Gilded Rot: Painting The Luster of Decay (A Vanitas Exploration) with Laura Spector, Artist-In-Residence McGovern Medical School, Begins June 16
Six Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Monday, June 16 - July 21, 2025
7:00 - 9:30 pm ET (NYC Time)
$165 Paid Patreon Members / $195 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Discover the beauty in decay with this transformative course that marries the enigmatic allure of vanitas with modern painting techniques.
Drawing inspiration from centuries of artistic tradition, this course delves into the age-old fascination with transience and impermanence. Grounded in the rich history of vanitas art—a genre that reminds us of life's fleeting nature through symbolic representations of decay and renewal—this class reinterprets those themes for today's creative landscape. The course builds on the idea that beauty can be found even in decline, inviting students to explore how the shimmering patina of aging surfaces, the interplay of light and shadow, and the textures of deterioration can evoke powerful emotions and narratives. By embracing both the poetic melancholy and the unexpected glamour inherent in decay, participants are encouraged to discover a unique visual language that challenges conventional aesthetics.
Over the course of six weeks, students will participate in a series of sessions combining historical context with hands-on instruction. Each session is structured to begin with a brief exploration of the conceptual underpinnings of vanitas—examining how traditional motifs can be reimagined in contemporary practice-followed by detailed demonstrations of techniques such as layering, glazing, and textural manipulation to create luminous effects reminiscent of decay.
The instructor, Laura Spector, is a seasoned painter renowned for her distinctive approach that fuses classical sensibilities with modern experimentation, will guide students through each step with clear, individualized feedback. Participants will engage in live demonstrations, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises that not only build technical proficiency but also foster personal expression and creative risk-taking.
By the end of the course, students can expect to have developed a robust skill set in capturing the delicate balance between beauty and impermanence on canvas. Each student will leave with a completed work of art that reflects their personal interpretations of vanitas aesthetics, a deeper understanding of how to manipulate color, texture, and composition, and the confidence to experiment with unconventional themes in their own artistic practice. Whether a novice painter or an experienced artist seeking to push creative boundaries, Gilded Rot: Painting the Luster of Decay offers a compelling journey into the art of finding elegance in the ephemeral.
Laura Spector is a Houston-based artist and instructor, best known for Museum Anatomy, a project reimagining hidden, stolen, and lost artworks in 16 countries through paint, photography, and sculpture. An award-winning NYFA fellow, she has exhibited worldwide and is currently the Humanities & Ethics Artist-in-Residence at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth.
Images: Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull, Edwaert Collier, 1663; Allegory of Vanity, Pereda, 17th Century;.
Six Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Monday, June 16 - July 21, 2025
7:00 - 9:30 pm ET (NYC Time)
$165 Paid Patreon Members / $195 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Discover the beauty in decay with this transformative course that marries the enigmatic allure of vanitas with modern painting techniques.
Drawing inspiration from centuries of artistic tradition, this course delves into the age-old fascination with transience and impermanence. Grounded in the rich history of vanitas art—a genre that reminds us of life's fleeting nature through symbolic representations of decay and renewal—this class reinterprets those themes for today's creative landscape. The course builds on the idea that beauty can be found even in decline, inviting students to explore how the shimmering patina of aging surfaces, the interplay of light and shadow, and the textures of deterioration can evoke powerful emotions and narratives. By embracing both the poetic melancholy and the unexpected glamour inherent in decay, participants are encouraged to discover a unique visual language that challenges conventional aesthetics.
Over the course of six weeks, students will participate in a series of sessions combining historical context with hands-on instruction. Each session is structured to begin with a brief exploration of the conceptual underpinnings of vanitas—examining how traditional motifs can be reimagined in contemporary practice-followed by detailed demonstrations of techniques such as layering, glazing, and textural manipulation to create luminous effects reminiscent of decay.
The instructor, Laura Spector, is a seasoned painter renowned for her distinctive approach that fuses classical sensibilities with modern experimentation, will guide students through each step with clear, individualized feedback. Participants will engage in live demonstrations, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises that not only build technical proficiency but also foster personal expression and creative risk-taking.
By the end of the course, students can expect to have developed a robust skill set in capturing the delicate balance between beauty and impermanence on canvas. Each student will leave with a completed work of art that reflects their personal interpretations of vanitas aesthetics, a deeper understanding of how to manipulate color, texture, and composition, and the confidence to experiment with unconventional themes in their own artistic practice. Whether a novice painter or an experienced artist seeking to push creative boundaries, Gilded Rot: Painting the Luster of Decay offers a compelling journey into the art of finding elegance in the ephemeral.
Laura Spector is a Houston-based artist and instructor, best known for Museum Anatomy, a project reimagining hidden, stolen, and lost artworks in 16 countries through paint, photography, and sculpture. An award-winning NYFA fellow, she has exhibited worldwide and is currently the Humanities & Ethics Artist-in-Residence at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth.
Images: Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull, Edwaert Collier, 1663; Allegory of Vanity, Pereda, 17th Century;.
Six Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Monday, June 16 - July 21, 2025
7:00 - 9:30 pm ET (NYC Time)
$165 Paid Patreon Members / $195 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Discover the beauty in decay with this transformative course that marries the enigmatic allure of vanitas with modern painting techniques.
Drawing inspiration from centuries of artistic tradition, this course delves into the age-old fascination with transience and impermanence. Grounded in the rich history of vanitas art—a genre that reminds us of life's fleeting nature through symbolic representations of decay and renewal—this class reinterprets those themes for today's creative landscape. The course builds on the idea that beauty can be found even in decline, inviting students to explore how the shimmering patina of aging surfaces, the interplay of light and shadow, and the textures of deterioration can evoke powerful emotions and narratives. By embracing both the poetic melancholy and the unexpected glamour inherent in decay, participants are encouraged to discover a unique visual language that challenges conventional aesthetics.
Over the course of six weeks, students will participate in a series of sessions combining historical context with hands-on instruction. Each session is structured to begin with a brief exploration of the conceptual underpinnings of vanitas—examining how traditional motifs can be reimagined in contemporary practice-followed by detailed demonstrations of techniques such as layering, glazing, and textural manipulation to create luminous effects reminiscent of decay.
The instructor, Laura Spector, is a seasoned painter renowned for her distinctive approach that fuses classical sensibilities with modern experimentation, will guide students through each step with clear, individualized feedback. Participants will engage in live demonstrations, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises that not only build technical proficiency but also foster personal expression and creative risk-taking.
By the end of the course, students can expect to have developed a robust skill set in capturing the delicate balance between beauty and impermanence on canvas. Each student will leave with a completed work of art that reflects their personal interpretations of vanitas aesthetics, a deeper understanding of how to manipulate color, texture, and composition, and the confidence to experiment with unconventional themes in their own artistic practice. Whether a novice painter or an experienced artist seeking to push creative boundaries, Gilded Rot: Painting the Luster of Decay offers a compelling journey into the art of finding elegance in the ephemeral.
Laura Spector is a Houston-based artist and instructor, best known for Museum Anatomy, a project reimagining hidden, stolen, and lost artworks in 16 countries through paint, photography, and sculpture. An award-winning NYFA fellow, she has exhibited worldwide and is currently the Humanities & Ethics Artist-in-Residence at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth.
Images: Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull, Edwaert Collier, 1663; Allegory of Vanity, Pereda, 17th Century;.