Upcoming Events
Past Events
Open Table event
Try Liquitex Bio-Based Heavy Body Acrylic Paint and Bio-Based Mediums
Visit our flagship store to paint and experiment with Liquitex Bio-Based Heavy Body Acrylic and Bio-Based Mediums. Try out different techniques, test pigments and see if Bio-Based interests you!
🎨 What to expect:
- A casual, open-table painting setup
- All supplies provided—just bring your creativity!
Stop in anytime between 10am to 6pm to join the fun.
Zoom Demo
Liquitex Bio-Based Heavy Body Acrylic
Zoom Demo with Kareen Hague
Join us over Zoom with Liquitex Demo Artist Kareen Hague to explore the NEW Liquitex Bio-Based Heavy Body Acrylics. Kareen will explore colour mixing and details about Bio-Based Mediums using a palette knife, brushes and recycled items from around the house.
Follow along and learn about the characteristics of newest sustainable range of acrylics from Liquitex while creating your own impressionistic land or waterscape.
If you love to paint and want to have some fun, this demo is for you! Paint along with Kareen or just observe and ask questions to help you on your painting journey.
Stay tuned for the recording of this demo – available soon!
Recommended Materials
Misc materials: palette, palette knife, recycled plastic bag (clear if possible), recycled papers (small pieces), scissors, rag or paper towels and a water container.
About the Artist
Kareen Hague is an experimental fine artist who works out of her home studio in Markham, ON. Kareen’s art captures the essence of realism with an impressionistic touch. She covers her canvas with paper and mediums creating an unexpected textural surface to capture the many layers of colour.
Kareen is a Member of the Toronto Artists’ Network Board of Directors and part of the executive team as Treasurer. Her work hangs in various group shows each year and can be found in collections in Canada, USA and France.
See and follow her work on: Instagram: @artofabstraction – Website: artofabstraction.ca
MaimeriBlu Watercolour Valentine's
Day Card Demo with Kelly Baskin
Drop by our flagship store to paint a special Valentine’s Day card using vibrant MaimeriBlu watercolours! Join us in-store, where local artist Kelly Baskin will guide you through painting techniques and answer all your watercolour questions.
🎨 What to expect:
- A casual, open-table painting setup
- Beautiful examples and guidance from Kelly Baskin
- All supplies provided—just bring your creativity and keep your Valentine in mind!
Stop in anytime between 3 PM and 6 PM to join the fun.
💌 Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @aboveground.to to share your creations!
About the Artist
Kelly Baskin is a Professional Artist based out of Toronto, ON. Baskin graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a minor in Art History from Queen’s University. She is currently working as the Fine Art Educator and Professional Artist for the FILA Group- Dixon Ticonderoga ART ULC, representing some of the world’s leading Fine Art brands including Canson, Strathmore, Arches, Saunders, Bockingford, Daler-Rowney, Princeton and Maimeri.
See and follow her work on: Instagram: @artbykellybaskin – Website: www.kellybaskin.studio
Zoom Demo
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour Zoom Demo with Nicki Traikos
Vintage Florals using Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour
Explore painting along with Nicki Traikos as she guides you step-by-step how to paint a vintage inspired floral bouquet using Winsor & Newton’s Revival Colours. To start, Nicki will share the exciting range of Revival Watercolour paints along with some of her favorite supplies from Winsor & Newton’s Professional Watercolour range. Then, Nicki will demonstrate how she enjoys painting florals loosely while allowing the colours to mix and mingle while still wet. Join Nicki for this fun and easy to follow demo using Winsor & Newton’s Professional Watercolour paints.
To follow along: stock up the materials list below and download the line art, created by Nicki for the demo. To trace onto watercolour paper: use a lightbox, carbon paper, tracing paper, or a window!
Recommended Materials
About the Artist
Nicki Traikos is an artist, author and online instructor who is passionate about sharing her love for making with fellow artists and creatives. Nicki founded Life I Design in 2012 and had one goal in mind, that was to pursue her passion for art and making while carving out a sustainable business at the same time. Nicki’s passions are her family, creating works that inspire, and guiding people to find their own inner artist. “Passion isn’t something you can explain, it’s what you feel when you’re happiest.” Nicki lives by this and translates this into the art she creates, the books she creates and the classes she teaches.
See and follow her work on: Instagram: @nicki_traikos – Website: nickitraikos.com
Open Table event
Try Revival Colours and Watercolour Mediums with Nicki Traikos
Enjoy product and technique demonstrations in-store with Nicki Traikos. Nicki will be sharing a few of her favorite Watercolour Mediums while using Winsor & Newton’s Revival Colours as she explores painting a forest scene. Test paints, brushes and paper and a few of Nicki’s favorite supplies from Winsor & Newton’s Professional Watercolour range as well as Nicki’s starter professional watercolour set.
Recommended Materials
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour Paints: Aureolin Hue, Tyrian Purple, Viridian Hue, Cinnabar Green, Mineral Grey and Payne’s Grey.
Nicki Traikos’ Starter Professional Watercolour set
Winsor & Newton Professional Synthetic Sable Brushes: Rounds – Size 6, Size 4, Size 2, Stroke – 3/4″
Paper: Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour Block Cold Press, Fine Grain
Mediums: Winsor & Newton Texture Medium, Winsor & Newton Granulation Medium
Charbonnel Open Table
Join us for an exclusive, hands-on printing experience!
Discover Charbonnel’s Washable Printing Ink at any Above Ground location. We’ll provide a variety of lino blocks and paper for you to experiment. Bring your sketchbook, paper, or even your own lino blocks to print with this incredible ink!
Whether you bring your own materials or use ours, everyone’s welcome—no matter your skill level!
