Campfire Palette Knife Painting Workshop 8/8 and 8/9

Campfire Palette Knife Painting Workshop with Vanessa Lacy

Join Kansas City artist Vanessa Lacy in her Crossroads studio for an immersive, two-day workshop dedicated to the warmth and texture of palette knife painting to capture the glow of a campfire. On Saturday, August 8th and Sunday, August 9th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, you'll learn the secrets behind building a rich, glowing campfire scene.

This intensive class is a deep dive into technical color confidence and expressive paint application. We will place a special focus on how to strategically set up a custom color palette to achieve vibrant, clean mixes, followed by essential palette knife techniques to build bold texture, light, and atmosphere. Vanessa will demonstrate her step-by-step process to help you conquer color mixing.

The workshop includes:

• An in-depth artist demonstration of custom palette organization and paint application.

• An 11" x 14" canvas panel with the campfire composition already sketched out in pencil, allowing you to skip the drawing phase and focus entirely on the joy of color mixing and thick knife work.

• Personalized, hands-on instruction tailored to your skill level as you work on your own piece.

Workshop does not include paint, palette knife, and palette. Students will receive an emailed supply list with links to the required supplies within 24 hours of paying for the class or upon request.

There will be a lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day so you can grab a quick meal in the nearby Crossroads restaurants or eat a lunch from home using our studio refrigerator and microwave.

Workshop Details

• Date: Saturday, August 8th & Sunday, August 9th, 2026

• Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Both days)

• Location: Vanessa Lacy's Studio, 2012 Baltimore Ave, Suite 203, Kansas City, MO 64108

Studio Access Note: Because the weekend schedule varies for the building, students cannot enter through the main Leedy Voulkos Art Center galleries. At 11:00 a.m. sharp, Vanessa will meet you at the green door that says 2016 at the back of the wooden deck just south of the Leedy Voulkos Art Center. This door must stay locked for studio security; if you run late, please text Vanessa directly so she can head downstairs and let you in.