Select from the following options to view more listings.
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

Fridays, June 20 - July 18, 2025
Learn the basics of painting with watercolor and pastel, ideal for plein air, as you work on location at beautiful and historic Laurel Hill Cemetery featuring terraced grounds, sculpture, and amazing views of the Schuylkill River. The instructor will demonstrate techniques, reference art historical examples, and encourage personal expression. Instruction will be geared to watercolor, but experienced oil/acrylic painters are welcome. Free parking and restrooms available.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Keith Leitner
Cost: $175
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

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 21-22, 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 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 7 - August 15, 2025
This six-week on-campus studio-rental program is designed for experienced visual artists and educators who desire constructive feedback on their artwork, as well as the support and interaction of an artistic community. Stimulate your personal artistic growth in your own private PAFA studio through individual weekly critiques from a stellar ensemble of nationally and internationally known artists, including members of PAFA’s acclaimed faculty, as well as discussion, group critiques, and artist studio visits. Tuition covers a private studio in PAFA's Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, weekly critiques (one-on-one; one group critique), and additional group discussions and outings to museums and commercial galleries (scheduled per students' interests), as well as the option to earn 4.0 undergraduate credits or 3.0 graduate credits.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost: $1,500
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
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

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

July 11-12, 2025
Join Anne Hebebrand for a two-day Cold Wax and Oil workshop, designed to coincide with a summer exhibition of cold wax artists at the Cynthia Winings Gallery in Blue Hill, Maine. This is a unique opportunity to explore the luminous, textural qualities of cold wax painting while experiencing an inspiring gallery setting.
Learn cold wax techniques including layering, veiling, mark-making, and creating texture. Explore composition, contrast, color mixing, and editing strategies. Discussion of process, intention, demonstrations and plenty of studio time are all part of this two day dive into creativity.
Whether you are new to cold wax or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop welcomes artists of all experience levels.
Location: Blue Hill, Maine
Instructor: Anne Hebebrand
Cost: $350
Sponsor: Anne Hebebrand
Website, email, 857-930-9849

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

Mondays, July 14-28, 2025
Paint with the medium of your choice (Oil, Watercolor, 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 per session
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 26, 2025
Reboot your painting practice by incorporating unexpected materials that you wouldn't normally compose a painting with - grocery lists, diary pages, junk mail, things in the street such as a flattened pencil or chunk of sanding belt, or something that you don’t really know what it is but the shape or material interests you. Learn practical methods to incorporate these materials into a cohesive painted surface, as well as strategies for defeating artist's block so you can start and move a painting(s) forward. Question stereotypical notions of what paintings are and how to make them in order to realize your personal vision and practice.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Philippa Beardsley
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

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 9, 2025
During this one-day intensive workshop, Beth shares her unique technique for painting with water mixable (soluble) oils. 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. In the morning Beth will do a demo from a still life setup and show how she uses simple apps on her phone to simplify forms enhance value and emphasize composition. In the afternoon students will work from similar still life setups. This workshop is for all levels.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Beth Bathe
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

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

Mondays, September 8-29, 2025
Paint with the medium of your choice (Oil, Watercolor, 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: $200 or $50 per session
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 9-12, 2025
Celebrate the fall season with a three-day immersive workshop focused on cold wax and oil painting. Whether you’re new to the medium or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop welcomes artists of all skill levels. With a balance of guided instruction and personal exploration, you’ll have the opportunity to grow at your own pace.
We’ll dive into a variety of techniques including layering, working with contrast, veils of color, brayer and transfer techniques, mark-making, masking, stenciling, compression, and blotting. Discussions on composition, color theory, and editing will support you in creating stronger, more personal work.
All levels welcome.
Cost: $850 (includes all meals) $450 deposit due at registration
Location: Kittery, Maine
Instructor: Anne Hebebrand
Cost: $850
Sponsor: Anne Hebebrand
Website, email, 857-930-9849

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