As a contemporary artists I respond to the world around me and express my response on paper or canvas. To celebrate the beauty that surrounds me is enough of a reason for me to paint.
For many years I worked in watercolour, and painted hundreds of portraits. I have since broadened my practice to include assorted printmaking techniques, oil, acrylic, mixed media, and large scale murals. Below you'll find some examples of my work in each medium.
I’ve lived overseas most of my life and love to travel. Wherever I go, I always carry my sketchbook, and much of my work is based on my impressions from my travels from California to Syria to Sri Lanka to Kenya and beyond.
For many years I worked in watercolour, and painted hundreds of portraits.
I take very few commissions now, and give myself the permission to play and experiment with all sorts of painting and drawing, printmaking, collage, and large scale murals.
Seana Mercedes Mallen is an internationally acclaimed artist who captures her emotional response to the natural world in contemporary semi-abstract painting and printmaking.
Her native California coast and her long-adopted home on the south coast of England provide constant inspiration. Through joyful colour and expressive brushstrokes, she shares her delight through paintings that express a profound sense of place and connection to nature.
Her favourite thing is travelling with a sketchbook, discovering new people and places and soaking up the atmosphere through drawing.
Seana is also an inspiring and enthusiastic teacher who delights in sharing the joy of creativity and watching her students grow and thrive.
Since October 2020 Seana has had a studio at Stanmer Craft Museum, in the heart of beautiful Stanmer Park. She is delighted to be part of a wonderful community of artists and makers, and their work can be found here.
Fresh & Free Flowers & Foliage: Experimental Watercolour
Half day workshop at Sussex Prairie Garden
Wednesday 28th July, 10am - 2pm
Watercolour is a magic potion…
Come learn some of its secrets and capture the spirit of this inspiring garden.
Embrace the happy accidents that inevitably occur with this mercurial medium, and also learn easy and effective techniques to create beautiful paintings of a wide variety of plants and flowers.
For first time beginners or more advanced painters alike, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Cost: £55. Price includes the entry to the garden, use of the Garden Room till 2 pm, and some materials.
Book online or find out more here.
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Free Gelli Printing Demonstrations
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th,
1 - 1:45pm, Stanmer Craft Museum
Come and give it a go!
Splashy and Free: Wake Up Your Watercolour
One day workshop at Stanmer Craft Museum
Tuesday 6th September, 10am - 3:30pm
Watercolour is a magic potion… Come learn some of its secrets.
For first time beginners or more advanced painters alike.
Cost: £60. Price includes a set of watercolours and watercolour brush for you to keep.
Gelli Printing from Scratch
Half day workshop at Stanmer Craft Museum
Tuesday, 13th September, 10am - 1pm
Gelli Printing from Scratch
Half day workshop at Stanmer Craft Museum
Tuesday, 13th September, 10am - 1pm
Colorful Printing Without a Press & NO drawing required!
Learn the basic techniques of this wonderful new method of printing using acrylic paint.
Working with both botanical images made from of foraged leaves and grasses and/or hand cut stencils and found textures we’ll explore this wonderful new method of printing without a press.
Create detailed natural images, playing with colour and layering your designs.
Great for first time beginners and more advanced artists, this fun and easy process is full of surprises and achieves images of great beauty.
Cost: £35. Price includes all printing materials.
Email me to book.
Classes at Santa Cruz Art League
I am delighted to be back in Santa Cruz for just two months, and running workshops at the Santa Cruz Art League. I've been away for almost 2 years and have learned lots of new things that i'd love to share with you.
Wednesday, January 12th, 1-4pm
Colorful Printing Without a Press & NO drawing required!
Energy and Expression: Experimental Approaches to the Human Form
3 Tuesday afternoons, January 18th, 25th, February 1st, From 1-4pm
Capture the gesture, movement and spirit of the elusive and endlessly fascinating human figure in ink, watercolour and mixed media.
Wednesday, January 19th, 1-4pm
Create 6 paintings in an afternoon, abstracting from the landscape in mixed media. Leave the photographic image far behind, and tune into the wind, the splash, the aroma and your own feeling.
Fresh & Free — Flowers & Foliage
2 Wednesdays, January 26th & February 2nd, 1-4pm
Watercolour is a magic potion…
Come learn some of its secrets and capture the spirit of the garden with (almost) NO drawing.
Gelli-printing and Mixed Media Collage
Saturday January 29 & Sunday January 30th, 1-5pm
Indulge yourself with a creative weekend of Gelli-printing, acrylic and watercolour collage on canvas
Creative Concertina Sketchbook
Saturday February 19th & Sunday February 20th, From 1pm-5pm
A joyful 2- day workshop creating a vibrant mixed-media concertina sketchbook.
