Hi, I’m David Kaarsemaker, also known as Understory Art Classes on Instagram and Facebook. I am an artist and arts educator.

As an artist:

I have a BFA from Concordia University and an MFA from the University of Ottawa. My paintings over the past few years come from ideas and images that arise from the quiet mental states achieved after several days of walking alone on long backpacking trips.

As an educator:

I teach small group painting and drawing classes for people of all experience levels that focus primarily on light, visual space, and colour. These classes are conducted as either pre-recorded videos, or live online or in-person out of a studio in Victoria, B.C.

I have been teaching art for 20 years at art centres, museums, and post-secondary institutions across Canada including The Art Gallery of Ontario, Algonquin College, and the University of Ottawa. I currently teach painting and drawing at the Vancouver Island School of Art and at the University of Victoria through Continuing Studies.

My aim is to help students develop their evolving painting and drawing languages in a fun and accessible way.

Check out my CV to learn more.

Art Classes

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Critique Session

This 3-hour online workshop is an opportunity for you to get feedback from me and other participating artists about your work (either finished or in-progress). Critiques are an important part of the artistic process and can help you to clarify your visual and conceptual priorities. I can also demonstrate various painting and drawing techniques if you are stuck on how to do something.

June 20, 2:00-5:00 PM (PT)

CA$60.00
Intro to Acrylic Painting (Pre-Recorded Course)

This course is a pre-recorded set of 6 sessions (2 hours/session) that introduces students to fundamental concepts of acrylic painting. I structure the course around the formal elements or “visual flavours” of painting: line, shape, form, composition, colour, transparency/opacity and effects of light and visual depth. Subjects will include still life, landscape, portraiture, the human figure, and abstraction

Students will be provided with a link to the Zoom recording each week as well as a link to a shared Dropbox folder to share their work and get feedback

CA$190.00
Make Colour Work For You

This course will help you to use colour with more intention and control by understanding the underlying principles of colour.

I will be doing demos using acrylic paint. Classes will be conducted live over zoom and you will also get a link to the recording for each class (in case you can’t attend the live session). You will get feedback from your work through a shared Dropbox folder.

Tuesdays, June 9 - July 14, 6:00-9:00PM (PT)

CA$240.00
Figure and Portrait Painting

The human figure is a good subject to practice breaking an image down into underlying structures and building it up with simple shapes before rendering light/shadow. We will explore a range of painting techniques and explore colour theory, glazing, and working with under-paintings.

I will be doing demos using acrylic paint. Classes will be conducted live over zoom and you will also get a link to the recording for each class (in case you can’t attend the live session). You will get feedback from your work through a shared Dropbox folder.

July 21-August 25, 6:00-9:00 PM (PT)

CA$240.00

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