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May 16, 2025
The workshop begins with creating your own flower arrangement. Jennifer will have a beautiful selection of fresh flowers, and a container/vessel for each student. She will thoroughly instruct the arranging of the flowers; giving one-on-one help as needed. She’s an excellent instructor and makes the workshop fun. Students will go home with a gorgeous fresh floral arrangement in a container. After the flower arranging is complete, we break for a one-hour lunch. Students can bring their own or go out. The afternoon will be spent painting flowers with Jan. She will begin with a brief demo. She will then work with students for the remainder of the afternoon as they create paintings from their own floral arrangements.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Jennifer Reed & Jan Wier
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Fridays, May 16 - June 13, 2025
Paint on location at Philadelphia's historic Fairmount Park mansions including Laurel Hill Mansion, Ormiston Mansion, Woodford Mansion, Strawberry Mansion and Ridgeland Mansion! Built in the 18th century, these houses feature amazing architecture, beautiful gardens, and scenic views. Each week will feature a different instructor: Joseph Sweeney, Larry Francis, Keith Leitner, Lou Schellenberg and Michael Kowbuz. They will demonstrate oil, watercolor/gouache and pastel techniques, reference art historical examples, cover the ins-and-outs of working outdoors and encourage personal expression. Includes a tour of each historic house! Work with the materials of your choice including watercolor, oil, acrylic and drawing media. Restrooms and free parking will be available.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Various
Cost: $225
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

May 17 & 18, 2025
Don't miss this opportunity to work with renowned painter Bill Scott to explore the sensuous yet thoughtful abstract construction of space in this two-day, intensive studio workshop. Color will be the focus as participants paint from an expansive still life environment with special prompts from Scott. This workshop is designed for intermediate/advanced painters. This Master Class is held in conjunction with Bill Scott's current exhibition at Cerulean Arts Gallery, "Love Letters to an Unknowable Future," April 23 - May 18, and will include a tour.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Bill Scott
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Saturdays, May 17 - June 28, 2025
Painting the human form from observation is one of the cornerstones of PAFA's long tradition of rigorous instruction. Working from the nude model in poses of varying lengths, investigate color mixing, proportion, and composition using oil paint as a medium. Focusing on alla prima painting techniques and a limited flesh-tone palette, learn to model the human form through gesture, shape, volume, and temperature – excellent for painted sketches and preparatory studies, foundations for extended work, or an introduction/refresher to figure painting. Intended for all skill levels. Instruction will be geared toward oil, but students may 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

May 17, 2025
Become more confident with color control and mixing. During this one-day color class, students will learn how to skillfully mix oil paint through guided mixing exercises and how to better apply these ideas to one's own paintings. Through hands-on exercises, demos, and lectures, color will become easier to use and to understand. This class is geared towards the oil painter. Acrylic can be accommodated if one has a “stay-wet” palette set-up.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Claudia Rilling
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

May 19, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

May 21-22, 2025
Spend two lovely mornings outside learning how to paint in Plein Air! The first morning, the class will start with painting demonstrations and information. Carol will share how she quickly captures the landscape in Plein Air. You will learn how to focus in on a composition, define the values, identify the light source, establish a point of focus and how to see and use colors effectively in your Plein Air paintings. You will learn the importance of painting light, shadows and colors from life. There will be personalized teaching and individualized feedback. This all-levels class focuses a lot on individual assistance from the instructor, who can adjust accordingly to each student.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Carol Iglesias
Cost: $120
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Wednesdays, May 21 - June 25, 2025
Whether you are new or returning to oil painting, this comprehensive foundational course is the perfect way to learn its materials and techniques and how to apply them effectively. Instruction will discuss and demonstrate a range of colors, paint brands, and painting mediums and demystify painting conventions such as “fat over lean” and “thick over thin.” Working from still-life subject matter, begin with simple “direct” alla prima sketches, and then advance to “indirect” layering approaches of building upon a tonal underpainting – first with a limited selection of transparent and opaque colors, and later with a more extended palette. Develop methodologies for the process of making a painting, including managing color and value, and constructing an engaging composition. Drawing experience recommended.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $450
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

