Events

Jeannie McGuire  |  Figurative Artist  |  412/266-8699  |  jdm@jeanniemcguire.com  |  jeanniemcguire.com

STORY- BASED CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

Date and time

Thursday – Sunday, November 12 - 15, 2026

9:00a – 4:00p

Location

Aluminum City Arts, Manos Gallery

200 Freeport Rd, New Kensington, PA

484/529-1597

themanosgallery.webflow.io

Cost & registration

Registration Date:  November 9, 2026

Registration Link:

Cost:  Non-Member $500 / PWS Member $450.  Minimum Students 10

About this event

The Pittsburgh Watercolor Society and The Manos Gallery welcome you to a 4-day workshop with Pittsburgh based figurative artist, Jeannie McGuire.  The Manos Gallery is located inside the Aluminum City Arts building, aimed to become a thriving hub for the arts and cultural enrichment of New Kensington.  The workshop space will be held in the grand ballroom, a beautiful large paneled room with high ceilings and windows, and in company with the 2026 PWS Aqueous Exhibition.   

About the workshop:

Paintings of people are compelling because of the abundance of stories to be told.  In Jeannie’s figurative workshops she aims to act as a mentor and to inspire artists to create original works of art in their own unique style.  This is a project-based workshop format with attention to personalized goals.  Experience level ranges from advanced beginner to professional.

Jeannie shares her painting application and stories that guide her process.  You will hear about intuitive design and composition, versatility of pigment/water ratios, intentional and spontaneous marks, use of titanium white as an additional pigment, and the freedom to change your mind.  You will be encouraged to work in a series of two or more paintings of a like genre, and to be imaginative about the people in your reference photos by studying their expressions, body language, surroundings, and interactions.

Students will gather together as a class each morning for an introduction into designing for a story and projects will be presented to stimulate thought.  Jeannie will give individual mentoring through conversation or pencil to paper while suggesting design adjustments and story ideas.  Artists are to bring their own references.  Drawings started ahead of time are a personal option.

About the Artist:

Jeannie McGuire (born 1954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a contemporary American figurative painter known for her expressive watercolor works that offer intimate glimpses into human character. Using loose, confident brushstrokes, McGuire emphasizes eyes and body language to capture figures in moments of reflection, movement, and action.  www.jeanniemcguire.com