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Wednesdays, March 11 - April 15, 2026
Letterpress, also known as moveable type, is the process of printing with moveable components of either wood or lead type. Today, letterpress printing has become fashionable, used to print wedding invitations, business cards, and anything with that traditional vintage look. In this six-week course, students will learn the process of setting both wood and lead type and printing on a Vandercook letterpress. Instruction will also explore letterpress as a wonderful tool for printing images in edition through the creation of pressure prints. Printing of relief blocks, registration, layout, paper size, and color will also be discussed. This class is open to beginners and advanced artists. Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Rosae Reeder
Cost: $315
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Wednesdays, March 11 - April 8, 2026
Students will strengthen core watercolor skills while learning how to paint atmospheric landscapes, convincing reflections in water, and lively streetscapes. Each week builds on the last, introducing new techniques, composition strategies, and subject challenges. Lets have fun painting in a loose, impressionistic manner by learning how to simplify and edit scenes to come up with convincing paintings using your own photographs. Hands on step-by-step guidance and instruction will be provided.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Radhika Srinivas
Cost: $240
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 12, 2026
At the end of the 16th century, seven Netherlandish provinces joined together to form the Dutch Republic and throughout the 17th century ushered in an era of economic prosperity and military prowess. Known as the Dutch Golden Age it also produced some of the finest paintings of the time from artists such as Frans Hals, Jan van Goyen, Salomon and Jacob van Ruysdael, and Johannes Vermeer. This talk will explore the history surrounding the formation of the Dutch Republic and look closely at works by some of its most prominent painters. The talk can be enjoyed on its own or in preparation for the upcoming talk The Art of Rembrandt on April 23rd. William Perthes is an educator, author, and curator.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: William Perthes
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, March 12 - April 16, 2026
Explore the possibilities of palette knife painting in this six-week course led by artist Shushana Rucker. Designed for painters of all levels, the course introduces students to a range of knife techniques for applying oil paint to create bold lines and strong texture. Through demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual feedback, students will learn how to mix bold color and use texture to heighten expression and atmosphere. Working from observation and reference imagery, participants will complete several finished paintings and develop a personal approach to working with the knife. No prior palette knife experience required.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Shushana Rucker
Cost: $295
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

March 13-15, 2026
This workshop will focus on the problem of combining the genres of still-life and interior painting into a single picture. We will start by addressing the problem of finding a subject and the practical and formal problems of setting up a still life. We will discuss how to organize and simplify complex information, how to have a unified sense of light throughout the picture and how to perceive color and tone relationships. We will also cover aspects of drawing that will help in the creation of a convincing sense of space. Students are welcome to bring their own objects or work with objects on hand at the center. You can use, oil paint, acrylic paint, gouache or pastel.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Peter Van Dyck
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 14, 2026
Bring a little magic to your home -- make your own whimsical woodland gnome complete with a beard and pointy hat! Join us for an afternoon of clay together with your child to create a little gnome sculpture all your own. Learn the basics of working with kiln-fired clay and colorful glazes while you make one project together with your child. If you each want to create your own project, please register yourself and each child separately. Ages 6 and up with an adult. All works created will be fired and ready for pick up approximately two weeks from the date of the workshop.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Cost: $55
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 14-15, 2026
Gain the basics you need to step into an acrylic painting practice! Learn to use quick-drying acrylics in thin, transparent layers as well as thicker, more opaque applications that produce textural and impasto effects. Materials like fluid mediums, gels, and pastes will be demonstrated, along with both brush and palette knife techniques. Experiment with both limited and expanded color palettes as you work from still life subjects. This workshop is ideal for students looking for a non-toxic, flexible painting medium, as well as anyone seeking to explore acrylics’ excellent potential for representational and abstract work. Drawing experience is recommended.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Saturdays, March 14 - April 18, 2026
Paint from a life model in a multi-week-pose format to develop and refine your figure painting compositions. Extended poses will allow students to adjust and resolve issues of surface, color, and composition. Instruction will cover a variety of topics including glazing, broken color, surface texture, composition and design, the relationship of the figure to the environment, the creation of atmosphere and color harmony, disrupted realism, and open- versus closed-form painting. All levels welcome. Instruction will be geared toward oil, but students are welcome to draw-only, or use other appropriate media, if they wish. Note: Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: David Wilson
Cost: $330
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Sundays, March 15 - April 26, 2026
William Rush was the first major American sculptor, a master of woodcarving as well as terracotta and bronze. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ cast collection houses several of Rush’s portraits and figures, and this class offers the rare opportunity to closely study these masterpieces. Students will copy a sculpture by Rush, learning both the particularities of the master’s technique and the basic principles of terracotta figure modeling. All levels are welcome for this exciting opportunity to closely study Rush’s sculpture in anticipation of the PAFA Museum's landmark exhibition, A Nation of Artists.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Morgan Dummitt
Cost: $345
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

