Two Ways to Create: An Exploration of Art in Paint and Brick

A Joint Workshop Series by Brick-X & Artemis Rising Studios

Register

Rediscover the Artist Within

Art isn’t just about what we see, it’s about how we see.

Whether you’re picking up a brush for the first time or have been creating for decades, Two Ways to Create invites you to rediscover the foundations that make art both powerful and personal.

In this one-of-a-kind series, you’ll explore the essence of art, not simply how to represent an image, but how to evoke meaning through line, shape, form, space, color, and tone.

Because great artists, at every level, grow when they return to the basics, not as students, but as explorers.

Together, Mandy Bealer of Artemis Rising Studios and Rick Gay of Brick-X bring two creative worlds together: painting and LEGO® art. One soft, expressive, and intuitive. The other structured, tactile, and architectural. Each workshop is a dialogue between mediums – showing how creativity transcends tools and technique.

You’ll create with both paint and brick, learning how the same artistic principles express themselves in completely different ways. You’ll walk away with original artwork, new insights, and a deeper understanding of your own creative instincts.

Why This Workshop Is for You

❋ For New and Aspiring Artists

Learn the core principles of art in a friendly, supportive setting. You’ll gain confidence through hands-on exploration, no prior experience needed.

❋ For experienced and professional artists

Reconnect with the building blocks of creativity. These sessions are designed to challenge assumptions, inspire fresh thinking, and expand your artistic range by approaching the familiar from a new perspective.

❋ For Everyone

Discover how seeing through two different mediums, the fluidity of paint and the precision of LEGO, can ignite new ideas, refine technique, and reignite creative curiosity.

Workshop Details

  • Schedule:

    • 2 hours monthly on select Tuesday nights (6 PM – 8 PM).
      We are targeting the second and fourth Tuesday of the month
      Begins February 10, 2026 – Sessions run twice a month for 12 sessions and a 13th free exhibit session.

  • Location:

    • Artemis Rising Studios & Brick-X: 3356 Ironbound Road, Building 1, Williamsburg, VA 23188

  • Audience:

    • Ages 12 and up

    • Seats: 20 per session

  • Pricing & Registration:

    • $50 per session / per person

    • 10 % discount when you register for the full series or receive it automatically at your final class if you attend every session.

  • Register Online: [ Sign Up via Square ] (Button Placeholder)

  • Payment Options: Cash | Check | Venmo | PayPal | Credit Card | Square

  • Policies:

    • No refunds after registration, but you may transfer to another date.

    • All materials are provided + light snacks and beverages (including Cleft Coffee favorites).

    • By attending, you agree that photos of you or your art may be used for promotional purposes.

    • You take home everything you create each session!

    • Both studios are located on the second floor and there is no elevator. If accommodations are needed, please let us know at registration.

What You’ll Experience

Each two-hour session begins with a shared introduction of the topic, then participants divide into two groups: half start in Mandy’s painting studio, half start in Rick’s LEGO studio, then, after a short break, each group switches places.

Every session explores a new art fundamental:
color • light • line • form • space • pattern • emotion • story • texture • abstraction • balance • reflection

At the end, you’ll showcase your paired works, one painted and one built, in a co-hosted public exhibit celebrating our creative community.

The Curriculum at a Glance (Full curriculum details will be shared with registered participants.)

  1. Seeing Color: Hue, value, and intensity influence mood & harmony.

  2. Light & Shadow: Create dimensionality with contrast & value.

  3. Line & Movement: Guide the viewer’s eye through rhythm & flow.

  4. Shape & Form: Explore geometric vs. organic 3-D illusion.

  5. Space & Perspective: Use placement and scale to add depth.

  6. Pattern & Rhythm: Build tempo and interest through repetition.

  7. Emotion & Expression: Create from intuition and feeling.

  8. Storytelling: Convey narrative without words. 

  9. Texture: Contrast tactile and visual surfaces.

  10. Abstraction: Simplify reality into color and motion.

  11. Balance & Composition: Arrange for harmony and focus.

  12. Reflection & Curation: Prepare and present your final works.

  13. No workshop - an end of program art show for the participants.

Meet Your Instructors

Mandy Bealer

Abstract Expressionist | Founder, Artemis Rising Studios

Mandy Bealer is an abstract expressionist whose work blends intuition, color, and texture to explore the emotions that connect us all. Working in alcohol ink, acrylic, and mixed media, Mandy transforms both conventional and unconventional materials into luminous compositions that invite reflection and wonder.

Originally from Orange, Texas, Mandy discovered her passion for creativity and healing while living in Utah, where she began her professional journey as a Massage Therapist and Birth Doula in 2001. She moved to Williamsburg, Virginia in 2008 with her husband and growing family, later opening Artemis Rising Studios, where she continues to create, teach workshops, and support families as a Doula and Childbirth Educator. Her art can be seen in several local murals throughout homes and businesses across the area.

As a self-taught artist, Mandy is deeply aware of the exclusivity that can sometimes surround the art world and she stands firmly against it. She believes art is a shared language, one that transcends background or formal training and connects people through feeling. Her goal is for viewers to find something in her work that resonates with their own story and helps them connect, intuitively and emotionally, to themselves and others.

Mandy’s creative voice is rich with contrasts: luxury and playfulness, discipline and freedom, emotion and curiosity. She pushes boundaries by experimenting with new materials and ideas, crafting works that feel both timeless and alive. For Mandy, everything is art, and creation itself is an act of joy.

“Art doesn’t always need a deep meaning behind it. To be put simply – it can just be fun.” - Mandy Bealer

Visit https://www.artemisrisingstudios.com for more information about Mandy

Rick Gay

LEGO® Artist | Founder, Brick-X

Rick’s artistic journey is one of craftsmanship, imagination, and rediscovery. From woodworking with his father to shaping the creative environments around him, Rick has always been drawn to the process of transforming raw materials into something meaningful. Much of his early work was connected to boats and the sea, where he learned precision, patience, and an appreciation for the beauty of a flawless finish.

Rick had a career in the U.S. Coast Guard, where creativity often showed itself through ingenuity and leadership rather than traditional art. Yet he never stopped creating. Whether he was designing scale train displays, building elaborate Halloween experiences for his community, or staging living history scenes, Rick continually sought ways to bring people together through storytelling and design.

After retiring, Rick rediscovered his artistic spark through LEGO® bricks – a medium that merges structure with imagination, and nostalgia with modern creativity. What began as play evolved into a passion for visual storytelling and form. Today, through Brick-X, Rick explores how simple elements can convey complex emotions, proving that even a brick can speak to the human experience.

For Rick, art is about the joy of making connections: between ideas, between people, and between what’s real and what’s imagined. His work ranges from whimsical and joyful builds to deeply conceptual pieces that challenge perception. Every creation invites the viewer to look closer, reflect, and perhaps see a bit of themselves in the design.

“Art doesn’t have to be serious to be significant. Sometimes wonder itself is the message.” - Rick Gay

Questions & Contact

2ways2create@gmail.com | Doc@brick-x.com | iamartemisrising@gmail.com

Follow #BrickX #ArtemisRisingStudios #TwoWaysToCreate #2ways2create #mandybealer