May 22, 2025
As a plein air painter, I enjoy exploring new places and discovering subjects that make a place unique. Generally, I like to choose complicated landscape subjects. I enjoy the exercise of simplifying the complexity, bringing attention to the important visual qualities that interest me. In a way it could be considered an abstraction of the subject, but I seek to portray the basic shape accurately. My painting process is not formulaic. I prefer to work intuitively and improvisational, sometimes with no predetermined result in mind. By painting this way, I hope to capture the fresh energy of the experience with expressive paint application. This is an important quality I strive for and what is so wonderful about plein air painting.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Fred Jackson
Cost: $20 members | $25 non-members
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

May 25, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Wednesdays, May 28 - July 30, 2025
Learn to explore new possibilities and paint more intuitively under the guidance of artist/critic/mentor KassemAmoudi. Work from personal subject matter (objects, images, emotions, or ideas) to find your own visual language, informed by examples from contemporary and modern art. Examine how to use concepts of color, harmony, focal point, space, and mark-making as powerful tools of personal expression. Open painting is heavily supported by critiques and advice from the instructor as he works one-on-one with each student to guide them in their personal style and goals. This course is excellent for students pursuing abstract or nonobjective imagery, seeking knowledgeable feedback and a focused community painting environment. Painting experience recommended.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi
Cost: $450
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Saturdays, May 31, June 21 & July 26
Looking at our paintings for a second or third time in relation to each other, with other people, talking about them outside of our studio, and then examining through making another work how we might remake their theme or revise the relationships of their elements is the focus of this studio seminar. We will begin each session by discussing the dialogues, thoughts, and emotions that occur in response to the works. The second half of the class will allow each person time to make a work concentrating on or expanding on the theme and focus of one of their works.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Tom Csaszar
Cost: $95 each class or $256.50 for all three
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Mondays, June 2-16, 2025
Paint with the medium of your choice, (Oil, WC, Acrylic, Pastel, Charcoal, Colored Pencil), in a relaxed atmosphere with as much instructor help as you want. Bring in new or unfinished work you want to do. Short demos, techniques, and critiques will be available to assist you. Realism, impressionism, or something more modern is all welcome. This class is appropriate for beginner painters, intermediate painters and advanced painters of any medium. The main purpose of this course is one-on-one assistance from the instructor with whatever you need help with (fixing, composition, specific subjects, etc.).
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Dennis Lake
Cost: $150 or $50/day
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 5-6, 2025
During this class, we will focus on how to create full spectrum compositions. We will use detail to create interest in the foreground and atmospheric perspective to create distance in the background. The object of this class is to paint large to enable yourself to loosen up and not be so fussy over details. It is important to bring a large canvas, nothing smaller than 24" x 30". You'll also bring a few photographs you would enjoy painting. We will use under-painting to speed up the process and overcome the intimidation factor of that big white canvas. This class was designed for oil and acrylic painters of all levels.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Nancy Mitchell
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 7-8, 2025
Want to paint but don't know where to begin? This two-day structured workshop makes it painless and easy to ease into oil painting. Begin with a black-and-white painting (just like drawing) to become familiar with painting tools and materials. Be introduced to color with a simple earth-palette painting. Move on to a brighter prismatic palette, and then top off the weekend by completing a painting in a full palette of colors. This course will utilize still life subject matter. Drawing experience recommended.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $225
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

