creative process and stoke the imagination.
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Surrealism was a 20th-century artistic and cultural movement, emerging primarily in Paris in the 1920s, dedicated to liberating the unconscious mind. Heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud's theories on dreams and the psyche, Surrealists sought to bypass the constraints of rational thought to access a "superior reality" (surreality).
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Likely in museums, but it’s also prevalent in contemporary life today. Figures like André Breton, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte led the movement.
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Guided group demonstration
Personalized instruction
Premium 12 x 16 gallery wrap canvas
Workshop guide
Shared class supplies (aprons, brushes, paints, palette knives, etc.)
Fresh, frameable art compositions
Deeper understanding of art history
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AGES | All ages welcome but 13+ is recommended to benefit the most from instruction.
PREREQUISITE | None. No prior artistic skill required, either.
ARRIVAL | Please allow an extra 15-30 minutes for mingling to ensure you are settled when instruction begins.
ATTIRE | Heavy-duty canvas aprons are provided for class, but because accidents happen sometimes, we do recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting a tad messy.
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TO BOOK | Click here to book a painting event at the location of your choice. Once your booking is confirmed, a 25% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your event.
RESCHEDULING + CANCELLATION POLICY | 72-hour notice is required for a 75% refund of prepaid class bookings; bookings may be transferred to a future class before the 72-hour notice timeframe by contacting events@painterly.co. If cancellation or a request to rebook occurs after 72- hours before the start of class, no refund will be provided regardless of reason (note: this policy enables Painterly to protect our artist instructors, who are directly impacted by last-minute cancellations).
