John Cosby Destination Workshop
Making Visually Powerful Paintings
in Maynard Dixon Country
Instructor: John Cosby
Dates: Sept 26–29, 2024 (Th–Sun)
Class Limit: 16 students
Class times: 9:00–4:00
Tuition: $950
Level: All Levels
Includes lunch each day and a group dinner on Day One.
John’s Supply List
Join renowned artist John Cosby for a thrilling 4-day plein air & studio workshop in and around the picturesque town of Mt. Carmel, Utah. This unique location is the former home of the esteemed American West painter, Maynard Dixon, making it a fitting location to learn and be inspired by the beauty of the West. With its proximity to five national parks and several national monuments, just one mile away from the town’s center, Mt. Carmel is a breathtaking location to explore and paint.
We will have a screening of a new film short that is currently being shown in film festivals around the country “John Cosby— A Journey in Art” by Little Pass Films. We will have this screening on the 2nd night of the Workshop in the Dixon Studio.
Maynard Dixon’s Mt Carmel, Utah cabin and tool house.
The Maynard Dixon home was built in 1939 by Maynard Dixon and his wife Edith Hamlin. The Thunderbird Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is the preservation and maintenance of the Maynard Dixon home and property. Thunderbird Foundation has been instrumental in having this important historical Utah property placed on the National Register of Historic Places and as such will be included as one of the places to visit on historic Highway 89. Located near the important early Utah settlement of Orderville, the Dixon home and studio is an important destination for visiting artists wishing to partake of the beauty and spirit of Southern Utah. We are happy to be able to host John’s workshop here. We hope you can join us.
This 4-day hands-on Workshop will be taught at both your easel and John’s. We will work outdoors on location and in Maynard Dixon’s studio in Mt Carmel, Utah. John will assess where you need direction and give you specific exercises and painting ideas to help build your skills where you need them most.
We will be addressing Color Harmony, Design, Tonal Relativity, Pushing and Pulling color to achieve effects and more. He teaches from the attitude that basic skills brought into alignment make the strongest paintings. This platform will also give you what you need to grow with intent and direction.
John requests that when you sign up, you send 5 images of paintings you have painted recently in advance of the class so he can assess how he can address your areas of need before the week and be ready for you. His email address will be listed in your registration receipt. He will teach through lectures, demonstrations, and at your easel so the time at your easel will be when we are addressing your specific needs. Please have the supplies he has listed in the link (Supply List) with you when we start class.
Accommodations & Food
- Accommodations are not included.
- RV Camping is available on-site at $45 per day for those with an RV. You must pre-register with Rich via email or Phone.
- The Bunkhouse is available on-site at $45 per day. There are three beds available. You can bring your own bedding or use what is available there. You must pre-register with Rich via email or Phone.
- Arrowhead Country Inn & Cabins are located directly across the road from the Dixon Studio. 435-648-2569
- Lunch: The workshop includes lunch for all 4 days for all students. Please let Rich know if you have any allergies.
- Dinner: We will have a group dinner on the first night. If we go out together after that, each person will take care of their own dinner bill.
Bio: John Cosby
Born in Hollywood California in 1955, Cosby was raised in the West. At an early age, he began to draw and paint and was lucky enough to have been inspired by a grandmother who was an oil painter. “She would give me the paint, some brushes, and a scrap of canvas and set me off to paint. This early experience took the fear out of creating a painting,” said Cosby. Cosby started traveling at an early age. At 18 he was chosen as an advance-man for the Executive Branch of the US Government, served under two Presidents, and traveled the world. He met many interesting people and saw many things but what most interested him were the great works of art he encountered. “They haunted me and helped set the course for my career as a painter.”
After leaving the White House, Cosby rebuilt an old classic sailing sloop designed by Nathaniel Herreshoff. With a friend (who had dreams of being a writer) he set sail up and down the eastern seaboard in the inland waterway for 3 years. Thus he began his art career. “Doing drawings of anything that moved me, things began to sell and my course was set,” said Cosby. Upon his return to California, Cosby began painting the sea and landscape of coastal California. With a strong gallery response, his success as a painter quickly followed. Cosby currently resides and maintains a studio in San Clemente, CA. He works on-location around the world and is represented by some of the finest galleries. Cosby was a founding board member of the prestigious “Laguna Plein Air Painters Association”, and a Signature member of both Plein Air Painters of America and The California Art Club. He has served as an officer of these groups to help further the cause of Art. Cosby was also a founder of the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational.
With his bold contemporary style, John Cosby has captured the imagination of some very important collectors. His work can be found in many private, public, and corporate collections around the world.