March 21, 2026
Embrace the vibrant renewal of spring by creating a field sketchbook dedicated to the season’s first growth. This hands-on workshop invites participants to capture the earliest indicators of a new botanical cycle—delicate ferns, fleeting spring ephemerals, sprouting bulbs and flowers, and the swelling buds of trees—through lively exercises in pencil, ink, and watercolor. Learn to observe subtle changes in the landscape as expert instruction guides you through techniques for recording form, color, and texture in real time. Perfect for both budding and experienced artists, this class will nurture observational skills and creativity while deepening your connection to nature’s awakening. Leave with a good start to a beautifully illustrated sketchbook filled with your own studies of spring’s earliest wonders.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Margaret Saylor
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 21-22, 2026
Unlocking Composition is a two-day immersive workshop that helps artists create stronger, more visually engaging paintings by putting theory into practice. Working from their own photos, participants will learn to break down complex scenes into simplified shapes and values. They’ll learn how to make and use focal areas that guide the viewer’s eye. On the second day, we’ll delve into understanding balance and unity to create harmony in a painting. Through lectures, demonstrations, and one-on-one- instruction, artists will learn the tools Mark uses to analyze and design a painting. By the end, artists will have practical tools and strategies to approach composition confidently and apply key principles to their own work, helping their paintings feel more cohesive and engaging.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Mark Vander Vinne
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 21-22, 2026
Embody the spirit of spring with fresh and immediate painting! Learn to capture the essence of a living, botanical subject quickly and spontaneously in pencil and watercolor. This alla prima method can be used for preparatory studies for sustained paintings, compiling a field sketchbook, or as an end in itself. All levels welcome. Tuition includes a $10 materials fee to cover floral subjects.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Linda Gist
Cost: $205
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

March 21 & 22, 2026
These two carefully guided, immersive days in the studio will focus on nurturing perceptual discrimination and clarifying observation, asking questions about not what we see, but more importantly, how we see, within the experience of visual encounter. Working both the from the model and from reproductions (including older and 20th century masters,) we’ll paint our way through a sequence of playful visual exercises and explorations, to understand that abstraction – composition/design with color and shape – is THE foundation, the great engine behind all painting.
Location: Philadelphia, PA, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Stuart Shils
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Wednesdays, March 25 - April 15, 2026
Geometry has been a source of interest, beauty and creative inspiration for the artist through the ages. Geometric forms, lines and shapes are all around us and can be seen in everything from architecture to plant life to seashells. Learn non-mathematical strategies inspired by geometry designed to enhance your ongoing body of work or be the starting point for a new one with focus on simplifying subject matter, building a unified composition and creating or enhancing a color palette. Work in the medium of your choice: acrylic, gouache or watercolor while working from your own reference photographs, drawings, books or digital imagery. Designed for both beginners and experienced art makers.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Michael Smith
Cost: $175
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery & Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

March 28-29, 2026
This intensive workshop is designed for those looking to push their portrait drawing abilities toward the professional level. Demonstrations and in-class exercises will open up how you see, think, and approach the creation of a likeness, avoiding common pitfalls. Explore subtleties of form and the relationships of lines, planes and tones, capturing the character and energy of the subject. Additionally, instruction will cover facial expressions and deep anatomy of the face, neck, and upper body. Drawing will be primarily in graphite pencil and stick. Introductory portrait drawing or equivalent recommended. Note: Tuition includes a $10 models fee. For more introductory instruction, see the instructor's Portrait in Pencil Workshop (not required for enrollment in the Advanced workshop).
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: RA Friedman
Cost: $205
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