Etching Inks
60ml tubes & 200ml tins
Water Washable Ink
60ml tubes
Water Washable Ink
200ml tins
Chemicals & Grounds
Great printmaking additions
We are giving away TWO $138 value
Charbonnel Print Making Bundles
1st bundle: in-store
ONLY during the Charbonnel Open Table event from Oct. 18-20
2nd bundle: on Instagram
Keep an eye on our instagram page to learn how to enter our giveaway
Celebrate our 41st Anniversary
Fundraising Event for SickKids Foundation
What does it do: We are fundraising for SickKids so they can: – Diagnose Faster: A quicker answer to “what’s wrong?” – Treat Smarter: Knowing the right way to make it better. – Predict Better: Being able to fight against your child’s illness, by knowing what’s coming. Maybe even stopping illness before it strikes.
*20% discount only applicable on orders that include the $5 donation to SickKids Foundation. Discount cannot be combined with additional discounts, promotions, or coupons. A maximum of one 20% discount can be applied per order, regardless of the donation amount. No rain checks, holds or special orders. Discount cannot be used to purchase Gift Cards or E-Gift Cards. In stock items only. Not retroactively applicable to past purchases. Fundraising event ends on July 27th at 10 pm EST.
MaimeriBlu Watercolour Demo Table with Kelly Baskin
Experience the exceptional purity and lightfastness firsthand with Kelly Baskin
MaimeriBlu Watercolour Demo with Kelly Baskin
Friday, April 26th at 2 pm EST
Join Kelly for an informative demonstration where you will be provided with all the tools you need to paint with confidence!
She will open the demo with an introduction to watercolours where she will discuss various watercolour techniques, the importance of using quality products, differences between student grade and artist grade materials, how to paint using a limited palette, how to mix with single pigment colours, mastering watercolour paint consistencies, choosing your brush fibers, and much more!
After you have this valuable background knowledge, Kelly will lead a project-based demonstration where you can practice what you have learned.
This is a wonderful demonstration for artists of all skill levels.
About the Artist
Kelly Baskin is a Professional Artist based out of Toronto, ON. Baskin graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a minor in Art History from Queen’s University. She is currently working as the Fine Art Educator and Professional Artist for the FILA Group- Dixon Ticonderoga ART ULC, representing some of the world’s leading Fine Art brands including Canson, Strathmore, Arches, Saunders, Bockingford, Daler-Rowney, Princeton and Maimeri.
See and follow her work on: Instagram: @artbykellybaskin – Website: www.kellybaskin.studio
Gamblin Oil Paint Demo with Mary Tevlin
Friday, April 5th at 2 pm EST
In this casual Virtual Workshop, we will discover, select, and master the materials that are best suited to each of our own artistic intentions. Mary will review and demonstrate the items from the Gamblin Oil Painting Must Haves Set, which boasts having everything you need to start painting, clean-up and varnish your finished work!
Mary will also help us in learning how to build our own personal palette of colours through simple colour mixing practices, while sharing some fascinating information about how some of the oil colours are crafted.
Recommended Materials
Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Demo with Veronica Herrera
Friday, March 22nd at 2 pm EST
Join Veronica Herrera as she demonstrates the versatility of Liquitex Acrylic Gouache. Follow her step-by-step demonstration and paint an abstract painting with fluorescent Liquitex Acrylic Gouache colours. Veronica will also share useful information about lightfastness and differences between pigments and dyes to help you navigate your own palette choices.
If you love a matt finish gouache with the fluidity, opacity, and permanence of acrylic, this is the demo for you!
Use coupon code LIQUITEX15 to save 15% off on Liquitex Acrylic Gouache and Liquitex Recycled Canvases. Coupon valid in-store and online until March 29th (at 10 pm EST online). Conditions apply.
Materials used
About the Artist
Veronica Herrera was born in San Antonio, Texas and now lives in Denver where she is a Professor of Fine Art at the University of Colorado Denver. She earned her B.F.A in drawing from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She continued her education at the University of Colorado Boulder where she earned her M.F.A in painting and drawing. She has exhibited in notable spaces such as the Museo de las Americas, the Arvada Center for the Arts, CU Museum of Natural History and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.
See and follow her work on instagram: @veronicaherrera791
Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Open Table
Saturday, March 23rd at any Above Ground location
Nothing beats learning a new medium than personal experimentation.
Come to any Above Ground Art Supplies store location to try Liquitex Acrylic Gouache for yourself.
Faber-Castell Urban Sketching Demonstration with Jens Huebner
Join us for an incredible Faber-Castell demo with German Urban Sketch Artist Jens Huebner. You enjoyed our last demo with Jens so much that we asked him to come back in honour of Inktober.
The demo will be divided into two parts, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. During the first part, Jens will discuss tonal values and the reduction of colour using Faber-Castell Watercolour Markers, Pitt Artist Pen fineliners, and Albrecht Dürer Watercolor pencils.
In the second part, Jens will demonstrate sketching on toned paper using Pitt Artist Pen Dual Markers and Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Markers. He will reveal all his tricks for creating special effects beyond just drawing lines with the markers.
Materials used
About the Artist
Jens Huebner was born in Germany and studied Industrial design in Berlin, Germany and Calgary, Canada.He founded his own design studio with a friend in Berlin. 10 years later, the design studio was sold and he cycled around the world for 2 years. During that time, Jens started sketching and watercolour painting during his travels. This has led him to become an Urban Sketcher when he moved back to Germany. Today, Huebner teaches illustration at AIDBerlin (art school in Berlin) in the winter time. When school is out, during the summer, he travels by bike or motorcycle through Europe to teach art workshops. He has taught classes and demos around the world such as in Japan, Korea, China, Sudan, Tansania, South Africa, New Zealand… See and follow his work on instagram: @jenshuebner