Artist and graphic designer Merrill Crowell will teach a 3-session series of watercolor classes at the Knippenberg Center for Education at Laurelwood Arboretum on June 10, 17 and 24 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The classes are sponsored by Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum. The arboretum is located at 725 Pines Lake Drive West in Wayne.

The fee for the series is $30 for members of Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum and $40 for nonmembers. A required $25 materials fee includes paint box, brushes, handouts, and a pad of Arches 140 cold press watercolor paper. Registration and material fees are required through www.laurelwoodarboretum.org

Participants in the Watercolor Magic classes will learn time-tested techniques for using this fluid, transparent medium effectively. The series will cover material selection, preparation, color choice and mixing, and composition. Crowell will also discuss how to create the illusion of distance in a painting.

Crowell has taught weekly watercolor classes at the Wayne Public Library. During the course of her professional career she was a graphic designer on projects ranging from advertising design and production to exhibit graphics and illustrations for museums and trade shows. She also taught 2D and 3D design, graphic delineation and graphic design, layout and typography at William Paterson University in Wayne.

Watercolor Magic is but one of a number of educational programs and activities for the community sponsored by Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum. For information about other events, please check our calendar page.