March 28, 2026
Unity ties a painting together—think matching colors, similar brushstrokes, and overall vibe. Rhythm keeps things lively by guiding your eye with repeated shapes, lines, and energetic brushstrokes and marks. When both qualities interact, something remarkable happens: the painting becomes a seamless blend of order and vitality and true beauty emerges. This workshop is all about Unity and Rhythm, and we'll keep things hands-on with some basic techniques you can actually use. Students are encouraged to paint what they love. You can bring objects from home to build your own still life arrangements or bring photo references you like. I will provide a still life arrangement. All skill levels welcome. Work in oil, acrylic, or gouache.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Fred Jackson
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

March 28, 2026
Have you been using a palette knife just to mix paint, but not sure how to use it on the canvas? In this one-day workshop, discover how to paint confidently with a knife to achieve bold texture, crisp edges, and expressive detail. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, you’ll explore techniques for painting architecture and landscapes with depth and energy. Learn to create vibrant color, dynamic texture, and a more painterly approach in this fun, fast-paced class.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Shushana Rucker
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery & Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

March 29, 2026
Do you jot down writings as you paint? Or maybe you have an ongoing writing practice. Join poet and artist Cathleen Cohen and explore the link between painting and poetry. Deepen and expand your creative process even if you've never written a poem before! Draw and paint with watercolor and write in response to helpful prompts in a supportive environment. Examine how artists like Jean Arp, Kenneth Patchen and Wassily Kandinsky linked the written word and visual art. All levels welcome.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Cathleen Cohen
Cost: $75
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery & Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Tuesdays, March 31 - May 5, 2026
Photolithography the process by which images are photographically transferred to a plate and then printed. This wonderfully approachable practice allows students to transition from image creation to printing relatively quickly while still learning the principles of lithographic printmaking. In this short course, students will be guided through the process of creating monochromatic and multi-color lithographs using both photographic materials and hand-drawn imagery. Instruction will cover film drawing techniques, plate exposure, developing, and press printing. This type of printmaking is excellent as an introduction to lithography as well as a great technique for experienced printmakers to add to their repertoire. Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Justine Ditto
Cost: $315
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Wednesdays, April 8 - May 27, 2026
This class offers a combination of instruction and open studio practice allowing students to explore, take chances, develop critical thinking, and cultivate their artistic voices. Participants investigate basic color theory, learn how to create strong compositions, and develop technical skills. The choice of medium is up to each individual. Supportive individual and group critiques, specific assignments and demonstrations will encourage students to pursue their personal styles and growth.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Val Rossman
Cost: $300
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Fridays, April 10 - May 15, 2026
Watercolor is a versatile medium, which can be both transparent and opaque. Using a variety of subject matter, some techniques explored will be drawing for watercolor, painting without drawing, wet-in-wet watercolor, glazing with watercolor washes, the use of gouache and other aqueous media with watercolor. The instructor will start each class with a demonstration or an explanation of the technique for the day. Students will be encouraged to work in their own personal style. Each class will end with a group critique with the emphasis on constructive criticism.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Wendy Scheirer
Cost: $250
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 11-12, 2026
Clouds and trees are common and important features in landscape paintings, their masses frequently encompassing significant portions of the composition. But how does the artist imbue these elements with texture, individuality, and detail without making them appear contrived or overfussed? Examine types of cloud masses and how they may best be translated through additive and reductive methods. Explore means of mimicking organic tree forms through brush movement and how to use color and detail to suggest distance. Instruction includes painting demonstrations as well as a review of how master artists have represented these features in historic and contemporary works. Open to all levels. Demonstrations will be conducted in watercolor, but this class presents valuable information for painters of all media.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: James Toogood
Cost: $225
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

