Fantastical Beasts- Mariah Sotelino

Description

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: Unleash your imagination and learn to draw, paint, and style legendary creatures of storytelling lore! Designed for young artists aged 8 to 18, this immersive mixed-media workshop invites students to bring mythical favorites—like unicorns, centaurs, griffins, and phoenixes—to life on paper. Guided step-by-step, participants can choose from pre-made templates or bring their own reference image to draft a custom concept, transferring their design onto high-quality watercolor paper. Students will explore a rich variety of art mediums including watercolor, colored pencils, pastels, and acrylics to build vibrant colors and textures, finishing their artwork with playful embellishments like feathers and glitter. Young creators leave with a polished, original mixed-media piece—ready to display as a custom poster, room decor, or journal cover—and a toolkit of illustration techniques to continue making magic on paper. All materials included. This workshop will take place at the Old Forestville Schoolhouse, 9812 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Mariah P. Sotelino is an illustrator, author, educator, and nature advocate whose work bridges the worlds of art and science. She studied Biological Anthropology from Swarthmore College, completed specialized studies in Scientific Illustration at California State University, Monterey Bay, and earned her Master’s in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Driven by a passion for science communication and environmental conservation, Mariah brings extensive field-sketching experience from her ecological research across three continents directly into her classroom. A member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Society of Illustrators, and the National Science Teachers Association, Mariah excels at inspiring young artists to observe the world deeply, express their creativity, and connect art with storytelling. WORKSHOP DATE: Sunday | Oct 4th | 2:00pm - 5:00 pm | Ages 8- 18 | Old Forestville Schoolhouse