Narrative Environments & The Arriving Figure:
This intensive three-day workshop, with artist and teacher Lupe Galvan, invites experienced artists to deepen their practice by exploring the symbiotic relationship between body, landscape and narrative. Moving beyond literal representation, participants will use the environment as a "charged space" of possibility, or consider the human figure as either a harmonious extension of the land or an intentional source of tension.
The course is designed for those ready to take creative risks and push through the "unknowns" of their process. By shifting focus from what a place looks like to how it feels to be there, you will learn to bridge the gap between person and place through experimental color, texture, and technical storytelling. Get lost in a process and learn to find your way through.
$325 for this three day workshop. A limited number of student/ low-income discount tickets are available - email Jeanine@VesperMeadow.org to inquire.
Space is limited, register in advance:
Artist BIO: Lupe Galván
Early Life and Education Born in 1981, Lupe Galván grew up in the rural Snake River Valley of Owyhee County, Idaho, on the historic lands of the Shoshone people. Raised in a family of farmworkers, Galván spent much of his youth working in the fields, an experience he describes as physically demanding and isolating. During these years, he often found escape through art, imagining himself painting en plein air (outdoors) while working on the hillsides.
He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Illustration from Boise State University in 2006, followed by a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the New York Academy of Art in 2009.
Artistic Style and Philosophy Galván’s work is a sophisticated blend of classical European painting traditions and his own Hispano-Indigenous heritage. He describes his creative process as "recontextualizing" European art to tell non-European stories. By utilizing the compositional strategies and techniques of Old Master, Galván explores themes of post-colonialism, identity, memory, and "indigeneity. “He often reimagines classical myths or historical scenes by substituting European figures with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) bodies—specifically those reminiscent of his own family and community.
Career and Community Impact As an educator, Galván has taught at several institutions, including Southern Oregon University, Boise State University, Fleisher Art Memorial, Yavapai College, and the College of Idaho. He currently serves as a drawing and painting instructor at College of The Redwoods.