April 11, 2026
Wondering what Water Mixable Oil paints are all about? During this one-day intensive workshop, Beth shares her unique techniques. Beth uses unconventional tools including squeegees and Q-tips, along with her brushes focusing on composition, values, edges, and drawing rather than color. Beth will do a demo and show how she uses photography and simple apps on her phone to simplify forms enhance value and emphasize composition. She will also discuss how to pick objects that make an exciting still life set up. Beth will have paint for her students to try as well as one of her prepared painting panels, brushes and other supplies for you to use during the workshop.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Beth Bathe
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 11-12, 2026
This workshop will provide an opportunity for those interested in the palette knife and other alternative painting tools to broaden horizons and creative skills. While all mediums are invited, the workshop is particularly geared to those working in oils or acrylics. The format, while reinforcing the basic skills needed for the creation of well-balanced colorful images, is individualized to accommodate a wide variety of experience levels as well as styles of painting; and from those interested in representational to abstract imagery. This is the perfect workshop for those wishing to introduce new tools to their repertoire, better master color usage, and gain a range of techniques for applying paint.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Cynthia Rosen
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Sundays, April 12 - May 17, 2026
Capture the small-town beauty Manayunk's hilly streets, rowhomes, and storefronts. Learn to create a convincing sense of space, light and time of day while depicting streetscapes, trees, water and sky. Color mixing and painting techniques for oils will be demonstrated, but all drawing/painting media are welcome. Located just 15 minutes outside of Philadelphia, Manayunk offers engaging urban and riverside neighborhood subjects with parking, shade, provisions and facilities available. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Larry Francis
Cost: $295
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Tuesdays, April 14 - May 12, 2026
This class with instruction by Alice Meyer Wallace will focus on classic watercolor techniques used by Sargeant, Homer, Rodin, Nolde, and particularly Charles Demuth, from Lancaster, PA. Come enjoy this fun and relaxed class! The class will work predominantly from still life but on occasion, the instructor will lead the class in painting from the model (2 times) and there will be an option of experimenting with watercolor and collage.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Alice Meyer-Wallace
Cost: $250
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, April 14 - May 19, 2026
This 12-week course is for beginners who want to explore drawing and oil painting, and for more experienced artists who want to improve their artistic skills. Using still-life compositions, students will learn about form, space, design, value, and color through working observationally. In addition, the instructor will introduce a variety of artists who are representative of the lessons provided and conduct in-process and final critiques for a helpful synopsis of the student’s progress and ideas. The class will be broken up into two weeks of drawing and four weeks of painting, but the student is open to work in any medium if they prefer.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Annie Gardner
Cost: $210
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Wednesdays, April 15 - June 3, 2026
This class will focus on the fundamentals of painting with watercolors and will include step-by-step instruction with demonstrations and practice. Attention and focus on individual growth at the students’ own pace will be central in this class. Learn to paint watercolors in a free, fun and fluent manner. Discover and nurture your own personal style of expression. All levels welcome.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Indira Cariappa
Cost: $290
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, April 16 - May 7, 2026
This class with instruction by Alice Meyer Wallace will focus on classic watercolor techniques used by Sargeant, Homer, Rodin, Nolde, and particularly Charles Demuth, from Lancaster, PA. Come enjoy this fun and relaxed class! The class will work predominantly from still life but on occasion, the instructor will lead the class in painting from the model (2 times) and there will be an option of experimenting with watercolor and collage.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Alice Meyer-Wallace
Cost: $165
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 18-19, 2026
This workshop focuses on discovering your unique abstract voice. Through a series of small paintings created on the first day, you'll begin to recognize the development of your authentic expression and how it distinguishes you from other artists. These initial works may also reveal insights into how adjusting your approach to using visual language can more powerfully express your abstract voice. The second day features group discussion exploring how artistic inspiration shapes color and composition differently for each artist, followed by individual consultations on integrating the workshop's insights into your personal practice. This workshop is for artists with some painting experience and artists with a lot of painting experience.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Marianne Mitchell
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 18-19, 2026
Learn the techniques and tools of figure sculpture through demonstration and hands-on sculpting from the model. Explore anatomy, proportion, gesture, and design through the versatility of clay. Personal expression will be emphasized though representational and abstract approaches. Open to all levels and perfect for beginners. Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Colleen O'Donnell
Cost: $230
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

