Acrylic Painting: Myth and Visual Narrative 

with Mahsa Farzi

• Dates: Sundays, April 12, 19, 26 & May 3, 2026 (4 weeks)
• Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
• Cost:  $150
• Venue: Maplewood House (399 Seymour River Pl, North Vancouver)
• Age: 15+ 
  
  
  

Other Courses From the Same Instructor

For those who want to start building confidence with mixed media first, Mahsa’s Mixed Media Sketchbook: A Process-Led Practice course takes place this February. This course provides a supportive, low-pressure introduction to materials, layering, and creative exploration, and serves as a  foundation for developing the skills and personal approach applied in this acrylic painting course.

About

Growing up in Iran, Mahsa Farzi was surrounded by stories, stories of kings and fairies, the tales of Nane Darya, and the world of One Thousand and One Nights. These stories existed not only in books, but in images, poetry, gestures, and family memory. In Iranian culture, symbols do not simply decorate; they carry meaning. They hold grief and tenderness, exile and belonging, love and longing, and offer ways to communicate experiences that are difficult to put into words.

Stories, myths, and symbols have long been used to carry memory, belief, longing, and transformation. Across cultures, symbolic imagery provides a way to explore experiences that resist direct explanation. This course invites participants to use painting as a form of visual storytelling, while simultaneously building practical acrylic skills and technical confidence.

This four-week course combines imaginative exploration with hands-on technique. Participants will develop characters, motifs, and imagined worlds informed by memory, dreams, and lived experience, while also learning core acrylic painting techniques, including underpainting, layering, glazing, and building texture to create depth and visual interest. The course also emphasizes control of color, value, contrast, and edges, helping participants shape mood, atmosphere, and narrative impact within their work.

Led by Emily Carr instructor and UBC MFA artist Mahsa Farzi, the course draws on her experience teaching painting, figurative drawing, and foundation-level studio courses. Mahsa works with students to develop a personal approach to their imagery, integrating both conceptual storytelling and technical skill.

Through short demonstrations, guided prompts, and iterative exercises, participants will experiment with materials and techniques while exploring symbolism, narrative, and mythic inspiration. Over the weeks, students will develop a central character or symbolic idea and translate it into painted form, applying the technical tools learned to strengthen the expressive and visual impact of their work.

The course is structured to create a supportive studio environment where experimentation, skill development, revision, and discovery are all part of the creative process.

Cost: $150 (4 weeks)

What to Expect

• Confidence working with acrylic paint and core techniques such as layering, underpainting, glazing, texture, color, value, and contrast.
• Guided prompts for developing symbolic imagery and narrative ideas
• Exploration of myth, folk tales, memory, and personal symbolism
• Skills in composition and translating narrative ideas into painted images

Who This Course Is For

• Artists seeking to deepen their subject matter through story and symbolism
• Beginners looking for structured instruction in acrylic painting
• Creatives interested in myth, folk tales, and narrative imagery
• Writers, illustrators, designers, and storytellers exploring visual language
• Adults feeling stuck and looking for new creative direction

What You’ll take home

• A finished large-scale painting featuring your own mythic character, symbols, or narrative imagery, ready to display or frame
• Supporting studies and smaller explorations created on mixed media, acrylic, or canvas pads.
  
  

What You need to bring

• Large Canvas 12" × 12" to 16" × 16"9 your choice Buzz Pre-Stretched Canvas - Deep – Opus Art Supplies
• Participants are encouraged to bring multiple sources of inspiration, such as personal stories, dreams, folk tales, poems, printed images, or symbolic objects. Having several reference points supports flexibility and creative momentum throughout the course.
  
  

Member Discount

15% discount for North Van Arts Members.

Become a member and unlock a world of benefits! As part of your membership, you’ll enjoy a 15% discount on select Arts Education Adult & Youth classes and workshops.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Membership: Become a member of North Van Arts to access exclusive perks.
2. Discount Code: Call us at 604-988-6844 to receive your unique discount code.
3. Redeem Discount: Remember, you must be a member before receiving the discount. Once you have your code, simply follow these steps to apply the 15% off:
   • Browse the available Adult & Youth classes and workshops.
   • During the checkout process, you’ll find a field to enter your coupon code. Enter the code and apply it.
   • Your 15% discount will be automatically calculated and reflected in your total purchase amount.

Ready to enhance your artistic journey? Join today and take advantage of this incredible offer.


Registration closes at midnight on the Wednesday before the first session begins.