Explore your creativity, open your senses and sharpen your mind to new realms of art-making with noted artist Mikel Elam. Mikel will help you articulate your vision and bring it to concrete reality in the form of a finished work. Explore techniques new and old with paint, paper, found objects and ephemera to best express both representational and abstract perspectives. Channel ideas of progressive artists from the past and present including Henri Matisse, Romare Bearden, Cecily Brown, Joan Mitchell while finding your own voice.
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Mikel Elam
Cost: $250
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

“Whimsical Birds” is an impressionistic painting workshop taught by award-winning artist Carolina Dalmas. Join us for painting birds with acrylics and mixed media. We will start with an underpainting using a restricted color palette, creating a playful and abstract background. You will learn as you create concepts of drawing and color theory. At least two paintings will be completed at this one-day workshop.
 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Instructor: Carolina Dalmas
Cost: $150
Sponsor: Degallery
Website, email, +1(979)704-3090

Immerse yourself in a deep dive into the creative process of Abstract Painting with elements of collage and mixed media. Students who have a desire to find their own personal voice and style while learning the fundamentals of painting with acrylics (and mixed media) in an abstract manner, will find many opportunities to flourish in this robust workshop. Jodi Ohl, artist and author of “Abstracts in Acrylic and Ink,” will guide students through a variety of inspiring chats, comprehensive demonstrations, and provide personal guidance daily. Students can expect to work on multiple pieces on both paper and canvas (or hardboard) to develop their own personal style and build on their body of existing work.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Jodi Ohl
Cost: $975+
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

This class will introduce students to acrylics, watercolor, inks, pastels, crayons and collage materials. Learn to play with these mediums and express yourself in your own unique way. Students will explore texture, shape, line and color with a focus on composition and design. Come unleash your creative spirit!
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Lauren Daddona
Cost: $465
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

In this engaging and fun-filled course, students will explore the fascinating world of abstract art through a combination of Mixed Media and Collage techniques. Students will experiment with acrylic paint and mixed media in a playful and positive environment that nurtures creativity and curiosity. Through demonstrations and guided activities, children will learn abstract painting techniques and be encouraged to develop their unique artistic style. Each week, students will delve into key concepts like proportion, contrast, balance, movement, rhythm, and basic color theory to create striking abstract pieces. This is an 8-week, 1.5 hour class.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Birgit Raders-Eichinger
Cost: $210
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Whether your child has already begun to show an interest in art or you are looking to introduce them to new media in a structured yet nurturing environment, this class allows even the youngest students to discover their creative side. Students work with air-dry clay, collage, paint, chalk and more. Our early childhood teachers encourage students to talk about their art, providing a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary, particularly words related to colors, shapes and textures, and emotions. Children learn to follow directions in a social setting with support and encouragement of their caregiver, serving as the perfect precursor to preschool. This is a 9-week, 1 hour class for 1 child + 1 adult (parent or caregiver).
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Sharon Henderson
Cost: $160
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

In this class, children learn "to see" differences in art. Exploration of bright vs. light, colors, line differences: straight/curved, short/long and thick/thin and include them in their artwork. Employing a wide range of mediums, including drawing and painting, printmaking and mixed media. Kids and parents get to get messy! Join in the sociability of the artistic class, watching creativity come alive in your child and take some artistic concepts home. Please bring a snack to enjoy during a mid-break short story. This is a 9-week, 2-hour, Friday afternoon class.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Sharon Henderson
Cost: $235
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

I love painting florals!!! And I work in different techniques and mediums… including watercolor, acrylics, and alcohol inks. At this retreat, I will share all kinds of approaches to capturing the joyous spirit of flowers!!! We will play with drawing, stenciling, collaging and painting my very favorite subject matter… glorious flowers!!! It will be a Flowerpalooza!!! Any skill level is completely welcome!!! From beginner to established. I really enjoy bringing out the creativity in everyone at my retreats. And we will laugh, share and maybe even dance a little?? Being with kindred spirits is pure joy!!!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Lori Siebert
Cost: $975+
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

Discover the excitement of creativity as you learn the art of combining a variety of materials and art processes such as painting, printmaking, and collage to create unique works of art. Students will create their own authentic materials to use in their art whether realistic or abstract, whimsical or serious, personal or universal. In an atmosphere of experimentation and guided instruction, new discoveries will inspire students to express themselves as they develop their own unique style.
 