June 8, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 10-11, 2025
Enjoy open-air painting in beautiful Valley Forge National Historic Park on the National Historic Register. The church site of George Washington’s Continental Army in 1777-1778 and now home to lush scenery and historic architecture! Located in Montgomery County, 35 minutes northwest of Center City Philadelphia, with ample parking and access to restrooms. Working from diverse landscape subject matter, students will learn essential plein air approaches, including color mixing to achieve a sense of light and air, capturing time of day, compositional fundamentals, and sound drawing and painting practices. Instruction is geared toward oil/acrylic painting and pastel drawing/painting. Meeting at the Washington Memorial Chapel parking lot.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Joseph Sweeney
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Wednesdays, June 11 - July 16, 2025
Working from your own reference material, we will spend each week focusing on a particular aspect of landscape painting. Individual techniques will be taught each session in a supportive atmosphere. Syllabus will be provided. Please bring painting materials to the first class. All mediums welcomed.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Bonnie Mettler
Cost: $285
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 11-13, 2025
Expand your skills with painting the beautiful Lowcountry landscape! The class will start with a full painting demonstration. Carol will share her process for blocking in large simple shapes before layering colors. Learn how to capture the beauty that makes the Lowcountry so special, focus on a strong composition, define values, establish a point of focus, and how to see and use color effectively in your paintings. You will also learn how to interpret your own photographs for reference and understand the relationships between value, color temperature and color intensity. There will be personalized teaching and individualized feedback throughout the day. This all-levels class focuses a lot on individual assistance from the instructor, who can adjust accordingly to each student.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Carol Iglesias
Cost: $150
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 11, 2025
Make your paintings sparkle by capturing the moment with a fresh direct response to the landscape. Elise will walk you through the process of creating light filled paintings with a limited palette. “Where most people see the ordinary, I envision a painting. The bucolic countryside I’m surrounded by offers endless inspiration for me. My paintings are my journal, reflecting on what I see and experience daily. I am forever eager to share my reflections through my paintings in the hopes that they will evoke the feeling in the viewer that I had – a sense of memories, serenity and awe in everyday life and a reminder that there is beauty all around us.”
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Elise Phillips
Cost: $20 members | $25 non-members
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 14, 2025
Capturing figures in real-life settings can be quite challenging, especially when dealing with changing outdoor light conditions. See how Barbara skillfully integrates the figure with the garden, while paying close attention to how the atmosphere influences the colors of the model’s skin and clothing.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Barbara Berry
Cost: $20 members | $25 non-members
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 18, 2025
My representational paintings have been described by art critics as “evoking nostalgia, like that of an old sepia toned photograph, often with just touches of color.” Curiosity about the medium I work with is often the first question of many viewers. Is it watercolor, is it oil? With my answer: “somewhat both.” I paint with water soluble oils, in a very limited tonal palette. My tools include squeegees, toothpicks, paper towels and Qtips - giving my paintings a washy, vintage feel as I carve away the drawing to reveal the painting!
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Beth Bathe
Cost: $20 members | $25 non-members
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 19-20, 2025
During this class, we will focus on how to create full spectrum compositions. We will use detail to create interest in the foreground and atmospheric perspective to create distance in the background. The object of this class is to paint large to enable yourself to loosen up and not be so fussy over details. It is important to bring a large canvas, nothing smaller than 24" x 30". You'll also bring a few photographs you would enjoy painting. We will use under-painting to speed up the process and overcome the intimidation factor of that big white canvas. This class was designed for oil and acrylic painters of all levels.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Nancy Mitchell
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 20, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

June 21, 2025
Wondering what Water Mixable Oil paints are all about? Known for blurring the line between watercolor and oil paintings, Beth Bathe's unparalleled style evokes feelings of nostalgia, like an old sepia-toned photograph. Beth uses unconventional tools including squeegees and Q-tips, along with her brushes focusing on composition, values, edges, and drawing rather than color. During this one-day intensive workshop, Beth shares her unique technique with students. In the morning 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. In the afternoon students will work from photos (either bring your own on your phone/iPad, or Beth will have prints to share).
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Beth Bathe
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 21, 2025
Celebrate the first day of summer painting on location at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education! The Schuylkill Center is one of first environmental education centers in the country, with 365 acres of fields, forests, ponds and streams, as well as Philadelphia's only wildlife clinic - and amazing location for painters! Instructor Keith Leitner will demonstrate watercolor and pastel techniques, reference art historical examples, cover the ins-and-outs of working outdoors and encourage personal expression. Instruction will be geared towards watercolor, but you are free to the materials of your choice including gouache, oil, acrylic and drawing media. The workshop will include a welcome and orientation by Schuylkill Center staff. Restrooms and free parking available. Don’t’ miss this great opportunity!
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Keith Leitner
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