Waterercolour and Mixed Media Classes at Sussex Prairie Garden
Wednesday 22nd September - Thursday 23rd September, 10am - 2pm
Please come join me in this unique and inspiring garden for an Exuberant Mixed-Media Celebration of the Prairie Gardens, suitable for artists of all abilities
The two day workshop in September introduces watercolour collage and gelli-printing, with time for you to really explore and express your own artistic voice.
Find out more on my Workshops page.
Splashy and free: Wake up your Watercolours
July 1, 2022 10am-2pm
£55
Watercolour is a magic potion...
Go with the flow and let it work its wonders.
In this one-day workshop, we'll experiment with many non-traditional materials, barely picking up a brush, and responding to this glorious garden with gusto!
If this mercurial medium has discouraged you in the past,
please give it another chance.
You'll come away with lots of useful tips and tricks of the trade and you'll be amazed by what you can create.
If you are new to watercolour, this is a great place to start a life-long love affair.
For more information visit:
To sign up for a class, please email me at seanamercedes@gmail.com
Mixed-media Collage on Canvas
An Exuberant Celebration of the Prairie Gardens
for artists of all abilities
Indulge yourself with a fun, beautiful & creative weekend.
Day 1: Gelli-printing &Watercolour
Inspired by the garden, we gather and create our materials, first working collaboratively to watercolour the tissue paper that will become the layers of colour and light. Then we will over-print them directly from the grasses and foliage of the garden to make evocative impressions for collage. No drawing necessary!
(unless you want to, of course.)
Day two. Collage and acrylic on canvas
With all the beautiful sheets of coloured tissue and array of botanical prints ready, today we will play and experiment with compositions and combinations, layering the tissues and prints into your personal interpretations, your visual poems and songs that capture your response to the gardens.
Two days for £120.
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To sign up for a class, please email me at seanamercedes@gmail.com
Creative Concertina Sketchbook
Saturday February 19th & Sunday February 20th, From 1pm-5pm
A joyful 2- day workshop creating a vibrant mixed-media concertina sketchbook.
Splashy and Free: Wake Up Your Watercolour
One day workshop at Stanmer Craft Museum
Tuesday 6th September, 10am - 3:30pm
Watercolour is a magic potion…
Come learn some of its secrets and capture the spirit of this inspiring garden.
Embrace the happy accidents that inevitably occur with this mercurial medium, and also learn easy and effective techniques to create beautiful paintings of a wide variety of plants and flowers.
For first time beginners or more advanced painters alike, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Cost: £60. Price includes a set of watercolours and watercolour brush for you to keep.
Email me to book.
TESTIMONIALS
"Workshops with Seana were making the difficult lockdown times much brighter and fruitful for me. I learned many new techniques, developed a lot in color mixing, watercolor and gouache painting, working with riggers, masking pen and Indian ink. Seana is very knowledgeable, friendly and leads the classes in a very captivating way. I totally recommend her to artists at all levels!"
Zuzanna L
"Seana's online art classes have provided a beacon of light, fun and an opportunity to learn something completely new, during a really complex time. The classes are also very informative as Seana shares her vast knowledge and expert tips on all things art related. Seana gives praise where it is due, but also offers really useful and helpful tips when things have not gone as hoped. Seana's inclusive and welcoming approach makes this class one I really look forward to every week!
Niki M
"I love your classes which are fun and informative. I feel encouraged and inspired in the class and always want to do more at home.
Nadia F
"Seana's enthusiasm and love of making art is infectious - both in person workshops and online. She imparts her knowledge at a pace suited to students of all levels and has an inventive and involving style of teaching. I heartily recommend her."
Chris R
"Hi Seana, Just want to say how much I’ve enjoyed your painting classes. They really have been a highlight in a difficult year. I’ve achieved what I never thought possible thanks to you! Cheers."
Jane L
"Seana has endless and infectious energy, enthusiasm and positivity, which has carried our newly formed painting group through the months of lockdown. Her lessons are wide ranging but focused and fun, teaching technique though clear demonstrations as well as introducing us to how accomplished artists have tackled such mystifying subjects as perspective."
Clare M
You are a great teacher ! ... because you offer endless arty information, unusual content / projects every week, with good feedback on homework, introduction to famous artists that are relevant, and fun is had by all. What more can anyone wish for!
Jan Y
"Seana is always enthusiastic and puts a lot of time and effort into nurturing her students. When the pandemic began last March, Seana started doing weekly online classes via Zoom. The class has expanded and now includes students from all over Europe and beyond. It's been a real life-saver for many of us - a chance to learn and practice art – but even more importantly, a chance to hang out, chat and paint with other people. We've become friends – even though many of us will probably never get a chance to meet in real life. Painting is very mindful and that's been so important during the last ten months. Seana is a wonderful teacher - inspiring through her own work, and always positive, supportive and encouraging about our work. Some of us have "innate talent", most of us probably don't (!) – but we've ALL improved through these weekly classes and have benefited in so many other ways too. Coming together, creating together - we've all loved it.
Mad H