Nature of Oils
A transformative masterclass series in oil painting, exploring technique, texture and the living essence of oils with Jessie Cooney.
Painting can be viewed as a conversation with time, matter, and memory. In a world that rushes, this mentorship invites stillness — the slow rhythm of oil, breath, and becoming. Here, pigment meets soul, and every layer is an exploration of light, depth, and presence.
Private, Nature-Led Mentorship
The Offering
The Nature of Oils is a series of private, one-on-one sessions, shaped around your individual rhythm, vision, and inspiration. Together we cultivate paintings that carry weight, light, and spirit, from the initial charcoal sketch to luminous final layers.
This mentorship is a journey of self-discovery and creative identity. Each session guides you in finding your voice, understanding your aesthetic, and building confidence in your process. Every mark reflects your curiosity, intuition, and sensitivity.
Sessions meet you where you are — emotionally, technically, and spiritually — whether beside the ocean, in a quiet garden, or online from your own space. Oils must rest between layers, and so must we; this is a slow, deliberate, meditative dialogue with the medium.
The Experience
This is not a class in competition or performance.
It is a sacred, private space, where curiosity, courage, and self-expression are nurtured.
You will explore your vision through the rich, tactile language of oil: the buttery sheen of pigments, the slow alchemy of layers, the luminous dance of light captured on canvas. This is a space where students connect with their intuition, discover personal style, and deepen their creative identity — a safe container to experiment, observe, and evolve as an artist.
Discovering Your Inspiration
Many artists struggle to find what truly moves them.
The Nature of Oils Masterclass is designed as a journey into the heart of your own creativity.
Through guided observation, discussion, and exercises in both studio and natural settings, you will:
Notice the subtleties of light, colour, and form in the world around you
Explore personal memories, emotions, and experiences as sources of creative fuel
Translate inspiration into visual language through sketching and underpainting
Cultivate a practice of reflection and presence, helping you see not just what you paint, but why you paint it
By the end of your mentorship, you will not only have created a painting but also understood more deeply what moves you as an artist, and how to connect with that inspiration whenever you pick up a brush.
Step into a private, one-on-one journey of oil painting. Discover what inspires you, connect with your unique creative voice, and explore the slow, luminous rhythm of oil.
Teaching in Your Creative Space
Art flourishes where the artist feels most at home. The Nature of Oils is designed to meet you in your own environment — the space where your imagination breathes most freely.
By working within your personal studio or chosen setting, each session becomes an intimate, grounded experience. You’ll find yourself painting with greater ease, flow, and authenticity, surrounded by the textures, light, and rhythm that inspire you. This approach honours your individuality as an artist and creates the perfect conditions for your creative voice to emerge.
Your Mentorship Includes:
Guided sketching, underpainting, and layering
Exploration of personal inspiration and artistic identity
Each student receives a Nature of Oils Atelier Kit, curated for quality and tactile engagement:
A gallery-quality stretched canvas, sized according to your mentorship choice
A Rosemary & Co. brush, chosen for responsiveness and comfort
Classical mediums and an essential Sennelier oil paint selection
Reference notes to guide your process
These materials support a ritual of making, allowing focus, presence, and inspiration to flourish naturally.
Private, supportive, one-on-one sessions
Choose Your Journey:
3 Sessions: Introductory, smaller canvas, foundations & first painting
5 Sessions: Full mentorship, larger canvas, advanced techniques & refined painting