Mondays, June 23 - August 11, 2025
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, June 24 - August 12, 2025
Designed for artists ready to challenge themselves and take their work to the next level, this class is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the artist's own creative process and sensibility. A variety of subject matter will be explored. Level: Previous drawing and painting experience is recommended.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Karen Fogarty
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, June 24 - August 12, 2025
This 8-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 Thompson
Cost: $320
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, June 24 - August 12, 2025
Whether it is portrait, still life, landscape or abstracts, the presence of light against shadow gives the subject form and dimension. Bring your own inspiration to class and with this principle in mind, watch your paintings come to life! Composition and color mixing will be a focus in this class. All mediums and skill levels are welcome!
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Stefanie Lieberman
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Tuesdays, June 24 - August 12, 2025
Acquaint or re-acquaint yourself with the pleasure of oil painting. Learn about the materials and techniques that form the basis of the medium. Students will use still life, simple and complex, as subject matter. All levels are welcome.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Karen Fogarty
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Wednesdays, June 25 - August 13, 2025
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. Portraits often reveal a variety of qualities of the sitter, like social class, age, beauty, occupation, etc. The class will include demonstrations, discussions of masterworks, both traditional and contemporary, and thoughtful feedback on work. 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: $430
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Wednesdays, June 25 - August 13, 2025
Students explore all aspects of working with oils, with a strong emphasis on composition, color mixing and various painting techniques. Individual instruction provided in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Ideal for beginners as well as more experienced artists.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Stefanie Lieberman
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, June 26 - August 14, 2025
In this course, we will be painting small, loose paintings of varied subject matter comprised from images that students will submit. Learn how to break down an image to its most important aspects and not getting tied up in detail from the start. Composition, color mixing and painting technique will be addressed in a fun and relaxing painting experience! All skill levels welcome.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Stefanie Lieberman
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, June 26 - August 14, 2025
This course is designed to create paintings that we will build from a loose, underpainting and refine as we go along. This class is ideal for those painters who want to break out of the habit of focusing in on details and let the paint create a more expressive piece. Attention will be paid to composition, color mixing, paint application and technique. All skill levels welcome in a fun and relaxing atmosphere!
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Stefanie Lieberman
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Thursdays, June 26 - August 14, 2025
Uncovering the connection between your identity and your artwork can be both liberating and inspiring. In this class, we will explore methods designed to help you discover and develop your unique aesthetic and artistic voice. Our focus will be on paint handling, color selection, and composition. You will learn to manage your palette, make intentional color choices, and understand their impact on your work. Play will be encouraged! Music will serve as our muse, providing inspiration as you select your subject matter with guided support. This journey encourages mindfulness and self-discovery, and connects us more deeply with the world around us and ourselves. All skill levels are welcome and valued in this class.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Heidi Techner
Cost: $380
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

June 29, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Mondays, June 30 - August 4, 2025
Energize and open up your approach to figure painting through rapid, loose oil painting studies from the life model. Learn tactics to avoid the tendency toward tightness and over-attention to detail that can lead to work that lacks liveliness in gesture or mark and is difficult to adjust or correct. Through short, small-scale painting exercises from the model, learn new ways of approaching life painting with an emphasis on keeping compositions fluid, capturing the gesture and character of the subject before getting locked into its contours, and both initiating and retaining a sense of freshness in your color and brushstrokes. Instruction will address color mixing, painting materials and methodologies, and cultivating sustainable methods for growth in your painting practice.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Roger Chavez
Cost: $330
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Tuesdays, July 1-29, 2025
The oil sketch is a traditional way for painters to execute preparatory ideas and quickly capture initial impressions – perfect for plein air painting! Learn useful techniques for rapidly encapsulating color and form while working directly from observation. Locations with shade and restrooms include Bartram’s Garden along the Schuylkill River and the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, near Philadelphia International Airport. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Roger Chavez
Cost: $325
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