April 18-19, 2026
Painting a face can be complex, maybe even overwhelming. Knowing where to start can be the key to a meaningful painting process and the success of your work. This workshop is devoted to the crucial first step in developing a portrait – doing a tonal study of the values or “grisaille”. Relative values and creating a sense of light will be explained and demonstrated. We will be concentrating on the proportions of the face and features, and getting a “likeness,” while painting from a live model. Students will be using a single color (or color mix) of paint during this workshop. Demos, handouts, and lots of one-on-one feedback at your easel. The workshop is geared toward oil painting but other mediums are welcome.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Ellen Cooper
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 18, 2026
This workshop is for those who are new to oil painting or have limited experience. Through discussion and demonstration, it covers all the basics such as what painting medium is for and how much to use, what different type brushes are about, and strategies for putting paint on canvas. Learn how to how to mix and use color to get the results you want. Drawing experience is recommended.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederick Kaplan
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery & Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Mondays, April 20 - June 1, 2026
This course will focus on issues of, composition, color, texture, measure, likeness, proportion, with special attention given to technical painting issues, like, how to translate skin’s complex surface characteristics in paint. Demonstrations of a layered painting technique to bring out the full depth and richness of color in our portraits will be presented and discussed. The class will include demonstrations, discussions of masterworks, both traditional and contemporary, and thoughtful feedback on work. The drawing course will be a valuable resource for participants of any age and skill level. This course is open to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced, encouraging all participants to deepen their knowledge of portraiture through the process of painting.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Ernie Norcia
Cost: $300
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Mondays, April 20 - June 1, 2026
The convincing depiction of form in three-dimensional space is one of the great conceptual breakthroughs in Western art initiated during the Renaissance. This class will begin by drawing still life items on toned paper. How do you begin a drawing, and when do you stop? We will explore physical viewpoint, composition and the rendering of light and shadow to create mood and feeling. Recreate what you see with power and fresh vision. The goal is to build a drawing vocabulary that communicates your thoughts and feelings. The class will include demonstrations, discussions of masterworks and thoughtful feedback on class work. The drawing participants will discover this to be a valuable resource for more advanced work in drawing and painting.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Ernie Norcia
Cost: $300
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Mondays, April 20 - June 1, 2026
Working from cast studies and life models, this class emphasizes the rhythm, form and structure of the human figure, with attention placed on introductory anatomy. Students encouraged to explore a variety of mediums, including charcoal and graphite. All levels welcome, from beginner through experienced. High School students ages 16 and older are welcome.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Michael Doyle
Cost: $300
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Mondays, April 20 - June 15, 2026
Take your work to the next level under the mentoring guidance of artist/critic Kassem Amoudi. In this live focused open studio environment, all levels of students will discover how to enhance their own visual language and interests exploring new ways of painting. Expert instruction and advice from the instructor will push students to explore new possibilities and work more intuitively, allowing unplanned marks and passages to become artistic breakthroughs. Examples from contemporary and modern art will be examined to promote a broader understanding of the abstract qualities of space, line and color. Advance beyond confined lines and hard edges to a more liberated way of painting. It does not matter What you paint. It is the How you paint it.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, April 21 - May 12, 2026
Discover the freedom and spontaneity of loose watercolor painting in this fun, relaxed class! This course focuses on letting go of perfection and embracing the unpredictable beauty of watercolor. You'll learn techniques for painting with soft edges, vibrant color blends, and expressive brushwork—without getting caught up in too many details. Working from your own photo references, we’ll explore subjects like florals, landscapes, and everyday scenes, while gaining confidence in your own unique style. If you’d like to break out of a tight, controlled approach, this class will help you loosen up and enjoy the process.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Anne Whalon
Cost: $210
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 23, 2026
Few artists are as universally admired as Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669). With a career spanning the 17th century Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt created intimate and probing self portraits and monumental civic works like 1642s The Night Watch. In his lifetime Rembrandt experienced both great success and devastating failures. This talk will consider the breath of Rembrandt’s work from brash early pictures to contemplative late ones. We’ll also explore the evolution of his painting technique which has been described as a kind of alchemy. The Art of Rembrandt builds on the groundwork of the talk Dutch Golden Age Painting presented on March 12th. William Perthes is an educator, author, and curator.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: William Perthes
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, April 23 - May 14, 2026
Water-based paints such as watercolor, gouache, and fluid acrylics are the perfect mediums for landscape painting in the open air! Work in your choice of these portable, fast-drying, and easy-to-clean-up alternatives to oils as you portray the beauty of spring in Philadelphia’s parks in your own personal style. Learn how to choose a composition and mix color for depth and expressive effects as you complete a series of rapid sketches and at least one sustained painting. Explore techniques for achieving transparency effects with stained gesso, working fat over lean, and rendering with ink over washes. Open to all levels. Painting locations feature shade, restrooms, and other amenities. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Michelle Oosterbaan
Cost: $260
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

