Painting Adobe: Structure and Composition Join us for this one OR two-day workshop with master painter Albert Handell and his student of many years, mathematician and artist, Karen Halbert. This is the perfect duo to understanding the different ways artists compose!
Composition in Two Unique Ways:
• Intuitive Composition with Albert
• Dynamic Symmetry with Karen
Aug. 22 - 23, 2026
Intuitive Composition with Albert Handell
Day 1: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Albert will lead “How to use Intuitive Composition” pastel workshop (oil and other mediums accepted as well) working from photographs. Albert will demo in pastel with a watercolor underpainting. Albert will be demonstrating a step-by-step painting from 9 a.m. with student painting time from 1 to 4:00 pm. Students will have time to work on their paintings with plenty of individual help at each easel. Students will have an afternoon painting time from 1 to 4:30 pm with plenty of individual help at each easel from Santa Fe’s own legendary artist.
Supplies: Bring all the supplies you usually use. Bring a plein air easel. If you are flying in we have a few to choose from.
Dynamic Symmetry with Karen Halbert
Day 2: Sunday, August 23
Dynamic Symmetry is a one-day workshop that helps painters recognize how underlying structure supports intuitive composition. Dynamic Symmetry is introduced not as a rigid system, but as a way of understanding relationships painters already respond to intuitively—such as how the canvas rectangle creates movement, how diagonals generate energy and how opposing forces create balance and stability. Using adobe paintings by Albert Handell and selected historic master paintings as examples, participants explore at their tables how a small set of structural ideas can strengthen intuitive choices and provide practical tools they can apply later in the studio or in the field. This workshop will be a combination of lecture, presentations and hands-on learning all under the guidance of Karen.