July 10-11, 2025
During this class, we will focus on how to create full spectrum compositions. We will use detail to create interest in the foreground and atmospheric perspective to create distance in the background. The object of this class is to paint large to enable yourself to loosen up and not be so fussy over details. It is important to bring a large canvas, nothing smaller than 24" x 30". You'll also bring a few photographs you would enjoy painting. We will use under-painting to speed up the process and overcome the intimidation factor of that big white canvas. This class was designed for oil and acrylic painters of all levels.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Nancy Mitchell
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Thursdays, July 10 - August 14, 2025
Paint portraits from a variety of models using the direct painting method. Examine the proportions and volumes of the head, as well as the placement, structure, and characteristics of the facial features, through preliminary drawings and demonstrations. Develop color using a limited palette to understand how to use chroma, temperature, value, tint, and tone. Instruction will address materials, composition, paint handling, color mixing, blending, and theory. Homework assignments working from photos, Masterworks, or oneself/others will encourage students to learn to make personal aesthetic and technical choices and to practice concepts addressed in class. Open to all levels, this course is excellent for beginners as well as experienced students who want to review fundamental techniques or who simply enjoy painting portraits from life.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Roberto Osti
Cost: $615
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Thursdays, July 10-31, 2025
Learn to paint the unique effects of evening light and activity of Center City and University City, Philadelphia. Discover techniques for managing the shifting light and shadows of the setting sun as it plays across the city’s historic architecture. This plein air option is perfect for summer painting, allowing artists to take advantage of cooling evening temperatures and the subtle or dramatic palette of sunset and dusk. Previous painting experience required. Restrooms near all locations. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $175
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Thursdays, July 10 - August 14, 2025
Working in oil or pastel from photographic reference, this class is about translating the photographic image onto either canvas or paper. Focusing on color, value and mark making as essential tools, students are encouraged to move a step beyond the restraints of a camera to create a successful and personal work. Discussion will include working with painting mediums and exploring different techniques.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Anne Graham
Cost: $285
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Saturdays, July 12 - August 16, 2025
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. For preparatory or alternative study, see also Figure Painting: Alla Prima and the Limited Palette. Note: It is not a required prerequisite for The Extended Pose.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: David Wilson
Cost: $330
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632
July 13, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

July 19, 2025
Join Cerulean Arts Collective artist Laura Eyring to create an expressive, colorful landscape using a “mosaic” technique in oils. Eyring‘s approach to oils focuses on mixing dozens of saturated colors from a limited number of paints. With no blending or overlapping, each stroke is set as an individual gem of color on a pre-toned panel. The result is a stained-glass effect with a vibrant quality. Bring your favorite landscape reference photos for a day to explore this colorful style. A short demo will be followed by a day of painting. Leave those earth tones at home and get ready to create an imaginative scene inspired by nature!
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Laura Eyring
Cost: $115
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

July 20, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Tuesdays, July 22 - August 12, 2025
Working from still life, this class seeks to give students a clear approach to their palette by focusing on the building blocks of color such as value, color temperature, and hue. By the end of class, students should be able to control the colors on their palette to recreate what they’re observing in the real world.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Nathan Durnin
Cost: $320
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

July 31 & August 1, 2025
During this class, we will focus on how to create full spectrum compositions. We will use detail to create interest in the foreground and atmospheric perspective to create distance in the background. The object of this class is to paint large to enable yourself to loosen up and not be so fussy over details. It is important to bring a large canvas, nothing smaller than 24" x 30". You'll also bring a few photographs you would enjoy painting. We will use under-painting to speed up the process and overcome the intimidation factor of that big white canvas. This class was designed for oil and acrylic painters of all levels.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Nancy Mitchell
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