April 25, 2026
Discover the unique possibilities of drawing on Mylar in this immersive weekend workshop. Students will explore how the smooth, translucent surface of Mylar allows for even blending, soft moody values, and bold contrasts. Through guided demonstrations and hands-on exercises, participants will experiment with graphite, charcoal, and erasing techniques to create expressive drawings. Ideal for artists interested in expanding their drawing vocabulary, this workshop offers a focused introduction to using Mylar’s versatile and forgiving surface.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Shushana Rucker
Cost: $115
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

April 25, 2026
This one-day workshop will concentrate on painting one of the most beautiful and challenging aspects of a tree: its trunk and branches. Trunks are rarely perfectly round; instead, their surfaces present a combination of flat planes and rounded forms that interlock together and describe the tree's surface. The pattern of its branches, roots and rippling bark tell each tree’s life story and are influenced by interaction with other trees, the sun, and the earth. Our goal in this class is to simplify the tree's structure and capture its essence as effectively as possible. Rather than aiming for finished paintings, we will create several small studies focusing on the topography of different trunks and how we can communicate them using paint.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Claire Haik
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

April 25-26, 2026
Bohls’ work is deeply rooted in a study of historical vessels. She translates these forms first by doing a series of drawings and then building forms using the coil and pinch method of handbuilding. In this workshop, Margaret will share images of a variety of historical pottery forms. She will also give a brief demonstration of her drawing techniques - used to create a visual framework for her coil-build objects and to translate historical form language into contemporary pottery forms. Demonstrations will include the building of a variety of utilitarian forms, with an emphasis on the creation of inventive lids, spouts, handles and other attachments. Student will have the opportunity to build a small vessel during the workshop.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Margaret Bohls
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, April 28 - May 12, 2026
Join veteran plein air artist Joe Sweeney for a unique opportunity to paint inside one of the oldest rowing clubs in Philadelphia: the Bachelors Barge Club on Boathouse Row. Work from picturesque views of the Schuylkill River with the benefit of full access to the historic building with access to the dock, rain-/sun-sheltered porch, and amenities including restrooms. Experienced guidance will cover tactics for working efficiently outdoors, selecting a composition, color mixing, and capturing time of day and atmospheric effects. Instruction and demonstrations will be geared toward acrylic, oil, and pastel painting, but experienced watercolorists are welcome to participate. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Joseph Sweeney
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

May 11-13, 2026
Given the priority of authentic light in my work, it is this element that I like to focus on during the three-day workshop. As such, we will focus on value and color temperature relationships above all else. While good drawing is paramount to our effort—since nothing spoils a painting faster than drawing errors—our time is better spent on the more difficult and crucial concepts of value and color temperature. Elements such as appropriate edges, surface texture, composition, and others will also be discussed as needed. We will be painting in oil.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Mark Boedges
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

May 30, 2026
Working from a limited palette, this one-day workshop focuses on ways to create expressive florals on a larger canvas exploring energetic brushstrokes to create a harmonious and vibrant garden scene of flowers. Students will work from their own or provided imagery. Examples of colorful works by Josef Klimt and Joan Mitchell will be shared to inspire your process. A short demo will be shared on color mixing and simplification of form.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Abby Ober
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 1-5, 2026
Exploring abstracts on a larger scale in the medium of your choosing, this 5-day class will push you into new territory where growth lives… only upsized, because bigger risks equal bigger rewards. You will be shown a system for developing your artistic voice, with a focus on design principles and the language of abstraction. The emphasis is on creative process, exploring new ways to develop and build paintings, create inventive compositions, and build authentic intent in your work. The class is as much a challenge for the experienced as it is for the developing artist, but it’s not for the rank beginner. Bring a sense of humor, a fearless creative spirit, and an open mind.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Larry Moore
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