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Instructor: Jacalyn Gmoch
Cost: $250
Sponsor: The New Studio for the Visual Arts
Website, email, 561-295-5712

This workshop will focus on helping students transform their interest in drawing and painting into the art of Monotype and Monoprint. Monoprinting is considered the most painterly of all printmaking techniques. Techniques covered will include, but not be limited to, dark and light field monotypes (with examples from Degas’s prints), trace monotypes (with examples from Gauguin and Paul Klee), chine colle, glazing, the printing of actual objects and frottage. How these prints can be further developed into collage and mixed media pieces will also be explored. Appropriate for beginners through advanced level. See the materials list for detailed information on supplies and materials fee.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Christine Stoughton
Cost: $370
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Learn to apply these valuable guidelines to your own creative processes to find useful and meaningful ways of generating ideas, moving past ruts or stumbling blocks, and maintaining a steady and productive studio practice. This hands-on drawing/mixed-media class will utilize engaging exercises to challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone and find inspiration in chance, impediments, and everyday objects. Work on paper in your choice of media from imagination or prompts to explore means of building abstract imagery through mark-making and layering. This class is geared toward students with some prior art-making experience but is perfect for those who are launching their artistic career/studies, artists returning to the studio after an absence, and anyone seeking inspiration and stimulation for their art-making practice.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Keith Leitner
Cost: $295
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Mixed media art and collage offer a myriad of possibilities to combine papers, photographs, and 3D elements to make a statement, convey something personal, or create something textural, colorful, and beautiful. Develop rich and complex imagery finding inspiration from memory, literature, films, and other sources, while working in a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional materials. Sessions will discuss the characteristics of adhesives, paper and fabric cut-outs, wood, and plastics. Students will receive one-on-one instruction and participate in open discussions about their ideas and work. Topics include construction, storage and presentation strategies. Open to all levels.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Anthony Ciambella
Cost: $295
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

This 2-day workshop will cover the basics of working with encaustics. We will go over tools and materials, safety, history, and different techniques. You’ll learn what you need to set up an encaustic art studio at home. Two different approaches of this exciting form of art will be explored; photo encaustic and encaustic collage. All materials are included (except your images.)
 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Instructor: Jaimie Ladysh
Cost: $250
Sponsor: Degallery
Website, email, +1(979)704-3090

Washi Tape is a not-very-sticky masking tape made from rice paper. It comes in rolls of solid colors, as well as patterns, and provides adherence to a variety of surfaces. This course taught by local artist Joan Moreau McKeever will teach you how to create your very own realistic or abstract collages using washi tape! Students will learn the technique of creating with this new art form. Landscapes, Flowers, People, Abstracts.... No Limit! Washi Tape is primarily used for crafting, but we are going to take it to a whole new level! No experience necessary! In addition to the registration fee, students should bring $30 cash to pay the instructor for materials, all of which will be provided for you.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Joan Moreau McKeever
Cost: $150
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Join us for this exciting class with Julie Schroeder. Discover and energize your inner artist and loosen up with exciting new watercolor techniques. This will be a fun class with watercolor techniques. Using color, texture, layering, expressive mark making, & splattering, we'll be experimenting with different professional papers. In this workshop, our main project will be a lovely landscape created with handmade papers on 140lb watercolor paper. We'll be layering on beautiful rich color in a wet into wet beginning with a special technique combining papers layered onto the watercolor paper. This creates a beautiful textured 3-D look! Experienced painters as well as those who are new to watercolors will both enjoy this fun and exciting exploration of watercolor.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Julie Schroeder
Cost: $180
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

You'll create a wonderful coastal seascape with colors and the lighthouse of your choice! We will be achieving textures with many layers of paint and media. We will experiment with torn papers, string, napkins, stenciling, glue, paint, glitter and a variety of other interesting materials. Come let your creativity loose and have fun making this 3-Dimensional piece of art! Students should bring $20 cash to pay instructor for materials, which will all be provided for you.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Julie Schroeder
Cost: $60
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Get to the heart of your authentic work and your personal style by: 1) Making a lot of work (Quantity over Quality) - This quiets the internal critic and gives our unique ideas a chance to breathe. 2) Having a deadline: The best antidote to procrastination and “waiting for inspiration”. 3) Focusing on process over product. I'll do a demo of a painting for the first half of each day, with the students painting the second half of the day. Attendees may use oils or acrylics. Students should bring their own photos or still life objects to work from.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Patrick Lee
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

