Pareidolia is the way our brains make meaning from random visual stimuli. In other words, it's why we stare at clouds and see bunnies, a woman chasing a dog, or a chariot pulled by dragons! Using Pareidolia in your artistic practice can help develop your imagination and motivation. As well, it is delightfully fun!

In this workshop you will learn many simple drawing exercises that use pareidolia to fuel your ideas. Building on these exercises you will work through the process of a complete composition using water colours to create a pareidolia painting. And of course, you will have a lot of fun discovering meaning in a random scribble or a splash of paint.

This class runs over four weeks, with two-hour sessions each week. Some prior watercolor experience is an asset.

Thursdays, 10:00am-12:00pm, May 14th- June 4th, 2026

Students should provide the following:

• A selection of watercolours in tubes paint brushes micron pen,

• Gelly pens, etc.

• 4 or 5 sheets of 120 lb watercolour paper

About the Instructor:

Heather is a visual artist working in watercolours, acrylics and assemblages. Her career as a theatre designer and puppetry artist strongly influences her visual artwork. She holds a Masters degree in Art Education from the University of Victoria, where she researched creative and collaborative processes. Whether she is teaching, building puppets, or splashing paint around, Heather’s primary goal is to embrace serendipity and share the joy of visual storytelling.