LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOP
This Time With Feeling! Make Art That Pulses With Energy
with Kristen Palana, Master Artist & Mentor
There is a reason some art moves people, and it has nothing to do with technique.
How to build a simple, repeatable mindset and energy practice that supports your creative work.
How to enter a flow state where you feel less like you’re inventing the work and more like you’re a channel for it.
How to identify a personal or cultural symbol that carries real meaning for you.
A hands-on method for building layered, symbolic artwork from a simple line drawing.
How color psychology and symbolic pattern work together to carry meaning into a finished piece.
Audience: Fine Art Painters
Medium: Any Medium
Stages: This workshop is suitable for creatives at any stage.
Session Dates & Times:
October 8, 15
9-11am PDT / 10am-12pm MDT /
12-2 pm EDT / 5-7pm BST /
6-8pm CEST
$108.90
17 in stock
WORKSHOP Description
Every piece of art carries the energy of the person who made it, whether they intend it to or not. This workshop is for artists who want that transfer to be intentional. We will spend our first session on the inner work: building a simple, sustainable mindset and energy practice you can return to before you create, so what you put into the world is coming from a clear, grounded place rather than stress, distraction, or obligation.
For some people this state is spiritual, for others it is more about presence, flow, or connecting with nature, and for others it is rooted in religious practice. Whatever that entry point looks like for you, I will share how I get there myself. When I am working, I often feel less like I am inventing something and more like I am receiving it, tuning into something and letting it move through me onto the page. That is not something I can fully explain, but it is something I hear about constantly from people who own my work, that they feel it too.
From there we move into symbolism, identifying a personal or cultural symbol that carries real meaning for you, whether that is tied to your heritage, your intention, or your own story.
In our second session we bring it all together. We open with a short intention-setting practice, then I will share my own method for building a piece from the ground up, starting with a simple skeleton drawing and filling it with symbols and patterns that carry meaning. We will also look at color psychology, how different colors carry their own energy and associations, so you can choose yours with intention rather than instinct alone. You will work alongside me in real time to begin your own piece using this approach, or adapt it to fit your own creative practice.
This is not a technical painting workshop and it is not a meditation class. It sits between the two, for artists who already sense that their state while making work matters, and want practical tools to work with it intentionally.
🎥 WORKSHOP RECORDINGS available for 1-YEAR after the workshop ends!
🎥 NOTE: Workshop Recordings may be offered for sale at a future date at Mastrius, with the consent of the instructor.
High School, University, and College students get 20% OFF. See FAQs at the bottom of page.
Supply List
Paper or a sketchbook (any size you’re comfortable working on)
A pencil for the initial line drawing
Any coloring or mark-making materials you already have and enjoy working with (colored pencils, markers, watercolor, pastels, or paint all work)
Nothing needs to be purchased specially for this workshop. Come as you are with whatever materials you already have on hand.
Instructor Bio
Kristen Palana is an American/Portuguese multidisciplinary artist based in Rome, Italy. After decades of work as a digital artist, she reconnected with her fine art roots in 2021. Her mixed media drawings, inspired by the ambitious mission statements of the world’s top organizations, serve as a call to action to visualize better outcomes for our lives, communities, and the planet. Her time living in Myanmar and Malawi from 2016 to 2024 also deeply influenced her work, celebrating diverse cultures and exploring themes of unity and oneness. Kristen’s earlier animations have been showcased at over 75 international film festivals, earning numerous awards for “Best Animated Short Film,” including from the Cannes Short Film Festival, Italy International Film Festival, and Sunscreen Film Festival.
As an educator, Kristen has taught at universities on four continents. She co-founded the Film and Digital Media BFA at The American University of Rome, where she taught full-time beginning in 2006, earned tenure in 2009, and led the Film and Digital Media Program from 2013 to 2016. From 2016 to 2019, she expanded her teaching to academic institutions and NGOs in Myanmar, including at the groundbreaking American University of Myanmar. Currently, Kristen offers in-person, hybrid, and online courses and training for various organizations, including returning to teach at The American University of Rome.
In addition to her fine art practice, Kristen has worked as a designer, educator, and consultant for international agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), The British High Commission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Food Programme (WFP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and The Australian High Commission. Kristen crafts training programs catering to diverse audiences and, since 2014, has reached over 80,000 online students from 191 countries. Her learners range from refugees and diplomats to individuals without formal education living on less than $2 USD a day, reflecting her commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.