Enhance your creativity with the highly individual medium of collage! Learn how to bring together random materials to create your own unique images, patterns and textures. Alicia will guide you through the process as you compose a layout, create surfaces, gather materials according to color, texture and pattern, and paste up your composition. Enjoy a day of artistic exploration and have fun discovering the numerous ways to manipulate paper, cardboard, fabric and more!
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Alicia Mino Gonzalez
Cost: $85
Sponsor: Cerulean Arts Gallery and Studio
Website, email, 267-514-8647

In this two-day workshop, we will explore the many different sides of art journals from getting past the blank pages to tips and techniques in capturing your words and imagery. An art journal is a combination of visual and written imagery that captures thoughts, ideas and images in a visual way. They can be travel logs, dream diaries, art techniques, therapy logs, storybooks, or anything. Anything goes in an art journal from using mixed media and collage, to paint, to pen and charcoal. For more information, visit lesliewoodarts.com.
 
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Instructor: Leslie Wood
Cost: $350 Museum members/ $400 non-members
Sponsor: Huntsville Museum of Art
Website, email, 256-535-6372

Expand your artist’s eye by learning different ways of seeing, loosen your grip on realism, and move into an exploration of essence. In this workshop, you’ll interpret your observations of the surrounding natural environment to create abstract art that is wholly your own. With an iterative approach, you’ll lean into different mediums, including watercolor, graphite, oil pastel and cut paper, to distill the characteristics of landscape. Along the way, creative process insights are shared that can free your hand and strengthen your visual voice. This workshop is appropriate for all levels of students.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Meg Kaczyk
Cost: $350
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Join award-winning artist Kathie George for this fun mixed media class. Day 1 – Watercolor Batik with wax and watercolor. Put the two together on textured rice paper and wow! You get a look you cannot achieve any other way. Kathie will lead you step-by-step through the process, teaching all the important skills you need. No watercolor skills are necessary. Day 2 – Sunflower Mixed Media Collage. We begin by building a beautiful background with colorful art tissue papers. You will learn how to stain your own papers, too. Then we’ll dig in and have a blast learning collage, “pulling” our subject from the background. Then work along with Kathie step-by-step as she demos how to paint the beautiful Sunflower.
 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Instructor: Kathie George
Cost: $310
Sponsor: Degallery
Website, email, +1(979)704-3090

Want more expressive art? Want more confidence in yourself and your art? Want to have a transformative experience with like-minded people? This class will take you beyond predictable painting methods. We will experiment with innovative techniques and a mindset of relaxed awareness, which have been designed to cultivate curiosity and self-confidence. Inspiring demos, lots of time to paint, and group critiques will reinforce design and mindset objectives. Critiques will model how to discuss paintings with non-judgmental language that educates you to “see” more and to appreciate whatever might show up so that you and your art will flourish. Discussions will address confidence, procrastination, vulnerability, curiosity, courage, inspiration, and more! All levels of experience are encouraged to attend.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Joan Fullerton
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

For me there is nothing more joyful and relaxing than making art! I love allowing my intuition to guide me as I develop a work of art. I also find so much inspiration in nature, and I love including natural forms and textures, along with botanical elements, in my artwork. I invite you to join me to develop a series of abstract watercolor & mixed media paintings. Over the course of the workshop, I will demonstrate and provide guidance through many of my favorite painting techniques. We’ll create custom blends of color, learn techniques for layering and adding texture to our watercolors, explore the fundamentals of composition, and take lots of inspiration from the Connecticut springtime blooms.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Jocelyn Benford
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

A mixed media workshop discovering your language though materials, process and observation. This workshop is based on demonstrations of a variety of materials, prompts and exercises to get to the core of personal meaning. The focus is on exploration, intuition, and pushing out of your comfort zone. Directives include formal elements such as line, shape, space, color, and composition with fast-paced timing based on discovery rather than finished products. Techniques will focus on markmaking, layering, collaging, excavating, combining materials, and more. Materials include: dirt, coffee, natural materials, inks, acrylic mediums and paint plus cold wax and R&F Pigment Sticks. Participants will create many small works to let go of the "precious" mentality. Freedom of expression is emphasized!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Lisa Pressman
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

During this exciting retreat, you will learn to paint florals, looking at colour, composition and techniques and how to approach flower painting creatively with a focus on the process rather than the outcome. Victoria will demonstrate a wide variety of materials and show you how to be explorative and experimental, letting go of the fear of making mistakes. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced level artist, you’ll develop the confidence and skills to creatively loosen up, be more spontaneous, and let go of self-doubt. You’ll be provided with a huge array of gorgeous flowers as inspiration. Quick and easy exercises will introduce you to collage and mixed media techniques. Victoria will be on hand, offering support and advice.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Victoria Johnson
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

