Ink & Earth: Observing the Texas Fall
Immerse yourself in the shifting colors and textures of the Texas autumn in this expressive sketching class led by Texas artist Emma C. Schmidt at Art Ranch. During this workshop, you will walk the beautiful Art Ranch property and observe the natural world with fresh eyes, exploring the wild beauty of the fall landscape through bold, expressionistic mark-making. Using ink as the primary medium, Emma will guide you, with a focus on capturing texture, movement, and the unique character of the season’s foliage and terrain. Whether you're a beginner or experienced artist, this course encourages intuitive rendering over realism, celebrating the raw, tactile essence of nature. All materials are provided—just bring your curiosity and a sense of wonder!
In this workshop:
Through guided observation, you'll learn to capture the intricate details of native landscape and flora, from the delicate veins of a wildflower to the rugged bark of a live oak. We'll immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds, and scents of the ranch, allowing the sensory richness of the environment to inform our artistic expression. Beyond the visual, we'll explore the tactile qualities of the land, translating the textures of earth, stone, and plant life onto paper. This workshop is a journey of discovery, encouraging you to see the Texas ranch landscape with fresh eyes and translate its essence into your own unique illustrations. Join us as we celebrate the land's inherent beauty and capture its spirit through art.
Instructor: Emma C Schmidt
As a native Texan artist with a deep love for nature, Emma draws inspiration from the world around her to create hand drawn designs that tell meaningful stories. With a background in painting from Savannah College of Art & Design, she has grown her art practice through a range of mediums, including intricate inked maps, watercolors, illustration and large-scale painted murals. Her primary medium is cartography, creating maps that tell stories, give direction and chart memories. Emma approaches her work as a cartographer through a storytelling lens to create artwork that highlights a geographic place’s uniqueness, often with a keen attention to the native flora and fauna of a particular place. Illustrations play a central role in her art practice, drawing inspiration from decorative, vintage maps and antique botanical engravings.
Location: ART RANCH, Fredericksburg, TX located 10 minutes drive north west of town center.
Date: October 11, 2025
Hours: 10 am - 3 pm
Lodging at the ranch: on a first come basis lodging is available at the ranch in the modern artists casitas. Booking can be made by following the links in the "stay in the casitas /stay at ART RANCH" tab on our website or directly by calling Absolute Charm our booking service at 830-997-2749.
Additional Information: After registration and prior to the workshop students will receive day of instructions including directions and all other necessary details.
Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.