Memory as Material: developing ideas through place, observation, and narrative
How do memory, place, and lived experience shape the ideas behind our artwork? This multi-session workshop invites artists to explore memory as a creative and conceptual material through guided discussion, observation-based drawing, and peer exchange. Participants will work with prompts focused on atmosphere, narrative, and sensory recall, applying them in their own studio practice between sessions.
Online meetings include small-group discussion and in-process sharing, with an optional on-location drawing session at Luther Burbank Park. The series is designed to be taken as a complete sequence, with each session building on the last, and is intended for artists seeking to deepen the ideas behind their work while engaging in a thoughtful, supportive artist community. The program culminates in a group exhibition developed collaboratively with participating artists. Location and specific dates to be determined.
Two course options are available with different formats and start dates; participants select one option at registration and attend all sessions in that option. The course will run with a minimum of 10 participants total across both options.
I am proud to be partnering with Mercer Island Visual Arts League (MIVAL) for this workshop series. MIVAL members receive special member discounts on the course.
Three participation options!
Option 1 – In-Person Drawing Only (Price: $75 USD / MIVAL Members: $60)
Join me on Saturday, March 7, 10–12 at Luther Burbank Park, Mercer Island, WA, USA for a relaxed, semi-guided outdoor drawing session. No long-term commitment — just a morning of drawing together.
This stand-alone, on-location drawing session invites artists to slow down and work from observation, attention, and memory in a shared outdoor setting. Through light, optional prompts, participants will explore drawing as a way of noticing—collecting visual and material notes, responding to atmosphere, and experimenting with memory-based mark-making.
The session is semi-guided and relaxed, with flexibility to work independently or in small groups. Artists are encouraged to follow their own interests while engaging with the park as a site for observation and reflection. This workshop is open to anyone interested in drawing as a process of inquiry and does not require enrollment in the full Memory as Material series.
Option 2 – Hybrid Series (In-Person + Online) (Price: $225 / MIVAL Members: $180)
Participate in the Luther Burbank drawing session and join three additional online meetings. This option includes the full small-group cohort experience, with discussion, feedback, and idea development over time.
How do memory, place, and lived experience shape the ideas behind our artwork? This multi-session workshop invites artists to explore memory as a creative and conceptual material through guided discussion, observation-based drawing, and peer exchange. Participants will work with prompts focused on atmosphere, narrative, and sensory recall, applying them in their own studio practice between sessions.
Online meetings include small-group discussion and in-process sharing, with a drawing session at Luther Burbank Park. The series is designed to be taken as a complete sequence, with each session building on the last, and is intended for artists seeking to deepen the ideas behind their work while engaging in a thoughtful, supportive artist community. The program culminates in a group exhibition developed collaboratively with participating artists. Location and specific dates to be determined.
Class Meeting dates and times listed in Pacific Standard Time are:
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 10-11am on Zoom
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 10-12 at Luther Burbank Park, Mercer Island
Saturday, April 18, 2026 10-12 on Zoom
Saturday, May 16, 2026: 10-12 on Zoom
Option 3 – Fully Online Series
Join the three online sessions only and work within a small, thoughtful remote cohort of artist colleagues. This pathway includes the same discussions and development process, just without the in-person drawing day.
How do memory, place, and lived experience shape the ideas behind our artwork? This multi-session workshop invites artists to explore memory as a creative and conceptual material through guided discussion, observation-based drawing, and peer exchange. Participants will work with prompts focused on atmosphere, narrative, and sensory recall, applying them in their own studio practice between sessions.
Online meetings include small-group discussion and in-process sharing. The series is designed to be taken as a complete sequence, with each session building on the last, and is intended for artists seeking to deepen the ideas behind their work while engaging in a thoughtful, supportive artist community. The program culminates in a group exhibition developed collaboratively with participating artists. Location and specific dates to be determined.
Class Meeting dates and times listed in Pacific Standard Time are:
Saturday, March 21, 2026: from 10am-12:00PM Pacific Standard Time (19:00-21:00 Istanbul Time)
Saturday, April 18, 2026: from 10am-12:00PM Pacific Standard Time (19:00-21:00 Istanbul Time)
Saturday, May 16, 2026: from 10am-12:00PM Pacific Standard Time (19:00-21:00 Istanbul Time)
Have questions or want more info? Please send me a message! (erinnpowerstudio@gmail.com)