Local artist Aliyah Jones will lead an impasto painting workshop at the Turner Center for the Arts from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. The workshop is beginner-friendly for ages 14 and older.

Jones, a Valdosta native, began taking art classes at the Turner Center upon the recommendation of a middle school teacher. She continued her pursuit of the arts throughout high school, earning accolades such as having a watercolor painting to honor Holocaust victims displayed at the Georgia State capital and placing first in the Valdosta State University High School Invitational. Jones went on to earn a scholarship to VSU, where she completed her bachelor of fine arts degree and continued to place in area juried competitions, including at the Turner Center. Over a decade later, she placed first in the painting category at the Turner Center’s 37th annual Spring into Art Exhibition in 2024.

Jones’ style is a hybrid of realism with a touch of impressionism. Her preferred subject matter includes botanicals, flowers and food. Throughout many of her compositions, fluorescent colors are used to exaggerate naturally occurring tones to celebrate the grandeur of nature. Jones gathers inspiration wherever nature exists, including at farmers markets, garden centers, nature walks and even cooking.

Impasto painting is a technique in which thick layers of paint are applied to a surface so that brush or palette knife strokes are visible. This technique is traditionally used with oil paint, but in Jones’ workshop at the Turner Center, students will discover the benefits of thickening acrylic paint with a gel medium to mimic the thickness and luxuriousness of oil paint. Students also will receive a brief introduction to impasto techniques throughout art history and instructor demonstrations. Each student will create a 10-inch by 10-inch impasto painting on canvas in an impressionist style they choose.

To register for this workshop and other programs at the Turner Center, visit turnercenter.org/classes, or contact Turner Center Art Education Administrator Hailey Rathmann at hrathmann@turnercenter.org or 229-247-2787.