Cohorts: Monthly Member Roundtables for Serious Painters
Join live, focused discussions where Painting Best Practices topics are examined in practical terms—what works in the studio, what fails, and how to make better material and technique decisions.
Cohorts is included with Artisan and Enthusiast memberships.
Next Cohort Meeting
Cohorts: Mediums Clinic: When, Where, and How Much?
Date/Time: October 31, 2026 11:00 AM (Pacific Time)
This Cohorts meeting applies the framework from Why Painters Use Medium: Purpose, Dose, and What Remains to common studio decisions. We will examine when a medium addresses a defined need, what change the painter expects, what may evaporate, remain, or continue reacting, and how dose and placement affect the decision. The meeting begins with a 30-minute presentation using practical cases, followed by questions and open discussion. No advance preparation is required, but participants are welcome to bring questions about a medium they use, how much they add, and where they use it in their paintings.
What Cohorts Is
Cohorts is a monthly roundtable discussion for members of Painting Best Practices.
Articles and Technical Studio Sessions introduce and explain technical ideas. Cohorts are where those ideas are tested against real studio practice.
These are not lectures. They are structured conversations focused on applying technical knowledge, examining where common advice fails, and clarifying decisions that affect long-term stability.
Why Members Join Cohorts
Translate theory into practice
Move from understanding concepts to making better studio decisions.
Examine real problems
Discuss issues that arise in actual paintings—not idealized examples.
Challenge assumptions
Test widely repeated advice against material behavior.
Learn from other serious painters
Compare approaches and constraints.
Stay engaged over time
Follow ongoing topics and deepen your understanding.
How Cohorts Differs from Technical Studio Sessions
Technical Studio Sessions
- Structured presentations
- Focused instruction
- Demonstration and explanation
Cohorts
- Member roundtable discussions
- Focus on application and interpretation
- Driven by real questions and studio experience
Technical Studio Sessions explain the subject.
Join Cohorts with Either Membership Options
Enthusiast
- Access to live monthly Cohorts discussions
- Participate in focused member conversations
- Stay connected to ongoing topics
Artisan
- Includes all Cohorts access
- Includes Technical Studio Sessions
- Includes replay access and deeper resources
Past Cohorts Meetings
Past Cohorts Meetings
Cohorts Meeting Recordings
Impasto Without Regrets
A focused conversation on building texture without creating future conservation problems. We looked at how paint thickness, pigment choice, oil content, and drying behavior affect cracking, wrinkling, and long-term stability in impasto painting.
Varnishing Beyond the Surface
A practical discussion on what varnish actually does in oil painting—optically, structurally, and over time. This Cohort expanded on the Technical Studio Session by examining color saturation, gloss control, oxygen permeability, and the myths surrounding “breathing” paintings and removable varnishes.
Artisan Archive
Login to your account to watch the recordings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cohorts?
A monthly discussion focused on applying technical painting knowledge.
Who can attend?
Artisan and Enthusiast members.
Do I need to register?
Yes, to receive the Zoom link.
Are recordings available?
Artisan members have access to past recordings of Cohorts meetings.
How is this different from Technical Studio Sessions?
Sessions teach; Cohorts discuss the application.
Can I ask questions at the Cohorts meetings?
Yes, you can ask questions, and in fact, questions and open discussions are encouraged.
Join the Discussion
Cohorts is where technical ideas are tested, questioned, and applied.
If you want to make more informed decisions about materials and technique, this is where those conversations happen.