VALLETTA PAINTING CLASSES for ADULTS

Started in 2026, I managed to recruit a wonderful bunch of creative people to join my acrylic painting classes held at The Gallery at Galea’s in Strait Street Valletta. Over the course of several months, they produced some beautiful paintings, especially given that most had not worked in acrylics before. Here are some samples of the work they produced: (note that most paintings were completed in 2 classes!)

We started with painting trees. Beautiful organic shapes which cast fascinating shadows and allow for much playtime in capturing the myriad tones of the foliage. The images I chose were high in contrast to emphasis light and shade and colours were saturated. We also focused on how colours in a landscape become bluer the further they go into the distance.

We then experimented with a bright sunlit seaside vista, paying attention to capturing the subtle colours in the shadows. The canvas was first covered in a very roughly applied layer of Burnt Siena, a colour chosen to ensure that throughout the painting, which had a lot of blue in it, there would be a harmonising undertone of warmth. Light bounces off surfaces and affects the colours of surrounding surfaces. So, for example, a grey stone wall would reflect the colour of the ground around it, in this case a sandy pathway so you would see a lot of bounced yellow light on the wall. Shadows cast on the pathway would pick up the colour of the sky.

In another class we experimented with scratching tools, such as old credit cards. The image I used lent itself well to this technique since it had a lot of long grass in the foreground as well as a line of wooden fence posts leading off into the distance (an effective way of guiding the viewer’s eye through the painting into the background).

One of our last experimental classes, and keeping with the theme of using tools besides brushes to create textural effects, was to use palette knives. And what fun we had! Layer upon layer of colour was applied, with much removing, adding, scraping off, covering up, enhancing, all the while keeping an eye on balancing lights and darks, until a happy harmony was achieved.

Classes at The Gallery at Galea’s Strait Street Valletta will resume from October 8th 2026.

Each 4 classes cost 90 euros payable in advance and I recommend you book yourself into at least 8 classes to maximise on everything you will learn ( and you’ll learn a lot!) and achieve satisfying results. Payment is non-refundable but should you be unable to attend a class and give me 24 hr notice I will do my best to fit you into another class, if space is available. You will need to bring your own painting materials or purchase from Galea’s art shop with a special discount. CLICK HERE for my recommended painting materials list.

Should you be interested to join, email me: [email protected] or call/msg me +356 99244684