July 31, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

August 7-9, 2025
This three-day workshop will focus on painting “alla prima” (all at once) as well as developing greater skills of observation, simplification and quickly painting “wet on wet”. Most importantly, we will discuss how thoughtfully and purposely “suggesting” and editing the elements of a composition – rather than simply “rendering” every detail of your reference – will create a stronger, more compelling and “painterly” painting.
Graziano is an award winning, nationally exhibited artist whose paintings capture the hidden beauty found in the ordinary and unexpected fleeting moments of everyday life. His work has been featured in numerous publications and is in the collections of private and corporate collectors throughout the world. For more information, visit dangrazianofineart.com.
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Instructor: Dan Graziano
Cost: $650 Museum members/ $700 non-members
Sponsor: Huntsville Museum of Art
Website, email, 256-535-6372

August 10, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

August 23, 2025
Students will use a limited palette of their choosing to create contemporary abstracts based on an expressive or geometric approach. The works of notable abstract painters will be shared and discussed to aid in discovering your own aesthetic in this intuitive approach to painting. This is a free and supportive way to step away from a representational style to a completely abstract style where color and composition rule. See website for supplies.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Abby Ober
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

August 24, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

September 10-14, 2025
Philip Frey and Schoodic Institute are pleased to offer a plein air painting retreat designed specifically for dedicated landscape painters. This retreat will provide an opportunity for participants to hone their skills, gain deeper knowledge of materials, and develop confidence in their creative abilities. The retreat will be held in the picturesque landscapes of Acadia National Park and the Schoodic Peninsula. Each day will start early with an on-site painting session, followed by an early afternoon demonstration and critique. Participants will have ample time to engage in painting, explore the surrounding area, or relax at their leisure.
Location: Winter Harbor, Maine
Instructor: Philip Frey
Cost: Commuter - $1,175 / Residential - $1,740
Sponsor: Schoodic Institute
Website, email, 207-288-1310

September 11-13, 2025
Master your ability to capture radiance in your paintings and join South Carolina artist Michael Story for this three-day landscape painting workshop. Michael will explain and demonstrate the fundamentals of building radiant color by applying complementary and analogous color combinations. Students begin their paintings with an initial charcoal drawing, followed by a color wash applied over the image. Starting with rich shadow colors, you’ll begin blocking in our painting, then progressing dark to light to completion. Building final layers of color and avoiding muddy mixtures, you’ll achieve fresh, bright, radiant color while capturing depth and drama to your work. For more information, visit michaelstory.com.
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Instructor: Michael Story
Cost: $575 Museum members/ $625 non-members
Sponsor: Huntsville Museum of Art
Website, email, 256-535-6372

September 14, 2025
Life Drawing, also known as Figure Drawing, is the practice of drawing in order to study the human figure. If you look at historic artwork, you'll find many nude drawings and paintings. These are considered life drawings. Many artists perceive figure drawing as an endless effort with limitless possibility for improvement, learning, and diversity. The range of detail in a life drawing can vary immensely. They can range from highly detailed and anatomically proportional drawings to loose and expressive sketches to gesture drawings, which show the simple form, action and pose. Some popular mediums used during life drawings are charcoal, graphite, pen, ink and pastels. For the longer poses, some may use painting mediums like acrylics or oil.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Cost: $20 for Members / $40 for Non-members
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

September 17-19, 2025
The classes will focus on painting Southern landscapes using references of the students' choice or those of the instructor. Discussion and demos will provide students with knowledge that can be used to improve their choice of subject and application of composition principles. Accuracy in shape-making and displaying depth through perspective and value will be stressed. Color mixing, brush and palette knife application of the medium, and edge treatments will be demonstrated by the instructor. Expecting to paint a masterpiece in class should not be a student objective. Learning the techniques and principles that will lead to prize-winning paintings, being awarded commissions, and obtaining gallery representation should be the take-away from class.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Gary Baughman
Cost: $180
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

October 31 & November 1, 2, 2025
This is a 3-day outdoor painting workshop for intermediate to advanced painters working in oils or acrylics. It will include lecture, demonstration and practice, the three ingredients to effective instruction and learning. We will cover some so called “basic” elements of Drawing, Value, Color, Composition and Edges... all put into a package called “Concept”, the basis for any painting that you paint. I will work with each student at their own level, and will spend a lot of time at students’ easels, giving individual instruction, and will demo everything that I ask you to do.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Marc Hanson
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

