Capturing the KC Glow: A Plaza Lanterns Palette Knife Workshop 6/13-14 2026

Capturing the KC Glow: A Plaza Lanterns Palette Knife Workshop

Dates: Saturday, June 13th, 2026 from 11 am- 3pm and Sunday, June 14th 11- 3pm.

Focus: Glowing plaza lanterns at golden hour painted with limited color and palette knife techniques.

Level: All experience levels welcome! Ages 12 and above.

Join renowned Kansas City artist Vanessa Lacy (known for her expressive palette knife cityscapes) for a focused workshop that teaches you how to achieve bold, luminous results with surprising simplicity.

Enjoy a small group of 8 or less students and personalized attention as this class zeroes in on two powerful concepts essential to Vanessa Lacy's signature style: limited color palettes and confident palette knife application.

What You Will Master

• The Power of Simplicity: We will work with a dramatically limited color palette—forcing expressive choices and creating harmonious, mood-driven paintings.

• The "Color String" Method: Learn my unique process for mixing and preparing a string of color values before painting. This allows you to paint quickly and confidently, capturing the fleeting light of Golden Hour without getting bogged down in mixing decisions.

• Expressive Knife Work: Master my techniques for applying paint with a palette knife to create loose, textured, and dynamic marks for both the sky and the solid forms of the buildings. You'll leave the class with a fresh, bold approach to creating impactful art.

If you love the texture and energy of a thick, confidently applied stroke, this workshop is your chance to learn directly from a Kansas City master!

Logistics & Supplies

• Lunch Break: We will take a break at 1:00 pm. The studio is surrounded by fantastic Crossroads restaurants, or students are welcome to bring their own lunch to use the studio microwave and refrigerator.

• Required Supplies: Students are required to bring their own oil paint (Titanium White and a split primary palette), palette knives, and palette.

• Supply List: A detailed supply list will be sent immediately upon registration.

• Convenience: Don't stress about missing an item! Artist and Craftsman Supply is conveniently located just a few blocks away from the studio.

• Your painting surface and photo reference are provided with your sketch already laid out. Or let your instructor know in advance and you can bring your own surface and sketch it out yourself.

Studio Access: On Saturday you can enter through the Leedy Voulkos Art Center (2012 Baltimore Ave) when it opens at 11 a.m. Staff can direct you to the second-floor stairs.  On Sunday when the Leedy is closed, you will enter directly through the green studio door at 2016 Baltimore Ave by calling your instructor to be let in or arriving promptly at 11 am. Free parking is provided in the gravel lot across the street or street parking.