Our stuffed animals are often our secret keepers and unsung heroes that have followed some of us from infancy to adulthood. In this class we will use oil paints and gold leaf to sanctify and honor our stuffed animals and illuminate their importance the way so many of them have illuminated our darkest nights. During out first class, we will bring either a stuffed animal or a photo of one and begin our sketches for our paintings. We will decide whether to use atmospheric ambience as our backgrounds or if our stuffed animals are more suited to be in their natural habitats: bed. On the second day of class, we will either begin or continue the beginning stages of our paintings and explore the color, form, textures, and value of our stuffed animals with oil paint. On the third day of class, we will apply our gold leaf in carefully chosen areas of the compositions, and finish the final details of our stuffie portraits.