November 3-5, 2025
A good painting has a lot of elements that contribute to its success. Color, value, technique and having a clear focus. All of these principles are explored by Aline, emphasizing looking at shapes in an abstract way in order to create illustrative paintings. Working from their own photo references, students will transform these into oil or pastel paintings using the principles of color, value and design. Along with a painting demonstration each day, Aline will talk about understanding color in terms of temperature, intensity and value while translating those ideas using pastel and oil technique. She will also emphasize the concept of creating shapes and carving back on them in order to achieve a painterly finish.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Aline Ordman
Cost: $500
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

February 3-4, 2026
We invite you to register for this exciting 2-Day Palette Knife Workshop for oil & acrylic painters of all levels of experience. This workshop is designed to enhance your painting skills by focusing on palette knife techniques, enabling you to create impressionistic art with complementary colors. You'll learn to integrate these techniques with composition and color theory to elevate your paintings. Through daily demonstrations on various subjects and surfaces, you'll discover the joy of clean color and vibrant energy in your work. Whether you paint in a studio or en plein air, these skills will add excitement and versatility to your art. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your artistic toolbox and transform your source materials into dynamic compositions.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Trish Weeks
Cost: $330
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

February 24-26, 2026
Join award winning artist and popular instructor, Eric Jacobsen, for this painting workshop where you will learn to loosen up your style and paint expressive landscapes. This oil and acrylics workshop is for students of all levels, beginner through advanced. We will focus on the fundamentals of good painting as it relates to landscape painting. We will cover the following topics: Composition, Value, Design, Choosing a Motif, Identifying and mixing accurate Warm and Cool Colors, Establishing a Focal Point as well as Tips and Do’s and Don’ts for the Landscape Painter. The workshop will be complete with informal lectures, instructor demos, group critiques and plenty of individual instruction. Please come and join Eric for an informative and enjoyable workshop experience.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Eric Jacobsen
Cost: $400
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

March 25-27, 2026
This workshop will focus on painting “alla prima” (all at once) as well as developing greater skills of observation, simplification and painting “wet on wet” to create strong “painterly” paintings. The first morning of the workshop begins with a discussion of painting basics (from materials to paint handling) and will also address the fundamentals of color, value, edges, perspective and other “practical” elements that make a successful painting. Each day participants will work on a series of timed painting exercises incorporating the techniques discussed while developing their skills of observation, simplification, bold brushwork and painting in a “decisive” and “intentional” manner. Each morning of the workshop will include a short painting demo by Dan with an explanation of his process.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Dan Graziano
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

April 24-26, 2026
This workshop focuses on how to paint beautiful, luminous flowers with confidence and excitement! Diane Reeves is an award-winning artist and seasoned instructor whose engaging teaching style, clear explanations, and valuable demonstrations make learning new concepts and skills straightforward and enjoyable. Her goal is for every participant to leave with valuable new insights and confidence in painting their own beautiful florals! Each morning, we’ll focus on specific concepts and skills paired with a demonstration using garden flowers such as roses and hydrangeas. Each afternoon will include plenty of one-on-one assistance as participants apply that day’s lessons while painting floral setups.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Diane Reeves
Cost: $450
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

May 16 & 17, 2026
Do you often wonder how to make your paintings stand out? This workshop will explore ways to make more compelling and powerful visual statements, focusing on the landscape for inspiration and subject matter. The workshop will consist of demos, painting exercises, group discussions, positive critiques and lots of hands-on individual attention. Oil and Acrylic painters are welcome to attend; however, demos will be done in pastel and then Mayfield will work individually with you in your medium. Make your paintings more expressive and visually interesting from start to finish, from choosing subject matter, editing reference photos, simplifying and improving design and composition, using dynamic value contrasts, pushing color schemes, and using color temperature to create mood and emotion.
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Susan Mayfield
Cost: $330
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

See also:
Art Books for Oil Painting |
Tutorials for Oil Painting