In this exciting and inspiring art adventure for budding artists, teens will tap into their creativity as they learn to express themselves through art. Receive one-on-one customized art instruction with professional artists. Explore a variety of painting, drawing and mixed-media art projects, materials and technique. Explore acrylic paint on canvas, oil pastels, charcoal, mixed-media expression, ink, portraiture and more! Learn artistic techniques such as line quality, composition, shading, texture, personal expression, color, art history, realism, abstraction and more! Celebrate with a group art exhibition of artwork created. Classes are offered on Mondays and Saturdays.
 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Cost: $35 per class or $95/month
Sponsor: Degallery
Website, email, +1(979)704-3090

Why flowers? I have always been drawn to painting flowers in my work. To me, flowers represent the healing power of beauty. I believe that the world could use a little more beauty (and art). I am delighted to share my love of flowers and my process of painting with all of you! Come arrange, sketch and paint flowers with me. During this five-day intensive workshop, we will explore shape, line, and color through a variety of expressions, including sketching, collage, and painting. We will use mixed media techniques to layer and create beautiful expressive florals. I will be walking artists through exercises to loosen up their process, create from a place of joy, play with color, and explore composition.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Wendy Brightbill
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

Explore textile pattern design using DIY acrylic inks and textile paints that will leave your fabric with a soft hand and give you exactly the colors you want. Explore a multitude of ways to create richly textured “base” fabrics by applying acrylics inks with different types of brush-strokes, sponges, altering ink and water ratios, adding salt, mono-printing, and scrunching, as well as pleating, stitching, clamping and pole wrapping fabric with a variety of shibori techniques. Learn how to successfully print with foam, rubber and wood stamps. Master screen printing with thermofax screens, then apply pattern design principles using various types of repeats to print on your textured “base” fabrics. It’ll be a blast of inspiration, innovation, information and fun.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Judy Coates Perez
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

I am constantly in awe and inspired by nature and I believe she’s our best teacher! I cannot wait to lead you in this exploratory workshop where we will use and study elements from nature to create a wide variety of beautiful art. From watercolor and stamped flowers, pressed elements and mark making in sketchbooks and journals, to mixed media, collage work and pattern play… it will be a wonderful, creative time together!! Whether you haven’t picked up a paintbrush since elementary school or you create art daily, I love teaching new techniques, sharing my process and favorite materials and I promise you will learn a lot, love what you create, and have fun and be inspired by nature!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Caroline Simas
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

Join me and immerse yourself in the creative process. The experience begins the moment you register as you source, find, and gather your own personal collection of papers, fibers, ephemera, and other bits & pieces that will become the basis of your creation. As the workshop begins and unfolds, we will gather together, both within the workshop space at The Connecticut River Valley Inn and at some special, local locations. You will spend your time transforming your treasures into a series of what might loosely be called artist books. Instruction will cover the range of techniques used in mixed media: surface designing, using paints and inks, hand stitching, book binding, rusting, dyeing, embossing, mark making, gel printing, collaging, creative layering, and more.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Seth Apter
Cost: $975 + Materials fee & Ct Sales Tax
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

Learn a non-traditional approach to oil painting or explore oils for the first time. Cold wax medium is an additive that thickens oil paint, speeds up the drying time (a bit), and neutralizes the paint so there’s no concern about “fat over lean” rules. We will be using R&F’s Pigment Sticks (compressed oil paints) along with tube oils to create paintings without brushes or smelly solvents. You will discover new tools and methods for creating rich and authentic small works on paper and Ampersand’s Gessoboard. With Arches oil paper as our primary substrate, you’ll have several paintings going at once. This workshop is fun, a bit messy, and will change the way you think about oil painting.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Julie Snidle
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374

Open to students of all artistic levels, Paper and Book Artistry is for those who are ready to ditch perfection, get messy, and play with no rules. Roben-Marie’s teaching style is friendly and easy going with a focus on having fun and playing with supplies in non-traditional ways. Join Roben-Marie in a lovely historic inn located in The Connecticut River Valley for an inspiring and joyful workshop designed to help you with creative play, building up a stash of amazing art papers, and exploring the mixing of different mediums and journal making. Paper and Book Artistry is more than creative time…it’s time brimming with togetherness and friendship.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Roben Marie Smith
Cost: $975 + Materials fee & Ct Sales Tax
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-633-7374